Frequently asked questions

First, download a copy of the Exotic Direct claim form.  

Vet fee claims  
You’ll need to fill out sections 1-4 with details about you, your pet, and what you’re claiming for. Then, ask your vet to complete sections 5-7. Your vet will need to include a copy of your invoice, your pet’s full clinical history, and anything else that supports your claim.  

All other claims
You’ll need to fill out all sections with as much detail as possible. Remember to include any evidence that may support your claim.

Once everything’s ready, send your completed form and all the supporting documents to our Claims Department. You’ll find our email address and postal address on the form.  

Download a copy of the Exotic Direct claim form.  
 
You’ll need to fill out sections 1-4 and then pass it onto your vet to fill out the rest. They’ll then submit your form to our Claims Department, along with any supporting documents e.g. their invoice, your pet’s full clinical history. 

We’re truly sorry for the loss of your beloved pet. We understand how difficult this time can be, and we’re here to help make the claims process as easy as possible for you.  

To begin, please download the Exotic Direct claim form.  

You’ll need to fill out all sections with as much detail as possible and include copies of either a post-mortem examination report or a death certificate. We can’t process your claim without this information. 

A post-mortem is required for claims within the first year of insurance or in cases where the loss was sudden, unexpected, or unexplained.  

Let us know about any theft as soon as it happens. 

You’ll then need to download a copy of the Exotic Direct claim form. When filling out the form, make sure to complete all sections with as much detail as you can, and don’t forget to include your crime reference number.  

If your pet was stolen from an outdoor enclosure, you’ll also need to provide proof that you used appropriate security measures to keep your pet safe.  

Find out more in the ‘Theft and Perils’ section of your policy wording.  

To begin, please download the Exotic Direct claim form.  

When completing the claim form, please include as much detail as you can.  

If you’re making a claim for a death, we’ll need a copy of the death certificate from your vet. For fire-related losses, this can also be provided by a fire officer. These documents are essential for us to process your claim.  

If you have any questions or need support while filling out the form, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Customer Service Team.  

Once we receive your claim, we’ll send you an email within 3 working days to let you know we’ve got it.  
 
If you sent your claim by post, it might take a bit longer to arrive depending on the service you used. If you can, we’d suggest using a tracked postal service to be on the safe side! 

If haven’t heard from us within 5 working days, get in touch with our team on 0345 982 5505 or by emailing claims@exoticdirect.co.uk. 
 

We’re sorry, but we can’t pre-authorise pet insurance claims. That’s because we need to review the full details after the treatment or service is completed. Once you submit your claim, our team will take a close look at it to see if it’s covered under your policy. 

Download Exotic Direct claim form. 

Yes! If you’d like us to pay your vet directly, just check with them first to see if they’re okay with it. Once they give the go-ahead, we can send payments straight to them.  

That way, you can focus on taking care of your pet without stressing about the paperwork! 

When you sign up for your pet insurance, it usually takes about 14 days to set up your Direct Debit. 

If your chosen payment date is within those first 14 days, don’t worry – your first payment will be taken on your chosen date the following month. After that, payments will always come out on the date you picked, so you can stay on top of your budget without any surprises!  

Missed a Direct Debit payment? No need to stress – we’ll try again next month with a double payment. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have 10 days to give us a call and sort it out.  

If the balance isn’t paid in time, your policy will be cancelled, and unfortunately, your pet won’t be covered anymore. Once a policy is cancelled due to missed payments, we can’t reinstate it – you’ll need to set up a new policy from scratch. 

Your 30-day policy starts the day you activate your free policy. You have 14 days from the day you bought your pet to activate your free policy. 
 
If your policy covers your pet’s death, Exotic Direct will give you a voucher to help you get a replacement pet or one of similar value from your pet seller.  
 
Read our 30-day free pet insurance terms and conditions. 

Yes, we can cover up to 5 pets on a single policy. Just give our Customer Services Team a call on 0345 982 5505 to get them added. 
 
There’s a small £8 admin fee for making changes, along with the cost of insuring your extra pet(s). We’re here to help Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. 

No, we don’t offer lifetime cover.  
 
Our policies are designed to provide cover for specific terms, ensuring flexibility to meet your changing needs over time. If you have any questions about our policies, feel free to reach out to our team on 0345 982 5505. 

Yes, we can insure your pet, but any pre-existing conditions won’t be covered during the first 12 months of the policy.  

Your pet also needs to be in good health and free from any vet treatment for at least three months before a policy with Exotic Direct can begin. 

We always strive to get things right the first time, but we understand that sometimes things don’t go as planned.  

If you’d like to share a complaint, we’re here to listen and help. You can reach us by calling 0345 982 5505, emailing us on enquiries@exoticdirect.co.uk, or writing to us at: 

Complaints 
Exotic Direct  
4 Bridge Road Business Park 
Bridge Road 
Haywards Heath 
West Sussex 
RH16 1TX. 
 
We’re here to help and will do our best to sort out your concern as quickly as possible. If we need a bit more time to get everything together, we’ll let you know within 5 working days and aim to have a final response for you within 8 weeks. 

If you’re not happy with our final response, you’re welcome to reach out to the Financial Ombudsman Service for further assistance.

We care about you and your pet, which is why we recommend getting your furry friend registered with a vet that has the right facilities, equipment, and trained staff to handle any illness or injury. You never know when something might happen, so having vet care sorted ahead of time means one less thing to stress about. 
 
It’s also a good idea to find out where to go for ‘out of hours’ care, like overnight or on weekends, since this is often at a different location than your usual vet.  

Exotic Direct is a trademark of Brooks Braithwaite (Sussex) Ltd.  

Based in Sussex, we’re a friendly bunch with plenty of experience – after all, we’ve been helping insure exotic pets since 1996. We know the challenges exotic pet owners can face, and we’re here to make things easier for you.  

As a small team, we’re big on communication. If you’ve got a question or need some help, we’ll sort it out quickly and with care, working together to get you the support you need.  

Our policies are underwritten by Allianz Insurance plc, the UK’s largest pet insurance underwriter, so you know you’re in safe hands! 

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is an independent financial regulatory body. It regulates financial firms providing services in the UK to ensure information provided to consumers is fair and accurate. Exotic Direct is a trading name of Brooks Braithwaite (Sussex) Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.