Do you have questions on pet insurance? Ask PDSA vet Claire Roberts - £200 voucher to be won

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Created for PDSA

Do you have questions on how pet insurance works, the different types of policy available and why it’s important to protect your pet? PDSA expert Claire Roberts will be on hand to answer your questions.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw.
• One lucky user will win a £200 voucher provided by Mumsnet.

About PDSA vet Claire Roberts:
“ Claire Roberts is a vet working for the UK’s leading veterinary charity PDSA, which provides free and low-cost veterinary care to the pets of owners in need. She has worked in mixed and small animal practice as well as in academia and currently provides veterinary advice for PDSA’s communication team. Claire lives in Bristol with her two rescue cats, Indiana Jones and Jon Snow.”

Here’s what PDSA has to say:
“With so many different policy-types on the market, choosing the right pet insurance policy to meet your pet’s needs and your budget can be complicated. PDSA Vet, Clare Roberts is here to help by answering any questions you have about protecting your pet; from the key cover to look out for, to jargon-busting those technical terms!”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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Would a rabbit going through stasis make any future payments for my insurance higher if I claimed back what I paid to the vet?

My dogs insurance has shot up over the years (she's only 5) and with no preexisting conditions..Is it worth switching to try n find a cheaper one?

Hi,
Is it possible to get insurance for pre-existing conditions, albeit at a higher price?

For example, we'd love to adopt a not-quite-made-it guide dog, however most that aren't suitable for duty are due to having health issues like dysplasia.

Whilst we'd be very happy to help manage any health condition, with not knowing how much treatments could cost over the dog's lifetime, and I am guessing that could be many £1000s if not insured, sadly not sure we'll be able to.

Thanks!

@Realitea , oddly enough my renewal just came through for my rabbit today after a £1.7K stasis bill in April/May of this year. Petplan have not increased more than a yearly increase and excess is the same. I really thought they would and I absolutely did claim! Hope your rabbit is ok.

@goingpearshaped wow £1.7k! Luckily mine was alright after a day, we were so worried as our rabbits are our world we love them so much! Mine came to £77! Thank goodness for pet insurance though!

Wonder if it's worth getting cat insurance? We got a rescue cat via someone else who couldn't keep her. Never thought about insurance.

We're planning to get kittens and I've just started to look into pet insurance. What are the essentials I need to check are included on a policy?

We have taken on a disabled carrion crow who is unable to be released back into the wild. Could we get insurance for her and if so would it be cost effective and worthwhile?

Are there any pet insurers which are known for having really good service and/ or fair prices?

Are more insurers taking on clients who have pets with pre existing conditions now?

I find it hard to compare policies, and to know what are the essential features of pet insurance. Do you know of any such guides? Thank you

A friend is getting a puppy, a rescue dog, and she doesn't have a great deal of money, but wants to ensure that her pet will be looked after. She has been advised (by another friend) that PetPlan (provided by the vet) is all that she needs to get for her puppy and to only insure the dog when it's 3 years old. We have both for our dog (a rescue - now 5 years) and have had both insurance and Pet Plan since we got him, gladly we haven't needed the insurance for anything - but surely it's best to be covered. Obviously, it's like anything (Russian roulette) but I don't want my friend to have any nasty surprises. How can I best advise her? Dogs are expensive per se (albeit worth every penny in my book) and she has budgeted and knows the sacrifices and she's prepared to make them. I just want her to make an informed decision without making any wrong ones along the way!

My friend has recently become the owner of a new puppy for the first time. What advice can I give to make sure the pet insurance is suitable for the puppy?

Congratulations to @problembottom who is the winner of the prize draw! 😀

I have pet insurance for my dog, this year she strained her back and we saw a vet and specialist, they put it down to a strain and gave her pain meds, we didn't do an mri scan as it wasn't covered. Turns out my pet insurance is a bit shit, so this year I'd like to improve that, what do I put the back strain down as, is it a pre existing issue?

Hi @Regina70 , @LouisCatorze & @frogface69 When rescuing a cat or dog, including semi-feral cats, make sure that the rehoming centre provides you with the medical history of your new pet - most will have a vet who will assess your pet before rehoming. They will let you know if your new pet has any pre-existing conditions that may not be covered by insurance. When applying for insurance, let the insurance company know that your pet is a rescue, then you can use the age and breed provided to you by the rescue centre.

Hi @Byrdie & @CaughtUpAgain Although indoor cats may seem safer than those that roam outside, most insurance claims are related to health conditions rather than accidents. There are also lots of hazards indoors for cats too like electrical cables, elastic bands and even plants! Therefore, there is generally no difference between the cost of insurance for indoor or outdoor cats.

Hi @OriginalFloorboards It will depend on your insurance company as to whether this will be included as a pre-existing condition, as some companies may count this as a historic condition which can be included if it has not been an issue for a set number of years. However, you should make your insurance company aware of this murmur when you apply for insurance.

Hi @Iwantsunshine Yes, premiums are likely to be higher for pure breed cats as they are more prone to certain breed related illnesses, such as heart conditions in British Shorthairs and breathing difficulties in flat-faced cats like Persians.

@AngelwingsPetlamb I’m sorry to hear about your cat’s issues, but don’t worry, cats can get into all sorts of problems and no one at the insurance company will be judging you! If you wanted to insure your cat now, these would be counted as pre-existing conditions and would be excluded from your policy.

Hi @Happycrocodile Your insurance company will not normally require a vet check before starting your policy. However it is important to find out the terms of your policy as your insurance may require regular check-ups and/or vaccinations.

Hi @Pattygonia It is great to hear that your brother’s cat hasn’t been in need of any veterinary treatment- as vets, we love meeting your pets but would prefer that they stay healthy! One alternative to insurance is called “self-insurance”. This is where you save up the money that would be going into your insurance policy in your own account and use it in case of any unexpected veterinary bills. It is so difficult to say how much money is a good amount. Vet fees for chronic issues, complicated or severe illnesses, or when specialist surgery is needed can run into the thousands, especially when they are done outside of normal working hours. If your pet becomes ill or has an accident quite soon after you start saving you may also not have had a chance to save enough money to cover the vet fees. Finally, it can be very hard not to spend the saved money on other emergencies like a broken boiler or car. So this can be a risky strategy.

Hi @Merryweather80 Not an odd question at all! The colour of your cat or dog will not affect the cost of your insurance, although pure bred cats and dogs will be more expensive as they are more prone to certain health conditions.

(NB: cost of self-insurance answered above)

Hi @BristolMum96 To insure an axolotl or any other exotic pet you will need to look for a specialist insurers as most companies will only cover cats dogs and sometimes rabbits or guinea pigs as well. You should also have a look for a specialist vet who is knowledgeable about or specialises in exotic pets and they will be able to advise you about health, welfare and issues like transportation.

Hi @Dashel Some pet insurance policies will cover for the cost of cancelled holidays if your pet becomes sick. If you would plan to stay home if this happens then make sure that this is part of your insurance policy and read the terms and conditions carefully. It is also a good idea to think about what to do if your pet becomes ill while you are away and discuss this with whoever is caring for your pets.