I should have read the small print before taking my pup to the vets. I only got him checked because he had some discharge from his eye and I was about to take him away for a week. I'd only bought the insurance, a Lifetime 5000 policy, a week before and didn't realise that it wouldn't be honoured when I put the claim in. The second appointment (outside of the 14 day period) won't be refunded either because it was related to the claim for the earlier date. Now it seems likely that any future ear infections will be treated like a 'pre-existing condition' - which of course it wasn't when I took out the policy. I'm stuck with the decision about whether to move to another insurer (who will probably take the same stance now that Sainsbury's have) or leave him uninsured and just pay-as-I-go. The staff were very pleasant when they turned down my appeal, not their fault. I'm guessing all insurance companies are the same. Turns out to be the rip-off people had warned me about.