The Wheelhouse Healthcare Plan

Wheelhouse Healthcare Plan Terms and Conditions Welcome to your pet’s health plan fromTheWheelhouseVeterinary Centre. This contract is between you andTheWheelhouseVeterinary Centre (hereinafter referred to as ‘your veterinary practice’). Your plan is administered byThe Animal Healthcare Company for and on behalf ofThe WheelhouseVeterinary Centre. This includes passing the fees on to your veterinary practice on a monthly basis. The following points make up the terms and conditions of the contract between you and your veterinary practice. These are very important and we recommend that you read through them carefully. 1. Definitions of terms used Contract means the Plan agreement between you and your veterinary practice which you have signed and which comprises these terms and conditions. Your veterinary practice means the veterinary practice named as the provider of your pet's treatment on the Plan application form. You means the holder of the Plan who has signed the application form and who is named as the primary contact for the Plan in our records Your pet means the animal named on the application form as beneficiary of the Plan. Plan means the pet health plan offered by your veterinary practice that covers specified treatment required to maintain your pet's health. Plan year means an iterative cycle of twelve consecutive months starting from the beginning of the contract and any 12 month period thereafter. Your monthly plan fee is the monthly amount charged by your veterinary practice to cover the cost of the treatment provided to your pet under the terms of this contract. The application form is the document that is completed at the start of the plan which sets out the plan category and monthly plan fee. An approved practice is a practice or approved referral centre or approved out of hours emergency centre which your veterinary practice might refer your pet to for specialist treatment. 2. Treatment to which your pet is entitled 2.1. Routine, preventative treatment The contract entitles you to receive discounts on the routine and preventative treatment required to maintain your pet’s health as prescribed by your veterinary practice. This includes annual health assessments, routine vaccinations and regular control of parasites. A full list of inclusions is available from your veterinary practice and these terms and conditions should be read in conjunction with your veterinary practice’s specific plan details. 2.2. Non-routine treatment The contract also entitles your pet to receive treatment that is deemed clinically necessary by your veterinary practice in case of illness (short term or long term) or injury. Treatment must be provided by your veterinary practice or an approved practice (see definition) following a referral by your veterinary practice. Please note the initial fee at the start of any course of treatment is excluded. Treatment at an approved referral practice will be subject to a lifetime limit. 3. Treatment not covered by the plan Under the terms of this contract you will be required to pay for: - The initial fee as shown in the plan details at the start of any course of treatment in the event of illness or injury for each condition. If, during a routine health check, your veterinary practice believes that your pet may have an illness or other condition you will need to pay an initial fee to begin any required tests designed to confirm the initial diagnosis or before a treatment plan can be put into place. - Treatment carried out anywhere other than by your veterinary practice or by an approved out of hours emergency centre, except in the case of treatment arranged at an approved referral centre by your veterinary practice. - Any treatment related to a pre-existing condition that was excluded by your veterinary practice after the initial assessment at the start of the contract. - Any treatment which is purely cosmetic and not clinically necessary in the opinion of your veterinary practice. - Any drugs or general health improvers (such as vitamins or 'neutraceuticals') which are not clinically necessary in the opinion of your veterinary practice. - Any procedure related to breeding including but not limited to spaying, castration and complications arising from giving birth. - The cost of food, including Hill’s prescription and special dietary food. - Costs arising from special (non-routine) cremation or burial. - Alternative or elective treatments such as osteopathy, homeopathy, aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. - The emergency fee charged by your veterinary practice outside of normal surgery hours including home visits. - Treatment necessary to restore your pet’s health as a result of your failure to follow preventative health advice provided by your veterinary practice and as outlined in section 2.1. - Treatment required for an illness that your pet contracts whilst outside the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. - Any home visits. - Any treatment that continues after the contract has been cancelled. 4. Treatment of other animals The contract is for your pet named on the application form and is not transferable between animals. 5. Treatment at another surgery Your contract is between you and your veterinary practice alone, and it cannot be transferred to another practice. 6. Monthly plan fee Your monthly plan fee will be determined by the species, breed, size and age of your pet. On the basis of these criteria your pet will be allocated to a specific band which will be recorded on the application form at the time of joining. 7. Payment of fees Your contract is a monthly contract and will continue from month to month until it is ended by either you or your veterinary practice.You must pay the monthly fee by Direct Debit in favour ofThe Animal Healthcare Company as collecting agent for your veterinary practice. Any other amounts due to your veterinary practice for treatment not covered by this contract are payable directly to your veterinary practice.Your liability to pay the monthly fee continues until the contract is ended in accordance with these terms and conditions (see section 11). No refund of fees will be allowed except in the case of administrative error or death of your pet.