to not insure my pets?

[Chevrotains]

Does anyone here just put away savings each month for their pets? I'm aware there is definitely a risk to this as well, but just tired of the amount going up each renewal.

Our last vet visit resulted in a £2k bill. Was I ever glad we have insurance!

What kind of pets?

There's a MASSIVE difference between not insuring the family gerbil verses the pedigree Cockapoo.

@onefinemess I'm talking about a dog and 2 cats. They are all insured currently... but just got their renewals and it's an extra £20 a month

I never did - but I also would have PTS if seriously ill or injured, I’m not the sort of person who’d put a cat through cancer treatment or fit wheels to a dog which needed both its back legs amputated. I think ultimately it depends whether you’d be prepared to borrow thousands of pounds for vet care, or just say goodbye.

I never have, had my Last two dogs 10 and 12 years and nothing major needed, currently have two dogs and a cat and none insured. Willing to take the risk, but I am also someone who wouldn't put an animal through extensive treatment.

I have 2 dogs and a horse. None have been insured since 2012. It’s a gamble, but the monthly cost was ridiculous, especially as most vet visits were under the excess.

I have a backup of £13,000 limit on a CC, so that gives me a breathibg space if any emergencies come along

None of mine are insured after it was coming to over £115 per month for x2 cats and x2 dogs - no illnesses or injuries with any of them.
I’ve set aside money now to use just in case.

….. should add, I am insured for public liability - just not vet fees

Never had pet insurance. But have just saved money in a separate account which has covered costs. Like a pp I wouldn’t put a pet through treatment I thought was too harsh/extreme. Quality of life over quantity.

I'm in my sixties and have had dogs and cats all my life and have never insured any of them and never regretted it. It's saved me thousands of pounds. I do have savings though if a nasty bill cropped up.

My last two dogs both lived to fifteen and a half and were always in excellent health until the very end. I currently have one little mixed breed dog now I'm in my dotage.

It's a risk you take but what happens is, when people insure they tend to get too scared to stop (thinking it will tempt fate) so I would never start, but that's just me.

You can essentially 'self insure' for anything you don't legally need to be insured for. Put whatever you would have paid in a savings account (religiously) and pay from that account of you need it. There are pros and cons

Money for vets fees is one thing - 3rd party public liability whatever is quite another but for Dogs If you google Dogs Trust I think for a modest donation you can get 3rd party only insurance - I could not find another insurer which would do this. But if a dog eg broke its lead and rand into the road etc - I would not want to be without 3rd party insurance. Otherwise - yes just a decision as to whether you put a bit away on a regular basis so if you need it you have it.

I do at present because they are young and the insurance is as cheap as chips. I am already putting £50pcm aside which is the difference between their present insurance and my old boy's which was £89 when he died suddenly aged 15. It's a calculated risk and I have enough money to cover what would be needed.

Although he never had much wrong with him insurance paid out 900 to amputated an inch of tail (injury), £2200 ×when he ate poison, £1400 when he chomped on a lily, £300 for a dental issue, probably about £800 for metacam and bloods during his last 4 years. When I add up the cost of all that and deduct it from 15 years' premiums the cost of excellent cover with PetPlan worked out at very little a month. It's a figure that could have been saved but it bought peace of mind.

Like others I wouldn't put an animal through arduous treatment if there would be an impact on their quality of life. Certainly not chemo for a cat.

My dog is insured and always has been as it was excellent value in the USA but in the uk it’s been painfully costly. after years of her being in great health we finally had to lean on it last year as she had fairly significant surgery (not one that extends her life but one which removed some serious pain she was suffering) and we were glad to have had it.

but in hindsight I very much wish we’d self insured and put away some money each month for her. It would have been much better value but then you never know. The good thing about using insurance has been now I share her with my exH (yeah, 50:50, child custody style!) making decisions about her treatment is fairly chill as neither of us are directly paying for it as we just get what she needs and claim on insurance.

fwiw, we pay too money for her insurance too. Like £1300 per year for decent claim levels and to cover various things so it’s not fun!

tldr: insurance is okay but I wish I’d put away ~10-20k to self insure her. Better value and I’d keep what i didn’t spend!

An extra £20 a month? I would be renewing the insurance.

My two cats have lifetime policies. I've been glad of it over the past few years.

We don’t but that’s coming from a position of knowing that I could afford to pay outright. If I were less comfortable about that I’d want the certainty of insurance.

A cockapoo isn't a pedigree.

But as for insurance its up to you. We just went for the best we can afford because you never know.

@ilovesooty yes, an extra to what I currently pay. It's now around £100 for the 3 of them.

I save instead of insuring.
I can afford costly treatment if necessary
If i couldn't i may think differently

A few years ago my cat got injured (not life threatening and it eventually resolved itself) emergency vet, staying in for a few days, X-rays and then having to come back in several times when she got worse came to over 6k. Insurance reimbursed the lot which was a massive relief, so I wouldn’t be without it. Though it’s bloody expensive, so I do know the temptation! If you’re sensible and put a big chunk away in savings, you’re probably fine but I wouldn’t personally risk it.

Sounds about right. Mine is between 50 and 60 per month for the two cats.

I've never had insurance for my animals. I've enough in savings to cover most eventualities. I adore my animals but I'm not overly sentimental about them and I would (and have) pts rather than put a very unwell pet through uncomfortable, invasive treatment.

Just recently I've spent €800 for my dog to have emergency, life saving surgery, knowing that he'd have good quality of life afterwards.

I'm glad we have insurance for our cat. She's 12 and has racked up over 4k of vet bills over the past 2 years. Didn't have that it savings. It's £50 a month now but I definitely won't stop paying it.

I currently have our 2 cats insured with Petplan. When we got the renewal notice this year they said that they will be in contact next year when they are 10 years old about changes to their cover. I'll see how much it will be and make a decision then. However I'm wary of cancelling it as Toasty Boy Cat had calicivirus and toxoplasmosis in the same year and the claim amounted to £4k.

I have thought about doing this, instead of taking out Insurance - but was never sure I could work out how much I would need to put aside because when they are very young, the Insurance is as cheap as chips, but the premiums go up every year as the pets get older - and can be very expensive once they are 10 or older - and that, of course, is when you are more likely to get ill/need expensive treatment. For peace of mind, I have always paid pet insurance