Insurance Confusion, Please help.

[Hearthurts]

We are getting a 10 week old puppy next month (Lab) he comes with a months free insurance.
I've been looking at insurance and it's a minefield! what is best? do I need life cover and if so how much?! Is it necessarily highest price is best? I don't really want to.pay more than £50 a month but if I need to pay more then so be it.
Can anyone advise me in simple terms what is best please

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Yes, it must be a lifetime policy as annual ones are useless for chronic and recurring conditions.

PetPlan Lifetime is widely reckoned to be excellent. The premiums start off higher than others but don't increase if you claim, just a bit with age. Hard to say how much your policy with them would be - you'll need to run a quote. My 2yo mutt was £48 when we were living in London and £22 once we moved out of the SE!

[pigsDOfly]

Agree, definitely go with lifetime cover and be wary of something that looks like too much of a bargain.

I'm with Petplan lifetime as well and although they're not cheap, currently £64.28 a month - but obviously you wouldn't pay anywhere near that for a new puppy - Im more than happy with them.

My dog is nearly 8 years old and I've claimed many times as she went through an awful period of having pancreatitis. Has also had a couple of operations, nothing major thankfully but they paid out without question every time, which as far as I can gather is not always the case with all insurance companies.

I'd also be a bit wary about the free months insurance. If, in the hopefully, unlikely event your puppy got something in that first month you would find it would very likely be excluded when you take out your own cover. Best to just get your own lifetime insurance from the beginning.

[pigsDOfly]

Having just read another thread about dog insurance, would just also add, regarding the amount of cover you get for a year, don't stint on that either.

I have £7,000 a year, which is one of the reasons my premiums are high. But bearing in mind how much a major operation for a dog can cost, for anything serious, that could soon be eaten up.

[BiteyShark]

Don't wait for the 4 weeks free insurance to finish as most new policies have a 2 week exclusion for illnesses.

Get a life policy and for the biggest limit per year you can afford. Don't think cheap is best as all policies are different so you need to look closely at the T&Cs. Does it cover dental (lots don't), does it cover behavioural issues or hydrotherapy? Avoid any that have limits per condition as pointless having a £10000 a year limit if you can only claim £2000 per condition.

I have claimed around £5000 for my dog who is only 2.5 years old. We recently avoided a surgery for an accident which would have been at least £5000. I know of someone who had a bill for over £10000 in a previously healthy youngish dog. Once you start claiming or even go for a consultation about something it will be deemed to be pre existing on any change of company so unlike other insurance types shopping around each year isn't worthwhile unless you have never gone to the vets for anything other than vaccinations. A bad bout of D&V which required admissions, tests and treatment came to around £2000 and my vets are fairly cheap compared to some I know which just shows how quickly costs mount up.

[Hearthurts]

Thanks all, some really helpful tips here. I'm about to have a look at 'go compare' and see what comes up.

We are all excited about this new addition to our family, it actually is like having a baby! There's a crate of toys waiting, a new bed, I've cleaned and rearranged the conservatory and built the crate. DH cut the grass and ive moved all chewable items out of harms way. just need the stair gate now

[pigsDOfly]

Aaw, you sound so excited. Bet you're counting the days.

We will need to see photos when we comes home.

[ChrisPrattsFace]

Lifetime policy with the maximum limit.

My dog broke her neck, our final bill was close to £8k and her insurance covered as we had the £12k limit. Never skimp on pet insurance, it’s literally a life saver.

[Hearthurts]

Chris how on earth did she break her next?! how scary for you!

[Hearthurts]

here he is......

[billybagpuss]

He is absolutely adorable.

I’m sure you’ve found it already but here’s this link to my thread as my renewal quote arrived yesterday. There maybe some useful tidbits in there.


www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/3540173-Just-fallen-off-my-chair-at-dog-insurance-renewal-quote

[Hearthurts]

thankyou!

[ChrisPrattsFace]

She fell over! Nothing exciting, no danger games or Anything... just fell forward and literally decapitated herself. Shes ok now, still has problems but she’s alive when she wouldn’t be if not insured!

[Hearthurts]

How does this sound please....
Lifetime insurance
no limit per year
5k per condition
£28 per month

[Hearthurts]

or this....

[Hearthurts]

I'm so confused.com!!
So many policies to choose from....
This one I've looked at is;
5k per condition
no annual limit
Limit reinstated upon renewal (what does that mean??)
Includes behavioural and dental

Advice please!!

[Hearthurts]

Ive also come across this alot.....
5% contribution to the remaining amount of each claim
what does that mean?

[BiteyShark]

I wouldn't want a policy with a limit per condition. Some conditions run into many thousands of pounds. I prefer a simple vet limit per year so whether that is used on one condition or many it doesn't matter.

I also wouldn't also want a policy where you needed to pay a percentage per claim on top of your excess because that would be pricey if the claim was in thousands. For me I pay an excess for that condition and anything above it is covered.

You also need to be aware of just comparing prices and amounts. It's the policies that matter so you need to dig down into the T&Cs. Does it cover dental which can be pricey. Does it have conditions on using their list of specialist vets or can you choose which vets to go to etc.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

A percentage contribution is a co payment - that is you pay that percentage of the claim in addition to the excess. So on a bill of £1000 with a £100 excess and a 10% copayment you will actually pay £190 and insurance will pay £820.
I would try not to have a copayment if possible as they rack up if your total bill is £7000 with £100 excess you end up paying £790!

[Hearthurts]

thanks for that! I'm still looking.....

[mando12345]

He's beautiful, but I'm biased with a black lab myself, the best dogs!!

Im with direct line,in Greater London, with direct line 95 a month, 8,000 per condition not renewed every year, we've made lots of claims, they pay out well, my lab is 11. My friend has petplan with similar age golden retrievers, same location and pays much the same, but she had to pay an excess and the first 20% of the claim, but her
Amount claimed renews every year.

[mando12345]

Also take out insurance asap, if you visit the vet for say a mild stomach upset, or itchy ears that will be noted on your notes and be excluded on your new policy.

[Hearthurts]

there arnt many that have 0% contribution
.
I'm glad is asked for your advice, I would have gone for "oh yea 2k per condition is plenty!"
This one seems ok....

[mando12345]

Added to say the 8000 lasts as long as it lasts, it's not renewed after a year but I can claim from the 8000 put over many years.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

The bought by many seems a good policy, I do have reservations about them, but that may just be me. I have seen a similar company come along and go pop leaving clients with no insurance. I maybe wrong they may have got their business model right, but they feel slightly too good to be true particularly as they have a policy with no excess.

[Hearthurts]

so much to consider! I don't want to buy it and have regrets, I'm indecisive at the best of times!😣