Pet Insurance

[JeeanieYuss]

Okay, so I know this isn't the right place so yes Iabu, but I need your help and I know there are a lot of dog lovers on MN.

So, I have a 7 month old Collie X boy, who I love dearly, I am currently looking to get lifetime insurance for him and I am just so confused by all the different policies, types, what it actually covers etc.. And obviously the most important thing (well in my eyes), who pays out easiest and fulfills there end of the bargain

I did do a search but the last pet insurance threads were from back in 2006, so again I'm sorry, but I know there is more traffic here and I want to get it sorted a.s.a.p as I've kept putting it off and putting it off again, I am the eternal procrastinator!!

So please 'Oh wise ones of MN' share your wisdom

[stickyg]

Please look out for some policies that arent a lifetime cover. I took out what i thought was a lifetime cover with bloody Petplan and i found out 2 days ago that apparantly it only covers an illness for 12 months ( what the hell use is that ?? ) and the 12 months was up on 23rd Jan :(

My dog has a condition called anal furucolosis which she will have for life and Petplan will no longer cover it so im left with paying out £49 a week for drugs for her plus precription charges.

I'll be changing her policy over the next day or so to a lifetime.

Good luck

[CommanderShepard]

I'm also with Animal Friends for my 15 year old cat. Hell of a lot cheaper than Petplan for a much better policy but to be fair I've never had to claim off either.

[Butkin]

We've been with Tescos and they have been great. We've had a few sizeable claims with our Shiba - especially when he slipped his tendon and had to go to Cambridge Vet Hospital for an op (2,000-3,000 pounds). They have always paid out promptly with no fuss although the premiums have crept up.

We've always gone for insurance which included 3rd party liability in case he ran in front of a car etc as well.

[HousewifeFromHeaven]

stick ouch - for you and your dog!

[Bakingtins]

stick that doesn't make any sense - surely that's even more reason to choose lifetime cover and read the small print. I don't think Petplan do any policies that are not lifetime cover but there are a lot of companies trying to pinch a share of their good reputation. I'm a vet and have ever had any problems with Petplan - we're happy to claim direct from them, and I insure my own pets with them. They paid out £2000 for my cat to have a blood transfusion and intensive care at the university hospital, and pay out regularly for my elderly dog's meds.
See which companies your own vet won't direct claim from, that should give you an idea of who is likely to wriggle out of paying.
It prob doesn't apply to the OP but the absolute minimum cover you need for a dog is third party, which you can get very cheaply from Dogs Trust. You are legally liable for your dog's behaviour, the incident mentioned up thread where a dog ran into the road could cost you thousands if the driver claimed against you, never mind the vet bills...

[stickyg]

Baking tins ... petplan definitely told me that its a policy that covers illness for 12 months ! They recently paid out on a claim for the anal furuculosis and have now written to me that as of 23rd Jan 2013 they will exclude this condition as my vet first noticed it that time last year. Prior to that, they have been fab and just pay my vet direct. The policy is in my husbands name so i need to wait to friday to get him to call to swap it for a lifetime policy incase of any other condition that may occur.

We have been well and truley caught out with this and its shit. We just need to pay the presription charges and get her atopica from viovet which will cost £49 a week.

Its going to be tough but she needs her meds so we will just have to cut back on other things to get them xx

Housewifefromheaven ....tell me about it !!!

[Bakingtins]

They must have changed their tune very recently then, they've always only offered lifetime cover, I've dealt with them for 14 yrs on behalf of clients. Lifetime cover only is their USP! (goes off to check website and call Vetline)

[stickyg]

baking tins ...after reading your post i went to check their website and they do 3 different policies and one of which is 12 months per illness, i took the policy our about 3 years ago so they must have done it for a while.

I assumed ( like an idiot ) that it was all lifetime they did and thats what i had...nope !

They have really pissed me off with this, my dog is only 8 so im hoping she has a few good years left but ill be skint ! xx

[Bakingtins]

Sticky, I stand corrected, I checked the website and they do a "12 month essential" policy now. I guess they have given in to the competition from other companies. Caveat emptor, even with Petplan. Mental note not to accept ANY direct claims without seeing the policy documents.

[stickyg]

Yep i would definitely check all your customers policies. I really wouldnt anyone to get caught out like we did.

The 12 months starts from when the vet first notices the condition. In our case, the vet noticed our dogs condition in jan 12 but said that it didnt need treatment just yet but would do in the future so they havent even paid out 12 months worth of fee's as my dog didnt need treatment until september 12.

Ah well, lesson learned for me ! xx

[ithasgonetotheopera]

Get a lifetime policy with petplan. The £7000 policy will easily cover the vast majority of things. I'm a vet and my dog's covered with petplan, I don't know any vets who would even look at a different company - the others will try anything not to pay out and have loads of get-out clauses in the small print.

[willyoulistentome]

Petplan were always great when I made claim for my horse. Never a quibble on a claim. HOWEVER, each time I have claimed for a conditon ( rather than an injury) , it was excluded from the policy on the next renewal. I have ended up not bothering with vets fees insurance for her as there is very little left I can claim for.