Puppy insurance advice please.

[Cuckoomama]

I'm hoping to collect my Bichon Frise puppy in the next week or so. Obviously I will be taking out some health insurance on him. What I want to know is, what's the best type? I've heard of this whole of life policy, but I'm not sure what it means exactly or even if it's the way to go? Also is it worth ringing round my local vets to check who accepts what as far as the insurance companies go?

[ihatethecold]

I started a thread about a month ago asking the same questions you are.

I had to insure my puppy about a month ago.

I went with direct line in the end. Petplan and John Lewis were so expensive.

[pregnantpause]

I've priced a few insurers this week, advice is always go for a lifetime policy, so costs are up automatically, also vet said check their direct payment policy. I will be going for vet sure. the policy has all the benefits of petplan premier, and the annual cover is an extra grand comparibly to petplan. It's 35 pound a month for my pup- 6 pound cheaper than petplan, but if I was happy with the same lifetime cover but less covered (2 grand vet fees instead of 5) per year it would be 21. Mines a basset hound, but quotes were the same for my mums mongrel (it's got a designer name but it's still a mongrel-lovely dog though)

[PareyMortas]

Lifetime cover means that your dog is insured by the set amount per year not per condition. My sisters two year old dog has already had £5,500 worth of vets fees for a couple of operations he had to have. Her insurance is for £6,500 per condition so if he has any recurring problems they'll soon use up the allowance for that condition.

[pregnantpause]

parey- does that mean lifetime cover is not the best option? The advice I gave was literally what the vet told me days ago.and the prices I was given. what should I be getting? What are the best options if not lifetime cover? I thought with other cover it is great for the first year, but on renewal if your dog has developed a pre existing condition(like diabetes,arthritis,etc) then insurers will refuse to cover it or add "£"£ to premiums?

[lainiekazan]

What is a reasonable amount of annual vet fees to insure for? The options I have seen go from £1k to £12K. Would £4K be the norm? And what sort of excess is normal? There is too much choice!

[Smitten1981]

My vet told me John Lewis was best so I went with them.

[ILikeToClean]

John Lewis here too, £28 pm and covers for about £7k I think, have a larger breed, not sure if it's cheaper for smaller breeds.

[tabulahrasa]

Lifetime cover resets every year, so every year you have that amount available for using.

Annual cover only pays that amount for a year from the first claim, so if your pet has a condition lasting longer than that they stop paying for it when the year is up.

Some vets have arrangements with some companies (usualy pet plan) so that all you ever pay is the excess and they claim direct. If they don't do that with the company you go with you'll have to pay it all up front and then wait for the insurance to be paid to you.

[Rikalaily]

Definitely get lifetime cover or if your dog develops something like diabetes etc they will only pay for the treatment/tests for the first year then you have to pay the rest over their lifetime. We have a £7k a year lifetime policy for our boy. We went with PetPlan, it's £23 a month for a Boxer/Rotweiller cross. We went for the £7k incase he ever needs any major ops, with being a big dog the price is a lot higher when it comes to surgery.

[PareyMortas]

Yes sorry I wasn't clear Lifetime is the way to go. I was with John Lewis, but have just changed to Homebase and now only pay £11.79 per month for £7,500 lifetime insurance per year. I haven't had to claim from them so I don't know how they'll be. Our vet will claim anything over the first £200 direct from the insurers, my other dog had an ongoing treatment that was £30 her and there,once it went over £200 in total they claimed direct. I wouldn't want less than £5000 per year and certainly wouldn't go for a 'per condition' insurance.