FirstVet and LV= General Insurance (LV= GI) have teamed up to offer pet insurance customers access to free on-demand video consultations with veterinarians.
Through the partnership with Stokholm-headquartered FirstVet, LV= GI pet policyholders can video call UK-registered vets via the FirstVet app to check their pet’s symptoms, receive advice on treatment they can carry out at home, or find out if a referral to a local vet is required.
Once an LV= GI Pet customer has downloaded the FirstVet app and registered, they can then make use of the video appointment service as often as is required, without incurring FirstVet’s standard consultation costs of £20 to £30 per appointment.
LV= GI is FirstVet’s 25th insurance partner across all markets and its second in the UK—where the company launched earlier this year—following the announcement of its partnership with Bought By Many in August 2019.
Through these partnerships with insurance companies, the FirstVet service is free-of-charge and boosts access. There are currently 150 veterinarians on the platform.
Founded in 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden, FirstVet now has a presence in five markets (the UK, Norway, Denmark, Finland and its native Sweden).
The startup has more than 210,000 registered users and has helped more than 150,000 pets since launching in 2016.
In November, FirstVet raised €18.5 million (£15.6 million), enabling the startup to expand its service globally in other markets, such as the US, Germany, and France.
David Prien, chief executive officer and co-founder of FirstVet, said the partnership with LV= GI “is further evidence of the strong momentum that we’re achieving in the UK, following on from our launch earlier this year, and our recent funding”.
He continued: “LV= GI is one of the most prestigious insurance brands, and we are both passionate about ensuring the highest standards in the veterinary sector are upheld, with technology being used to increase efficiency and satisfaction levels. We remain dedicated to partnering with leading insurance companies in order to ensure our service is free for millions of customers.”
LV= GI pet product manager Lucy Broadbridge said: “At LV= GI we’re always looking for ways to help our customers protect what they love, so we’re very excited to be able to work with FirstVet to provide this service to our pet customers.”
“With access to a vet from your smartphone or device, our pet customers will have peace of mind knowing that qualified veterinary advice is on hand 24/7, avoiding unnecessary time, cost and distress of visiting their vet if they don’t really need to.”