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Original poster

recommend me some pet insurance

30 replies

Pingpong · 31/05/2009 22:03

I've never had any insurance for my dogs before but my last dog cost a lot of ££££s so I would like to take out insurance for my pup. She was from a rescue centre and they said I would get 4 weeks free from some company they use (as an incentive to sign up I guess) anyway I asked them many, many times about more details about this and haven't heard anything more about it - I think paperwork is not really their thing so I still haven't sorted anything out and really feel that I should.
The vet said not to go for Tesco as it's like getting blood out a stone so any other recommendations for me?

OP posts:

bella39 · 31/05/2009 22:26

i narrowed it down to morethan/marks and spencer or petplan and went for petplan in the end.

some policies seem cheaper but have a large excess and also only pay a certain percentage of the vets fees.

bella39 · 31/05/2009 22:27

... and of course you really want lifetime cover, otherwise if your dog is diagnosed with an ongoing problem, you're only covered in the first year it arises.

hth

Original poster

Pingpong · 31/05/2009 22:47

okay that's great, I think those 3 are the ones that the vet 'off the record' said were okay. Thanks

OP posts:

nickschick · 31/05/2009 22:49

I have a tesco policy for our dog ...its about £7 a month and covers a lot of things.

Did the vet say 'off record' anything about tesco?

Original poster

Pingpong · 31/05/2009 23:02

mmmm
"The vet said not to go for Tesco as it's like getting blood out a stone"

sorry - it's only one opinion though

OP posts:

FairMidden · 31/05/2009 23:13

TBH the only company I would really advise you to avoid are E&L. I could relate some tales about them!

Tesco are basically Direct Line, I think. No major issues. But on the whole you get what you pay for. Bella's advice is good (as usual ) - do ensure you get lifetime cover.

nickschick · 31/05/2009 23:22

Ohh dear well ive started with Tesco so I suppose really its just fingers crossed Buddy stays well.....

Original poster

Pingpong · 31/05/2009 23:22

Maybe the vets don't like Tesco if they take a long time to pay but for the customer it is okay - or are you talking from a vet's perspective FairMidden ?
Not sure I've heard of E&L ?

OP posts:

Original poster

Pingpong · 31/05/2009 23:24

My pup was chipped by the rescue centre - I think with all her registration details there was some petplan stuff I'll have to dig it out and have a read. . . . I'm not very good at concentrating on all the small print though

OP posts:

elastamum · 31/05/2009 23:27

Pet plan are really expensive. they give you a first year discount then ramp up the prices. I ensured both my dogs with more than for less than the cost of one with petplan, cover is the same

bella39 · 01/06/2009 08:36

Vets and PAH often carry a free 4 week insurance voucher for Petplan but if I remember correctly, you have to take that up over the phone, whereas if you go online the monthly premiums are 10% cheaper - so it all works out about the same in the end! At least that was the situation last summer when I insured my lab pup.

Farimidden - thank you

dollius · 01/06/2009 08:41

The majority of pet policies will stop covering specific conditions once your pet starts to suffer from them.

Two I know that do not do this are Pet Plan and Marks & Spencer.

Pet Plan is really expensive.

We have Marks & Spencer and when our dog was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia at the age of two months (ie we had paid only one month's premium), they paid up for numerous vet visits and some very expensive surgery immediately, no fuss at all.

And our dog is still covered for further complications relating to the condition should they arise, whereas he wouldn't be with most other insurers.

I would heartily recommend them.

KingCanuteIAm · 01/06/2009 08:43

Make sure you check who underwrites the insurance too - E&L (insurance from hell) underwrite a lot of other policies. You will only see their name mentioned once in the small print but it basically means you are dealing with E&L if a claim happens - and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy

Lovesdogsandcats · 01/06/2009 08:51

I made a claim when my kitten was only under the '6 week free' Petplan and they paid up. I did not keep up the policy, but my vet said out of all the insurance companies they are the best for paying out.

BelleSeuss · 01/06/2009 08:53

Avoid E&L like the plaque - scumbags!!

Many vet practices deal directly with Petplan only, ie they are the only insurance company that the practice will claim directly from (so you don't pay out then have to retrieve the money from the insurance company retrospectively)

The others - read the small print and make a judgement on your budget.

The alternative is to not insure and put the "premium" into a doggy account monthly instead - this quickly adds up if nothing major happens in the first year or so, but doesn't work if you need it sooner.

BelleSeuss · 01/06/2009 08:58

plague (avoid plaque and dentals too - they all squirm out of paying for those, which is why a doggy account works - no get out cause!)

Curiousmama · 01/06/2009 09:03

I'm with healthy pets and for 1 young healthy dog it's just gone up to 7.90. Anyone know if they're any good? The excess has changed from £50 to £65 too.

Original poster

Pingpong · 01/06/2009 09:14

BelleSeuss I've not previously had insurance but my last dog had major surgery when she was under 1 and then was seriously ill and put down aged 6, it cost a lot and I had a new DD and just bought a new house. If I'd had insurance I could maybe have done more for her. The whole thing was just heartbreaking. I'm so attached to the new pup already I need to know that if anything happens to her I'm not scrapping the bottom of the saving tin to save her.
I'll watch out for E&L though - I'd never heard of them before.

OP posts:

BelleSeuss · 01/06/2009 09:30

smac if you can insure then do - people are just held under false pretences that if they are insured, they will not have to take financial hits, but unfortunately do. Many people decide to pay for ops etc to avoid putting their premiums up etc etc

Unfortunately vets can not legally advise on insurance, so the worse offenders remain protected (and I have to be candid...but I can't hold back about some!)

The only ones are petplan as they get trained in the policies if they are a 'petplan practice'

Your practice may do a loyalty schemes for routine procedures that are not covered by insurance ie. vaccine/worming etc packages to keep costs down

Enjoy your new pup!! Sorry to hear you had sad experiences with you other 2

bella39 · 01/06/2009 09:39

Smac - I've never insured any of my pets and, as a former vet nurse, I took the view (as did the vet I worked for) that really you were just as well off putting the 'premiums' in a bank each month. Over the years, and numerous animals, I can honestly say I was not financially worse off for not having had insurance.

Then I got my lab pup. And about the same time a friend's young dog became very ill, needed several ops and referrals (and died ) and their insurance did not cover the bill which I think was around £5k. That made me think again. I've now had him a year, and, thanks to the scrapes young dogs get into, I've already had my money's worth from Petplan. I'll also be insuring my new pup for the same reasons. I don't have £5k sitting in the bank and I
am sure if I had to I would sell dc something, but I'd rather not have to.

I don't know the circumstances of your previous dog but don't assume you could have done more and saved the dog if you were insured - it really isn't like that.

Best of luck x

bedlambeast · 01/06/2009 10:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

bella39 · 01/06/2009 10:18

pmsl at scumfuckers...

Curiousmama · 01/06/2009 11:41

I checked out M&S and they're excess is £70 plus it's going to be at least £2 more per month so think I'll stick with Healthy pets as I have the Gold cover with them at £7.90. I heard about them on mumsnet so they must be ok?

firstyme · 01/06/2009 13:40

You may have a look at this websitePets Insurance Compare
They have very neatly laid out everything .No Confusion (at least I found it quite helpful)

I guess you can even take a multipet insurance so that you will get some discount.

higgle · 01/06/2009 16:34

I'm with Tesco and they paid out very quickly on the couple of times I've had to claim. I would advise anyone to check out what the premiums will be when dog gets v. old. Marston is 16 this year and with Tesco it would be £60pcm but I know some other insurers charge really ludicrous amounts for old dogs and get away with it because you can't change once dog gets old as no one else will take them on. I have now stopped cover and put the money on deposit each month as vet has said that if dog gets ill there will be no way he would be up to any surgery or extensive treatment (he is alergic to anaesthetic anyway)

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