Waggel Reviews

Name: Waggel
Address: 2 St Helen's place, London, London
Rating: 4.62

4.6 Rating 2,105 Reviews

92 %

of reviewers recommend Waggel

Company Reviews

Info

About Waggel:

We hate nasty surprises as much as anybody, whether it’s on the carpet when we get home or hidden away in a pet insurance policy. Waggel’s all-inclusive, Lifetime pet insurance policies have been designed to give you everything we’ll think you’ll need and more. We’re talking about one comprehensive, Lifetime, pet insurance policy that even covers dental care.
Designed by pet owners and vets, Waggel is here to save you thousands over your pet’s lifetime. Wave goodbye to hassle, hold music, and hating your insurance company - we’re backed by over 15 years of insurance experience and are here to stay.

Why Waggel?

So you’re considering taking out pet insurance but where do you begin when there are so many policies to choose from? We’re one of the UK’s leading pet insurance providers for many reasons but here’s why we think we’re a cut above the rest:
• We offer just one Lifetime policy with a range of coverage and claim contribution options so you can call the shots.
• Our pricing, policy wording, and claims process are simple and transparent because who likes complicated?
• We work directly with charities to support dogs in need
• You’ll also be assigned your own personal claims handler so you can track your claim every step of the way
• Excluding people and their pets isn’t cool - we cover dental care, diabetes, theft & loss, cancer and more

Visit Website

Phone:

01299 669955

Email:

hello@waggel.co.uk

Location:

2 St Helen's place,
London
London
EC3A 6AB

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Waggel 5 star review on 8th September 2023

Sandeep Chauhan

Lesley Robertshaw-Brennan

159

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“They say "Pet insurance sucks, we changed it". Well, it's their insurance that sucks. Firstly, I maxed out my allowance due to an unforeseen emergency surgery to remove a foreign object ingested. As a result, I was hoping to increase my monthly premium and cover but Waggel does not allow you to do it "because they haven't built this feature yet". They said it would happen by end of the year (2020) but today they just confirmed they weren't able to "launch it yet". So I asked them, could I cancel the policy and start a new one afresh? Unfortunately, the answer was "yes, but the new policy would exclude the digestive system as a pre-existing condition". Indeed, because my dog had swallowed something that got stuck in his colon and was removed by the hand of the Vet, they would now place an exclusion on the whole digestive system, which, according to them, meant that he wouldn't be covered if he caught a stomach bug even. I had to unfortunately take out a second insurance to make sure my dog would be covered and now I've finally cancelled Waggel. Don't judge an insurance company by its pretty website and awesome perks; you should only look at how they deal with claims and post-claims and suffice to say Waggel's pet insurance is the one that sucks, not the others. Suffice to say, customer service was less than helpful in all this providing very confusing and misleading comms. If I could give a 0 star I would. No phone calls, only live chat with incompetent agents.”

Helpful Report

Hi Valerio, I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the service provided by Waggel. Our customer service rep who you spoke to was correct in saying that we are working on changing the policy where customers are able to increase their annual limit at renewal, however due to some delays we have not been able to launch this feature on the date as we expected. I understand your frustration about not being able to make a claim until your policy renews (04/07/21), however this is the standard approach across the pet insurance industry, where each policy has an annual limit and once this has been reached, no further claims can be paid until the policy renews. When purchasing the policy on our website, customers are given the option of selecting the annual limit themselves and here it explains that this is the maximum amount that we are able to pay during each policy year. Each policy is then priced according to the annual limit which has been selected. Having read the conversation between you and our customer service rep (Taylor) I believe there may have been some misunderstanding. Taylor correctly informed you that as it stands you are covered for any digestive related issues, you of course would be able to make a claim for a stomach bug and there is no pre-existing condition attached to your current policy. However, if you were to cancel your policy and start a new one then an exclusion would be placed on the digestive system. This does not mean that you would not be able to claim for any digestive related issues, each claim would be assessed on a case by case basis and if it is not related to the pre-existing condition then it would be covered. In terms of communication, customers can contact us via telephone, emails and live chats. Our email address and telephone number can be found in your policy document under the section titled “How to Contact Us”. We are sad to see Robin leave and we wish you and Robin all the best. Kind regards, Mareia

“Awful, first claim and no news for over 6 weeks. None of the updates as sold on TV, no texts, calls .. no email address to contact. Really disappointed.. I had been with Tesco for 18 years and they were brilliant, paid out in a week to 10 days with my fees claims. Still no news”

Helpful Report

Hi Anne, Apologies about the duration it has taken to assess your claim. Unfortunately after sending several emails to your vets we only received your pets medical history and the invoice 2 days ago and this resulted in a delay in process your claim. We keep our customers updated about their claim through our members portal. If you log into your account on our website, here you will receive live updates as to what stage your claim is at. The good news is that your claim has been accepted and we hope that Hattie is doing well. If you have any questions you can contact us via our live chat platform and we will be more than help to help. Kind regards, Mareia

“We are outraged to be charged for our claim to the tune of ‘£540.57 because you have now reacher your policies annual limit.’ What is the point of having the insurance if we can’t claim the full amount ? We already paid £250 excess !! This an absolute joke, these hidden costs are unfair and we are now in debt because of waggel. We will not be continuing our policy next year!”

Helpful Report

Hi Hiba, Sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your claim settlement. Your claim was for £2,540.57, however your annual limit is set at £2000. The annual limit is the maximum amount which you can claim for in each year and our customers are able to set their annual limit up to £10,000. The annual limit is something which is set by the customers themselves when they purchase the policy and unfortunately Quincy Jones’ limit was £2000 and therefore we are unable to pay for any claim which exceeds this amount. If you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact us. Kind regards, Mareia

“Judgemental!!!!! Assuming my dog is dangerous because of her breed!!”

Helpful Report

Hi Tina, Sorry to hear that you feel this way, that was not our aim at all. We insure the majority of breeds, however due to the dangerous dog act there are certain dogs that we are legally unable to insure, what breed is your dog? Kind regards, Mareia

“Awful service. My dog has died and still I get emails referring to my account and my dogs name. I’ve tried unsubscribing but no success. The service I got when he was alive was poor looking for any reason not to pay out.”

Helpful Report

Hi Julie, We are really sorry to hear about your loss and please accept our deepest condolences from everyone here at Waggel. I have passed your feedback onto the Tech Team who will be updating the emails which are sent out to customers. You have also been unsubscribed from receiving any marketing emails. The claim which you made was rejected as Teddy had a pre-existing condition which was noted before the start of your policy with Waggel. As per the terms and conditions of your policy we are unable to provide cover for pre-existing conditions. We appreciate your feedback and if there is anything that I can help you with please let me know. Kind regards, Mareia

“What a complete waste of time! I’m glad I cancelled my insurance for both dogs. The vet bill was £274 total so over the claim contribution amount. The fact you have broken it down so you don’t have to pay is ridiculous.”

Helpful Report

Hi Sarah, Sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the outcome of your claims. Although the vet bill was for £274 it was for 2 separate claims. One was for the wound on Loki’s paw that was for £160.09 and the other claim was for an ear infection for £114.69. Although both claims were approved they were both below your claim contribution (excess) of £250 and therefore no payment was due. If you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact us. Kind regards, Mareia

“I had a call book with the behaviour consultant at 11am today, he emailed around 40 minutes before he could not do it and for me to reschedule. I rescheduled for 4pm today and waited on the video call for 15 minutes and no one turned up! I really needed some advice for my puppy and feel disappointed”

Helpful Report

Hi Kelly, I am sorry to hear that our behaviour consultant Junior was unable to make it to the appointment. Having spoken to Junior he has advised that unfortunately his dog had to be rushed into emergency due to Glaucoma complications. He informed us that he emailed all his clients that day and asked for the appointments to be rescheduled. I can ask Junior to contact you directly or alternatively you can arrange another appointment with him and he will be more than happy to help. Kind regards, Mareia

“You have added a pre-existing condition that my dog does not have! You are not allowed to do that legally. I’m disputing it and awaiting a response.”

Helpful Report

Hi Stephanie, as per our conversation it stated on your pets medical history that he suffered from Abdominal Distension. However, if your vet is able to confirm in writing that this is not the case then we will be more than happy to remove the exclusion. Kind regards, Mareia

“What a load of trash - Don't take direct debit payments.”

Helpful Report

Hi Dominic, you will be pleased to hear that we will start accepting direct debit payments within the next couple of weeks. Our Tech Team are just finalising the details. Kind regards, Mareia

“Denied a claim due to an unrelated checkup 3 years ago... go with Petplan, cos these thieves will just take your money and avoid claim payouts!!”

Helpful Report

Hi Craig, unfortunately your pets medical history states that he suffered from the same condition prior to your policy with Waggel. This would therefore be classed as a pre-existing condition and it is outlined in your policy wording that we be unable to cover this. If you are able to get written confirmation from your vet to confirm that these incidents are not linked then we will be more than happy to cover. Kind regards, Mareia

“Shocking to be honest. Promises of cover when signed up. Not delivered. Be warned. If you are taking out pet insurance. Avoid Waggel. First claim. No previous problems. Claim rejected.”

Helpful Report

Hi Mark, We are sorry to hear that you are unhappy, however your pets medical records were assessed and the vet noted hernia the day after you purchased your policy with us. As this was noted within the warm up period, it would be classed as a pre-existing condition and unfortunately it is not something which we would be able to cover. As much as we would love to help you, like other pet insurance companies we have a 14 warm up period in place to prevent fraudulent claims being made. If you would like to discuss this further you can email me on complaints@waggel.co.uk. Kind regards, Mareia

“Waggel took 2 excess amounts of £250 from our claim leaving us very little back , we won’t be staying with waggel as they arnt worth insuring with . Our first experience with making a claim and would not recommend this company”

Helpful Report

“I have to wait too long and chase everything”

Helpful Report

Hi Tracey, I am sorry that you felt that you have had to wait too long for the claim and had to chase everything. I have looked into your claim and it was resolved in 13 days, this was within the time frame that we aim to get claims assessed by. We work with the vets directly and do not ask our customers to provide any documents. We understand that this can be a difficult time for pet owners, so we have made the claim process simple and stress free so that we are chasing the vets for you. On this occasion we had to contact your vet several times as all the documents we required were not provided. As you are aware your claim has been accepted and we hope that Dollie is doing well. If you would like to discuss this further, we are more than happy to help. You can email me on complaints@waggel.co.uk Thanks, Mareia

“I was disappointed with Waggel service I’m existing client since April last year. Last year I changed my bank debit card and my bank told me the direct payment would keep automatically. However, the direct payment was not set up automatic and my policy was cancelled and I didn’t receive an email or text to let me know. Now my dog is without insurance for 14 days, I’m disappointed with this situation”

Helpful Report

Hi, We are sorry to hear that you are not happy with the service provided by Waggel. If you would like to discuss this further, please send an email to complaints@waggel.co.uk and we will be happy to investigate this matter.

“Poor. Like all insurers their focus is not to pay out when a claim is made.”

Helpful Report

“Just seen the t.v advert for Waggel 'pet' insurance, so I went to try and get my birds covered. No surprise that when they state 'pet' , what they actually mean is cat or dog ONLY! I wish companies would be clearer, because you can't insure my pets and yet your advert just told me you could!”

Helpful Report

“They charge a large price and say they embrace innovative treatment for pets but when it comes to paying out THEY SUCK”

Helpful Report

“Sadly, your failure to reply to my query leaves no option but to give a poor review. I am still waiting!”

Helpful Report

Hi Catherine, sorry that you didn't get a timely reply. We checked our tickets and couldn't find a message from you. However, your Customer Champion will be in touch with you to see how we can help.

“My experience with Waggel has just proven that insurance is a lot like betting. They bet my pet will not need their services while tempting me with stories of how they saved the day and I bet my pet will need their services to cover medical care that may be very expensive. My claim with Waggle, (incidentally the only insurance claim I have ever made over 40+ years of having a pet), began in September and took two months to be denied. All through the process, it was up to me to chase up Waggle and the vet. Waggel blamed my vet for taking so long to send the paperwork but never bothered to chase them up. I had to call Waggle to get them to do the chasing. In the end, because I had taken her to the vet for a new pet check up 11 days after adopting her, my claim was denied and any further claim associated with her entire respiratory system will be considered a "pre-existing condition". Also, because my dog is adopted and the two vets I use have differing opinions as to her age (one says she is about 4 and the other says she is about 5), it has been implied that I have lied to Waggle and thus my premium will now be increased. What I find the most interesting about Waggel's claim to be different and their multiple five star reviews is that the press you very, very hard to review them as soon as you have purchased a policy. Selling me the policy and taking my money was indeed 5-star easy. Leaving me thousands of pounds of essential medical treatment (which, contrary to their text message I did not see coming) and increasing my premium rates a 1-star experience. Don't be taken in by their cute terms for things such as "customer champion" or discount offers on buying luxury dog jumpers, Waggle is an insurance company first and foremost. They make their money in getting you to buy premiums and denying you coverage. Before you say but they paid for my dog's life saving surgery....think about Vegas. Of course casinos have to let people win now and then, otherwise it would be bad for business, ultimately they make such a profit that paying a few claims to encourage more customers is how they work. So, my experience has been disappointing. Had I waited three more days then maybe they would have paid the claim made eight months later.... maybe not. Either way, I think my monthly premium is best kept out of their pocket.”

Helpful Report

Hi Marian, Thanks for taking the time to leave this review - although of course we're sad to see you're unhappy. I understand that the situation can be frustrating, all the more so given how much we love our pets. I would like to stress however, that there are various rules and regulations when it comes to insurance (that are all detailed prior to purchase and in follow up documentation) that we - as an insurer - obliged to abide by. This includes things such as the 14 day warm-up period which is an essential step in fraud prevention. This warm-up period basically means that a condition cannot be - in the opinion of your vet - present in an animal within 14 days of taking out a policy. This prevents people from taking out insurance purely to cover the cost of a medical bill they've encountered, as if insurance companies let people do this, every pet owner would be paying massively higher premiums to avoid every insurance company handing out free money and going bust immediately. The important thing to note here is that insurance is supposed to act as a safety net, or security blanket for you - protecting you from unexpected big costs. The 14 day warm up period, and pre-existing conditions help to keep your price down by limiting your coverage to these unforeseen costs - it isn't just free money that anybody can claim - however lovely a free NHS for cats and dogs sounds! To be clear - I'm quite sure nobody is suspecting you of lying - we just need to take the latest information from your vet and if your vet has specified that in their professional opinion a dog is older than claimed, we simply need to update our records, which can affect the price (up or down). It isn't about attributing blame or accusing anybody of lying, it's just us taking the latest professional opinion and correcting our details to insure you're covered and that we ourselves are acting appropriately and in accordance with the regulations we are bound by. Anyway, my intention isn't to tell you you're wrong - I am just trying to give you some insight into how we - and other insurers - make decisions around claims. I truly believe we at Waggel (as genuine pet owners) have done our very best to offer a quality product at a great price and we do have a lot of 5 star reviews from members specifically calling out how happy they are with how we've dealt with claims. In order to keep that price great, we need to keep things fair. If you'd like to discuss this further, please feel free to give us a call and I would be happy to speak with you personally. Ross - Co-Founder & CXO.

“Easy to set up but terrible when you make a claim! Try to worm out if paying even a relatively “small” for an accident that they even claim they would cover on their website. Pay more for a trusted company!”

Helpful Report

Waggel is rated 4.6 based on 2,105 reviews