Pet insurance

[purpleflower123]

I've got 2 cats, one is 2.4 and the other is 1.4. Neither are vaccinated but both are neutered (1 boy, 1 girl!)

I really want to get them insured. Just looked at direct line and while the monthly payments are very good at £10 for them both, the excess is £70.

Does anyone know of any pet insurers with smaller excesses?

I think you need to shop around - usually a lower excess means higher premiums.

I think it would be unlikely that you would reduce that excess considerably anyway - but IIRC M&S used to do a zero excess policy so you could try them and see.

Have you tried Argos?

Plus if you go through Top Cash Back you get £20 back.

Okay you need to read the wording of the policies very carefully. Some of the cheaper policies will not pay out if your pet has not been vaccinated, on the claim form your vet has to put when was the pets last routine vaccination.

They don't appear to care whether they are neutered or not.

Argos is a good one though, very widely used, they will not pay out if your pets gets ill from a disease you could have vacinated against but didn't. But otherwise will.

You do need the Platinum cover though, to get continuous year after year treatment for one illness (I'm sure there is a less clumsy way to phrase that)

I have searched and searched and searched pet insurance and its driving me mad.

I want insurance for my puppy, he is fully vaccinated and microchipped but not neutered (he won't be getting neutered either)

I would prefer insurance that would cover a life time condition should one occur. I don't really care about the excess but they all seem to be around the same sort of price.

Their wording is confusing, or maybe its just me that doesn't understand it.

I was hoping to pay up to £20ish. Am I being unrealistic or is there such a policy out there?

kid, have you looked at Argos? Really they are very good, it's about £16 for the platinum lifetime cover and £65 excess iirc.

On the Whippet forum I belong to literally everyone is with Argos and so was my breeder.

I have Homebase insurance for my beloved pooches.
Just under £40 for both at Platinum level. £7500 vet fees per condition, per year for the length of the illness.
£75 excess.

Oh and both are chipped, vaxed but not neutered yet.

I don't think I have checked homebase, will check them out now.

I had argos insurance with my last puppy, but afaik, they didn't cover lifelong conditions.

Ok, have just had a look on homebase and it states that platinum insurance will cover up to 7,500 in vet fees and 12 months/per year unlimited.

So, I assume that means they would cover any long term condition up to 7,500 per year?

My pup has no condition that I am aware of but I just don't want to pay insurance and be stuck if he did develop something.

They are quoting me £21 a month which is pretty reasonable in comparison to others.

I imagine Homebase is much the same as ours which is with Sainsbury's. Up to £7500 per condition. The condition be long lasting but it will no longer be covered if it exceeds £7500.
Ours is £12 and £19 a month for our dogs, Border Collie and Springer Spaniel although likely to go up as we have claimed for both recently.

kid they do cover lifelong conditions and it is cheaper, up to you though

I'll phone Argos and get a quote over the phone. There is no reason for me to go with homebase other than it's clear they cover lifelong conditions.

I can't phone them now as I'm off out shortly, but I'll fo it first thing in the morning.

WTWildThingsWere have you ever had any problems with Argos paying out for any claim (or other whippet owners you know!)?

I'm also looking around at the moment - I have 2 more weeks free with PetPlan to go. Petplan has been recommended by at least 3 friends as the only company which pays out without quibbles - but I've been quoted £34/month for the lifelong cover! This seems so much more than your Argos Platinum cost that I assume there must be some significant difference or catch. Be great to get your feedback, or anyone else's experience with Argos compared with Petplan.

kid any comment on this? Thanks all.

I got a quote from Argos (20.44) and it covers lifelong conditions (as long as they don't develop in the next 10 days), they pay up to £7,500 per year (might be per condition, need to check paperwork) and they also pay the vet direct so I accepted their quote.

It's a huge relief to sort it out, especially after hearing a friend has been quoted between 8 and 9 thousand for their very ill, unisured dog

ilove My last dog was insured with Petplan as I was quite young and didn't look into it and they tend to be the company pushed by vets (vets get paid commision). I would never use them again. The premiums rocketed skyhigh as soon as my last dog reached the age of 7 (ie the age when you cannot change insurers as no one else will have you) despite me not claiming.

My quote was less than kids, I wonder if that's because whippets have no hereditary illnesses?

I don't know of anyone having problems with Argos paying out, they are very highly reccomended. You can get a discount if you buy on line, plus £20 cash back if you follow the link I posted above.

Have you checked the kennel Club insurance if your dog is KC registered. I have only had good experience - cheaper than petplan, lifelong cover, and underwritten by the same insurance as the Argos policy.

Teddy is kc registered but I didn't get a quote from them.
I still need to complete the change of ownership for him.

Anyone have any experience of Tesco pet insurance?
Currently have Pet Plan for 6 yr old Greyhound. Cost £33.16 a month . Life cover.
Tesco one £22. Covers up to £4000 per condition for life.
Last time i looked at Argos cover it was more than pet plan.

The £15 change of ownership fee is refunded if you take out the KC insurance

i read a good tip on martins money saving expert site.

he reckons you are better off putting what you would pay each month in insurance premiums into a savings account instead.

a very good idea if you have a breed with congenital defects. my sister has a pug and recently had to pay £1500 in vet bills as the insurance wouldn't cover it.

link and more advice.

I took the savings approach with my last dog, figuring £25 per month insurance put into a bank account instead would build up a nice sum over time. Our dog had cancer age 5 which required comples surgery and skin grafting. The cancer recurred and she finally died of heart failure aged 8. The vets bills cost A LOT more than the £2,400 we didn't pay out on insurance - fortunately we could afford it at that time. However, our new puppy is insured as income seems alot less certain nowadays! I would say only take this gamble if you can afford to lose.

Just quick feedback on quotes for springer spaniel puppy:
Argos £17.79 for platinum, excl. all dental, £7K limit per year
Petplan £36.82 for lowest lifetime cover (£4K limit)
Kennel Club £25.82 for lower lifetime cover (£5K limit)

Can't believe how varied these are and I guess I'm inclined to go for kennel Club as mid range and dental not excluded after 1 yr with policy..