Insure your dog or cat? Hongkongers get tangled in policy fine print as pets age and premiums rise
- Those who insure their pets complain about inconsistency in policies, hidden terms, steep premium hikes
- Consumer Council advises owners to compare policies before buying as insurers are free to review terms
Hong Kong dog owner Cyrl Azur made monthly insurance claims for her 12-year-old mongrel Fifi’s injections for arthritis until her insurer OneDegree suddenly stopped paying, saying there had been a “policy revamp”.
The dog received an injection of the arthritis drug Pentocasan, costing HK$170 (US$28) a month.
“Fifi will need it every month for the rest of her life,” said the 28-year-old fashion stylist, who paid a monthly premium of HK$854 a month. “I paid for a plan so I thought they should cover it.”
Since the update, however, the drug has been listed in her policy under supplements, excluded from her coverage. It also said the insurer had the right to alter the terms when renewing the policy.
OneDegree told the Post it reviewed its pricing annually and made adjustments depending on medical inflation.
It also updated the list of drugs covered periodically and excluded supplements after consulting veterinary surgeons. It moved Pentosan to the list of excluded items in January.
