Get Insurance then claim immediately?

[Haveitttt]

OK I know this is dodgy, which is why I'm posting for advice.

I have a 10 month old large breed pup. A couple of months ago he had a cough so I took him to the vets and the consultation and medication cost £70. So I decided to take out pet insurance and had a quick look but didn't get round to buying any yet as I was still comparing policies and then it slipped my mind.

Anyway, yesterday my puppy started limping. One minute limping next minute fine. Then this morning I let her out and she ran into the garden and her leg/hip gave way and she sat down. She doesn't seem to be in pain and she's now running around again like nothings wrong!

I really need to take her to the vet but I'm worried it's something serious that will cost thousands that I don't have. Could I take out insurance now and take her to the vet tomorrow?

[allegretto]

Doesn't insurance normally have a period of time in which you can't claim immediately?

[Hoppinggreen]

I think there will be an exclusion on the policy for a number of weeks to prevent this happening.
Either way get insurance NOW

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

There's usually a two-week exclusion period from when you take out the policy. Vets often have to send an animal's entire veterinary history to the insurers so anything you've seen the vet about previously (unless it's an accident) won't be covered as it will be considered a pre-existing condition

[Haveitttt]

Sorry yes, you are covered for an accident immediately but illness after 2 weeks. Would it be really dodgy to get Insurance and then claim asap? Wwyd?

[ConfusedDotty]

You can't be covered for an event that has already happened. It's fraud.

[gamerchick]

unlikely they would pay out tbh but get it anyway, you need insurance. There's also the excess to think about. You still have to pay out something.

Didn't you think of this before? Animals aren't a cheap do.

[BiteyShark]

Personally I am a shit lier and worrier and I always look at the small print of everything and if you get caught out on insurance fraud I think it can affect all insurances etc so honestly no I would not and I have been honest and sucked up similar issues for household insurances and just paid up rather than doing what you are suggesting with your pet.

Saying that I can see the temptation because if you go now before you have insurance then any issues now will be excluded from any future claims.

[BiteyShark]

Didn't quite finish.... so no I would not do it as I could not sleep at night from worrying about getting caught for insurance fraud.

[Haveitttt]

Thanks for the replies people. Pretty much what I was thinking.

[stephenisjustcoming]

Get insurance and take her to the vets. It might be nothing - one of my dogs had a limp that I rushed him to the vets with as a puppy, thinking it was something awful, but it cleared up in 48 hours; the vet thought he'd just pulled a muscle, like a human would.

As notitsnot says, insurance companies check the vet records of your dog to see if what you're claiming for has been treated already, and won't pay out for anything they think might be related, but my vets were actually very good about arguing for certain claims that the insurers initially weren't going to cover. Both my (big) dogs had major surgeries towards the end of their lives which made insurance worth it - any anaethesia for large breed dogs costs a fortune to start with, as does medication, theatre time, etc.

[Whitney168]

As you say she's running around now like nothing has happened, and she hasn't seen the vet for this issue, then yes I would absolutely take out insurance ASAP and hope she continues to do so for at least the lead-in period. Humans and dogs alike can all get a sudden pain where something clicks in to the wrong place, or they've stepped on something and made themselves sore, this doesn't sound as if it necessarily a major leg problem, fingers crossed.

If you don't have susbstantial funds available for vet fees, you need insurance anyway and just hope this issue was a twinge, and you don't end up with an exclusion.

[Whitney168]

Just for clarity, reading other posts while I was typing - if dog is moving normally now, I wouldn't be going to the vets - why would you do anything but monitor carefully to see if it recurs at this stage?

[Haveitttt]

Hi. I took her to the vets this morning as I was worried and didn't want to leave it in case she was in pain. I will be getting insurance sorted later but know I won't be able to claim for any condition he has now. It's my own stupid fault for not doing it a couple of months ago!

However, another issue has come up! The vet couldn't examine her as she barked and growled at her. She has given me tablets to give her first next week when I take her back, the tablets are to calm her down and they will then sedate her to take x rays. But the vet made me feel like a really bad owner, she kept saying she's far too young to be this aggressive and told me to ring about training classes. I know she doesn't like strangers and barks at everyone she doesn't know, so classes would be a good idea but I feel awful now! I feel like I have a dangerous dog!

[Thewolfsjustapuppy]

As Whitney suggests. I would get the insurance ASAP and hold off seeing the VET if pup seems fine, we are all capable of minor sprains that make us limp. You may be lucky and she has no further issues or unlucky in that it returns in a couple of weeks but at least you are inured..or very unlucky and the limp gets worse tomorrow and you have to take her to the vet before the insurance is valid. Its not fraud as you haven't see the vet about this problem yet.

[Thewolfsjustapuppy]

Sorry cross posted.

[Haveitttt]

Wolf I wish I'd read your post first!

[BiteyShark]

Look at it this way your vet has highlighted two issues you need to work on. First the aggression to strangers and second not allowing the vet to handle them.

Formal training is good and personally if my dog had aggression I would skip group sessions and get a good trainer to do one to one sessions.

Also start associating the vets with positive things. It might be that if you tackled the aggression then the vet visit would have been ok but along side you could visit reception and treat him etc and then start building up to say receptionist to treat and stroke him. My puppy was manhandled a few days ago by the vet to check out a possibly injury and he still wagged his tail throughout because he always gets a treat and lots of fuss at the vets.

[DreamingofItaly]

The insurance thing it a bit of a bugger, but you're there now and need to do the best thing for your pooch. I've always had insurance on my dogs, wouldn't be without it, and I've always had covered for life policies as they are just that, long as you renew, they pay out. John Lewis is a good company as is Pet Plan, although Pet Plan seems to have upped its prices of late for large breeds (hence my puppy being with JL!).

On the aggression side, see a behaviourist and get her socialised, you don't want to have to sedate her each time you go! Most importantly you need to relax...she'll feel your emotions and be het up if you are.

Good luck OP!

[Haveitttt]

Thanks BiteyShark I have another dog who is very nervous so I think the pup is picking it up from him. I was really shocked by the way pup was at the vets! She was growling a lot and it probably looked a bit scary but at home she's a big softie. The behaviour was just so different from what she's usually like, it's made me feel really crap.

[Haveitttt]

Thanks Dreaming, I needed some kind words!

[BiteyShark]

Dogs can be very different when outside from at home. Mine is the opposite, calm at home but wants to run up to everyone outside and lick them to death so we are working on keeping him sat and more settled outside but it is bloody hard work.

Don't let it upset you but do let it spur you on to both getting insurance sorted and starting training lessons.

[LaGattaNera]

Every dog insurance form that I have ever filled in has a specific question along the lines of has your dog ever shown any signs of aggression - now none of mine had so am not sure what the outcome is if you say yes (due to vet experience) - perhaps the insurer declines to cover animals that have shown signs of aggression or perhaps it leads to a larger premium but they wouldn't ask this unless it had some effect on the matter

[Wolfiefan]

The behaviour thing could well be pain related.
At ten months have you not already started training? Worth seeking out a decent trainer. Especially if you are going to end up with a massive dog. Big dog and bad behaviour could end in disaster.