do you think 2k is too low as an annual per condition for lifetime insurance?

[sununu]

I am paying so much with Petplan, I'm looking at switching to John Lewis or Animal Friends. AF is cheaper but has this annual per-condition limit of 2k. Sorry, I know insurance has been done to death and I have looked at old threads but would really appreciate any thoughts. Thanks

[tabulahrasa]

It is a bit...I've got a cat and a dog who see specialists (just to be awkward like) and they're about £750 for an initial referral and another couple of hundred if they see them again.

So the dog, he's had two sets of x-rays at my vets, plus 3 consultations - that's the best part of £500 and another hundred on painkillers even if his mystery limp is cured after one visit to the ortho vet that'd be £1350. If it's not and it' not likely to be, given that I'm pretty sure you have to treat things to cure them, lol, I'd only have £650 left of insurance to treat it - which won't go far if he needs more x-rays or an operation.

[Marne]

Have heard bad things about animal friends, i spent a couple nights researching pet insurance a couple days ago, in the end we went with 'pets at home', it covers for £4,000 per year or £7,000, i think the access is higher but the monthly fee is a lot less than pet plan and you get a £20 pets at home voucher. Our other dog is covered by Tesco but they upped their price after a year to almost £18 per month i am waiting to switch her over to pets at home or John Lewis.

[threestepsforward]

I'm with (E&L) which used to be merged with Animal Friends before they split a few years ago.

I would definitely look elsewhere - my dog's limit is 2K (minus the excess (£90) + 10%) and if you're unlucky, it won't even scratch the surface. It certainly hasn't in my case.

He's a senior pet too so my monthly payment is £26. Doesn't cover food, I think some policies may do?

Be careful if you switch as anything they can claim to be pre-existing you won't be covered for with the new insurer if I remember right.

So I wouldn't recommend E&L (Equine & Livestock).

hope this helps you narrow down your search!

[threestepsforward]

(sorry 'food' as in special dietary requirements, not winalot or something!)

[cathpip]

Would not touch E&L with a barge pole, we were insured with them and they took 5 months to settle a claim. Direct line have been good for me aswell as protect your bubble, andd pp is correct pre exsisting conditions i have found will not be covered. Just for info purposes our spaniel had knee surgery last year which cost £1300, so i would look for a higher limit to be on the safe side.

[Nigglenaggle]

£4000 is a useful minimum, but £7000 is better. It does depend a little on the size and breed of your dog. Also consider how far you would like to go with treatment. Would you want chemotherapy? Would you do a total hip replacement? Are you happy not knowing the diagnosis and just making your pet comfortable? If the answer to the first two is no and the second is yes then a lower limit may be fine for you, but it should renew every year (ie £2000 per condition per year) otherwise, you turn up something like diabetes, which is very much a treatable disease if you have the cash, but won't go away, and you are screwed.

[PersonalClown]

Run away fast from E&L. My vets will not touch them at all and actively tell people to avoid them.

I'm with Axa. £7000 per 'period of insurance' ie each year. (I rang to check!)
Rang a few times to check if something should be disclosed of if a bill is worth claiming and they have always gave me a straight answer.
Staffula is £17 a month, Doodle is £18.50.

[MagratGarlik]

I'm with the PDSA policy. It is fairly cheap and when I have had to claim, they paid up within two weeks direct to my vet, but informed us of progress of the claim by text and email at each stage. For whippy we pay £9 per month for £7000 annual per condition for lifetime cover. He is a young dog though (3 years old). For lurcher-girl we pay £15 per month for the same, but only £4000 annual per condition for lifetime cover, however, her excess is 20% of the bill as she is a senior lady.

[threestepsforward]

I just wish I'd researched more carefully before I went with them (E&L)

I won't make the same mistake in the future, but now I'm stuck with them as my dog has conditions that won't be covered if I switched, nightmare!

2k is a v low limit if your pet needs any kind of serious treatment - I think it would be a risk.

Wanted to point this out OP as E&L and Animal Friends were fairly recently one in the same - so I'd really not recommend Animal Friends either - it sounds like their policies are still v similar.