The Terms of Business Agreement is effective from July 2018. It defines how we conduct business with you and provides details of our regulatory and statutory responsibilities. It also sets out the terms with which we agree to act and defines your responsibilities to us. Please contact us if there is anything in this Agreement that you do not understand or disagree with.
Who we are
Pet Protect Limited is specialist insurance intermediary, registered in England and Wales with registered number 1774371. Registered office: Betchworth House, 57-65 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1DL. Pet Protect Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm reference number 311794). This can be checked by visiting the ‘Financial Services Register’ on the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) website at register.fca.org.uk or calling the FCA on 0300 500 8082.
Petpals Direct is a trading name of Pet Protect Limited.
Our products and services
Our pet insurance products are underwritten by NewLine Group. Our services include, but are not limited to the following:
- We act as your agent when arranging cover and making changes to your policy
- We act as agent of the insurer when placing cover and processing claims
We do not provide advice or make recommendations regarding the suitability of a product when you buy a policy from us. You must make your own decision about taking out or renewing a policy, based on the information we provide.
Who owns us?
Pet Protect Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pet Health Inc.
Demands and needs
We ensure our range of products meets the demands and needs of a pet owner who wants to cover the unexpected and ongoing veterinary costs for illnesses and injuries, throughout the duration of the policy. This is met throughout the period of insurance, at the level of cover selected.
Methods of communication
We will communicate with you by post, telephone and email depending on your selected preference. Please let us know if you would prefer not to receive communications from us by a particular channel.
Security
We monitor the financial strength of the insurer with whom we place business, but it should be noted that the claims paying ability of even the strongest insurer could be affected by adverse business conditions. We, therefore, cannot guarantee their solvency. Liability for the premium, whether in full or pro rata, may apply to policies where the insurer becomes insolvent.
Risk Information
The terms of insurance will be based upon the information provided by you to us. As a consumer purchasing insurance you must take reasonable care to answer all questions put to you about your proposed insurance fully, honestly and to the best of your knowledge.
If you do not understand the meaning of any question, or if you do not know the answer, it is vital that you tell us. Once cover has been arranged, you must notify us immediately of any changes to the information that you previously provided. If you fail to provide full and accurate information before you take out an insurance, or when your circumstances change, and you do not tell us, it may invalidate your cover or a claim may be rejected. For future reference, please keep copies of any correspondence you send to us.
Our remuneration
We arrange the policy with the insurer on your behalf and you do not pay us a fee for doing this. We receive commission from the insurer, which is a percentage of the total premium received after Insurance Premium Tax (IPT).
We sometimes earn income in the form of management or administrative expenses allowed to us by the insurer to cover costs incurred in carrying out work on their behalf and in the form of volume, growth or profitability payments.
For each insurance policy, including any subsequent renewal, you have a right to request information regarding any remuneration that we have received as a result of placing your insurance.
Fees and charges
Unless we tell you otherwise when you take out or renew a policy with us we do not charge administration fees to update or change your policy in addition to the premium.
If you pay for your premium in monthly installments, the APR interest rate applicable in year 1 will be advised when you come to renew your policy.
Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) is a tax applied to general insurance premiums and is applicable at the rate prescribed.
Methods of payment
You can pay for your policy annually by credit card or monthly installments by direct debit. We will provide full information about premium payment options when you purchase or renew your policy.
Premium settlement
You are responsible for the prompt settlement of your insurance premium. If you pay for your premium in monthly installments and want to pay the remainder in full, please contact us. We have no obligation to fund any premiums on your behalf and cannot be held responsible for any loss which you may suffer as a result of a policy being cancelled or otherwise prejudiced due to the late or non-payment of a premium where the delay is attributable to you.
Credit agreement payment defaults
If a direct debit or other payment is due as part of a fixed sum loan agreement entered into with Pet Protect to pay insurance premiums and associated fees and charges are not met when presented for payment, or if you end or do not complete such agreement, you acknowledge and agree that it may be necessary for us to cancel on your behalf the insurance policy being paid by the said agreement, unless you immediately make other arrangements to pay the remaining balance of the insurance premium. After cancellation, you agree that you will be responsible for any outstanding costs after application of any refunds allowed by the insurer. You will be responsible for notifying us of the cancellation of the insurance policy and for arranging alternative insurance, unless you have already satisfied the requirements we have in such a situation to provide an alternative solution.
Handling client and insurer money
We collect and hold money as agent of the insurer.
Confidentiality
All information you provide is treated as confidential and disclosed only when arranging and administering your insurance policy and processing your claim or renewal.
This may include disclosing information to approved suppliers to administer your policy. Individual’s consent will be obtained for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, except where the law provides an exemption. Full details of how we use your data can be found in the privacy notice on our website.
Quotes
Pet Protect will provide you with a price for pet insurance cover based on the information you provide. If any of the information is incorrect or changes, we reserve the right to quote an alternative premium or we may refuse to offer insurance and the quote may be withdrawn.
Changes to your cover
We normally deal with any requests to amend your cover within 5 working days. Some changes require additional information, and if this is required we will contact you as soon as possible. We will confirm any changes to your policy, once agreed, either by email or post and advise you of any extra premium that is due to be paid or returned to you.
Receipt of instructions
We do not consider instructions to arrange or change cover sent to us by post, email, messaging services or fax, or left by voicemail, to have been received until they reach the relevant person at our office. We do not accept responsibility for instructions that do not reach us due to failure of the postal, electronic or telecommunications systems.
Documentation
Our aim is to produce documentation and issue correspondence in a clear, understandable and readable format. Please check all policy documentation to ensure that your details are correct and the cover meets your requirements. If you need to make any changes or clarification is required, please contact us as soon as possible.
All policies contain conditions, exclusions and excesses. Please read your documents to understand these and keep them safe for future reference. A breach of a policy condition may result in non-payment of a claim if compliance with that condition would have reduced the risk of the loss which actually occurred. Breach of a warranty may suspend the insurer’s liability to pay any claims directly related to such breach, until such time that the breach has been remedied.
Making a claim
For full details on how to claim under your pet insurance policy please refer to our policy terms and conditions. Please ensure you report all incidents that could result in a claim as soon as you are aware of them by phoning us on 0345 602 4797. Send your claim form and any additional documents to: Pet Protect Limited, Betchworth House, 57-65 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1DL. If your claim form is incomplete, it may delay your claim.
Cancellation rights
Please refer to your terms and conditions for full details. If the cover does not meet your requirements, please contact us within 14 days. You can cancel your policy at any time. If you cancel within the first 14 days of purchasing or renewing your policy, provided we have no record of any claims, you will be entitled to a full refund.
If you are paying for your cover on a monthly basis, you will remain covered until the end of the month you have already paid for.
However, if you make a claim, including if your pet has died, is stolen or has strayed, or if a claim is made against you during the month, and you subsequently cancel your policy, the annual premium shall become immediately payable.
Any outstanding installments for the period of insurance will be deducted from any claim payment. If you decide to cancel your direct debit installment, it’s important that you call us to ensure your policy has been cancelled. If you paid your premium in full, we will refund a proportion of your premium, which relates to the remaining full months of cover not used.
To cancel your policy please contact us on 0345 602 2443. Please also contact your bank or building society to ensure no further payment is made to us.
Limitation of liability
We will only accept liability for wrongdoings that are due to breach of contract, negligence, breach of professional duty or breach of trust. We do not accept liability for losses that are contributed to by your own negligence, arise from your failure to provide information that we have reasonably requested about your insurance risks or are not a reasonably foreseeable consequence of our actions.
Call recording and monitoring
We record and may monitor phone calls to ensure consistent levels of service and for training and monitoring purposes.
If you have a complaint
We aim to provide you with the highest level of customer service at all times, but if you are unhappy with the service we provide, please contact us by email at enquiries@petprotect.co.uk or by phone on 0345 602 4797. You can also write to us at Pet Protect Limited, Betchworth House, 57-65 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1DL.
Should you remain unhappy you can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) by writing to:
Financial Ombudsman Service
Exchange Tower
Exchange Harbour Square
London
E14 9SR
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)300 123 9 123
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). You may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. This depends on the circumstances of your claim for compensation. Our products and services are covered for 90% of the claim with no upper limit. Further details about the scheme are available from the FSCS at www.fscs.org.uk
Law and language applicable
This contract will be subject to English law unless we agree otherwise. The parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. The language used in this policy and any communications relating to it will be written in English.