– We would like more standardized and equal pricing for equal services. So it is more open and understandable for Ola nordmann, or the man in the street. Maren Frølandshagen Mattson says so. Among other things, she has responsibility for pet insurance in Gjensidige. Mattson looks at a picture of the dog Bella, who became acutely ill and had to have rapid treatment. The price differences with the clinics the family checked with were NOK 50,000. Photo: Bror Kvammen Bjerke / news The insurance company Agria also thinks it would be wise to have the same price. They insure most small animals around the country. – It could contribute to more predictability for pet owners who have to take the animal to the vet, says managing director Camilla Stenseng. Does not support the proposal Other insurance companies do not agree with the proposal. Competition between veterinarians will disappear with standardized prices, the insurance companies Tryg and If believe. – We think it is important to have free competition between them, says Sigmund Clementz, press manager at If. – It is in the interests of our customers that there is competition and price differences between the clinics, says communications manager Christer Kjørsvik at Tryg. The veterinary association says that work is being done to standardize regular services. Photo: Aud Darrud / news The animal clinics Anicura and Evidensia are not too enthusiastic about standardized prices either. Sasja Rygg, communications manager at Anicura, told Dagsnytt 18 earlier this summer that it will be difficult to implement. Evidensia believes that this could lead to the most affordable animal clinics having to increase their prices. In addition, they believe that specialized services will disappear as they become too expensive to deliver. They fear that it could also affect much of the security offer for pets. – We do not think this is beneficial either for animal welfare or the animal owners, says veterinary medicine manager Monica Heggelund in Evidensia. According to the Veterinary Association, work is being done to standardize normal services on healthy animals. In an emergency, they believe it is next to impossible to create a standard price. They are clear that it is natural that prices vary. Veterinary prices It is the veterinarians and the various chains that set the prices for the veterinary services. Pricing is free and there are no rules or guidelines for what a service should cost. It is the veterinarian himself who set the price based on what they have of salary costs, operating costs, expenses for equipment, etc. The veterinarian is obliged to state the price of his services in an easily visible way, the Norwegian veterinary association writes on its website. Large price differences Because the price differences are large with different veterinarians. The prices can vary by several tens of thousands of kroner. And this engages. The group “Veterinæropprøret” on Facebook has around 26,000 members. According to the insurance company news has spoken to, the price of veterinary services has increased in recent years. – When the price of veterinary services increases, it is natural that the price of the insurance can also increase, says Elin Spelkavik, who is head of settlement at Storebrand insurance. Do you check prices at different vets before visiting? Yes, I call around to check prices No, I don’t have that many vets to choose from where I live Never check, am satisfied with the prices at my regular vet Show result The insurance company says they have not noticed any decrease in the number of insurances, but see that high prices can lead to negative consequences. – It could become a problem for the industry in the future if veterinary treatment, and thus also the insurance premium, becomes so expensive that people cannot afford to treat and insure their animals, says Camilla Stenseng in Agria. Number of pets insured It is estimated that there are around 560,000 dogs 750,000 cats Figures from Finans Norge and Agria show that around Around 65% of dogs are insured Around 15% of cats, regardless of insurance company. According to Tryg forsikring, industry figures show that insured pets have almost doubled in seven years: 173,000 (2016) 337,000 (2023) The prices at the vets are on the rise. Talk to Gjensidige shows that there has been an increase of over 30 per cent in recent years. Animal hospitals and the chains respond that it costs a lot to run hospitals and clinics. They must have paid for that, they say. Manager of the small animal veterinary association Hilde Røssland believes that it is healthy that prices in the industry are paid out. At the same time, she emphasizes that most clinics have a price list lying around. – There is nothing here that is secret. Concern for animal welfare But the price hikes at both vets and insurance companies make the Norwegian Kennel Club concerned about animal welfare. They are concerned that pet owners neither go to the vet nor take out insurance for fear of high bills. – We are not satisfied with this development, said NKK head Nils-Erik Haagenrud to news’s Nyhetsmorgen earlier this summer. – Insurance for a dog can cost up to 20,000 a year. It is more than it costs to insure your house or car. But it creates a sense of security, he added. – I fear that there are many people who cannot afford to take their animals to the vet, says dog owner Tina Fjellås. Photo: Aud Darrud / news Dog owner Tina Fjellås pays NOK 20,000 a year to insure her two dogs. – I can’t afford not to insure them. I just have to take that expense, she says. Fjellås has previously told us that she saved at least NOK 9,000 by traveling from Telemark to Northern Norway by plane to have her mole operated on. But in addition to researching prices at different vets, she also advises that it can save money by checking different insurance companies. She has changed insurance companies several times. He saved NOK 8,000 on that. Published 24/07/2024, at 17.00
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Insurance companies will have standard prices for treatments at veterinarians – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
