My boys effing insurance is effing doubling!

[Vallhala]

I've just had a reminder that my 12 month pet insurance contract for my younger GSD (4 years old) and my Lab X is due to expire. Only these two are covered as my fostered elder GSD's vet bills are covered by the rescue, thank goodness.

I'm told that as of next month insurance for my two boys will double all but for a pound or so! I've just discovered that this is because the 35% discount I'd received as a new customer expires at the end of the initial 12 month contract.

My current policy is the higher level one with ongoing fees paid and the higher fee ceiling (vet fees of up to £4K with no cut-off date) but with no added extras whatsoever - it's purely vet fees only. The purchase price for each dog is the lowest the insurers' system will accept and the excess on the vet fees £120, which IMHO is a bit steep anyway but can't be changed unless I take out a completely new policy. Of course if I take out a new policy with a lower excess my monthly premium will increase even more.

Another factor in the increase is that last year's policy was on the basis that my Lab X was 9 years old and now, having had a birthday, he's reached the magic number 10. Thankfully I've never had to claim on the policy

Any thoughts, advice or experience please? Btw, this is Tesco Pet Insurance, underwritten by Royal and Sun Alliance, who, upon calling them, offered me a 5% discount or 160 Clubcard points for 12 months as an incentive to stay . They warned me that if I choose another insurer I should look out for cleverly hidden excess surcharges and that the policy conditions might change mid-term because of my Lab X's age or that cover might be refused altogether.

Oh... and I have the bad luck of living in one of the most affluent areas in the country and vet fees in my area have gone up 15% in the last 18 months.

Added to this my plans to go to the rescue and run the fundraising stall have been scuppered by the Boss-man being seriously ill and unable to do the driving around required and I have an extra teenaged girl in the house this weekend.

I need !

Hi there - don't know how much help I'll really be, but I've just received a letter from MoreThan re: our GSD's pet insurance, saying that the cover expires next month and that they can keep me on with them automatically - great, except the cost per month has gone up 50%!!
Last year M&S did the same thing, so I just went onto different websites until I found the cheapest one that gave me the same cover as I'd had before. MoreThan were the winners last year, so now I'm going to do the same again. I usually get the middle tier of cover, btw. I've had a quick look this afternoon and the best price so far was pet-insurance.co.uk - although i didn't have time to properly look at the t&c etc. Anyway, my point is, can't you just look around for a better deal? : )

I shall do, Bean, but I was hoping that someone might have a recommendation for me.

I'll look at MoreThan for a start, thanks. :)

pet-insurance.co.uk is an actual insurance company, they seem to have good prices but as mentioned i've not had chance to read the 'small print'. The excess didn't seem to be as much as a lot of the others either. MoreThan do seem to have fairly good prices as well, just annoying that my quote has gone up since last year - hence the reason i'm looking around again. Best of luck getting a good deal xo

Mind you I am just removing my custom from MoreThan for car insurance as they have whacked another £110 on last years' premium. Their offered incentive to make me stay was a hotel voucher... Or a free MOT.
And then when I said no thanks they knocked off £50. But I am still moving somewhere cheaper.

Val My dogs are with different companies.
My boy is with Direct Line, good insurance company except they take about 8-10 weeks to pay out! Which is shit, especially as Ive had to claim a few times.

My girl pup is with PetPlan (I seem to remember you dont like them) havent had to claim on that one.

All I know is that my insurance is up to date and I dread to think what boys will be next year and he is only 2.

and yes it is ME, just under different disguise.

Well hello YOU! I know who you are this time!

You've been much missed, Matey! :)

Our GSD is 11 and on a top cover with Petplan (been with them for 23 years with GSDs) and I was horrified to find it is £50 pm for him now!

No other company will insure a dog at this age. and we can't cancel as he is showing signs of aging fast and no doubt cost a fortune at the vets soon :(

this may not be an option for you but we decided against pet insurance for our terrier. instead we have a savings bank account with a standing order going into it every month so that if anything did happen to him, we have some money set aside. i know this wont work for everyone but it suits us and may be an option

hope this helps

I considered that aavsbavs, but with 2 large dogs I reckoned that it's sods law that one (or both) will end up ill or injured within a month of me taking that route, which as a lone parent of 2 is something I just can't risk.

I'm shocked at PetPlan's charge for your GSD, Milliways . At least Tesco are credited with only charging me around £50 for both dogs... it's just a bit of a shock after paying less than £25 for the pair of them over the past year.

As Coffee rightly said, I won't touch PetPlan as they knowingly insure puppy farmers - your insurance bill is another reason not to as well!

Sorry, avsbavs, didn't mean to speall your name wrongly!

We did used to use Tesco insurance for our old boy - never had to claim though, so sods law.

avsbavs We also considered a savings plan - that only works though if you have a few years worth of monthly savings stocked up. Wouldnt have worked with my young boy, his condition cost thousands and he was 1 at the time when he started going downhill and took until Christmas 2010 for him to get fully better. So glad for insurance I can tell you!

Anyway, 2 large GSDs here and insurance is a must for us. Heres hoping for healthy dogs all round for us all.

Passes val a decaff now... and large bottle of vino.

For their highest level of cover Petplan wanted £47 per month for my lab as a pup!

Have always been with M&S so cant really recommend anyone else I'm afraid.

Val, have a look at Argos, usually good prices, good cover and they pay out promptly.

I have 'platinum' the most comprehensive cover and it is £16.55 a month, to get the same level of cover with PetPlan (just noseying, wouldn't dream of using them) was £42.50.

yes we are very lucky to have a tiny dog which does result in less vets fees!