Can I change insurers?

[SquidgyMaltLoaf]

This is a long shot, but does anyone know of an insurance company that will cover pre-existing conditions? The premium for our Rottie has gone up by £15 a month to £44 . We've claimed £300 for X-rays and about £200 since for tablets over the past 18months since she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Premium seems rather steep!! She is 7. They don't cover for behavioural problems either (wish I'd checked that one...) so that's going to cost another £200 for the APBC behaviourist. We are currently with MoreThan - never again!!

Any ideas, or am I just deluded?!

I don't know if any, but there might be? For what it's worth my insurance has always been about that annoy for my rottie boy.

What do you need the behaviourist for?

She's snapped at the ankles of two different visitors as they left down the drive this week . She had been fine with them up to that point! It's a territorial / fear aggression thing I think (she is a rescue) - she could quite easily have bitten them if she'd wanted to and she is fine 98% of the time but I don't want to take any chances and I'd rather get it sorted. We consulted a trainer before when she started lunging at other dogs out of the blue but what he said hasn't worked so I'm going to APBC to see if they can help.

I've just sent you a PM...it may or may not be useful, but I hope it is.

That premium actually sounds pretty reasonable for the circumstances! You are unlikely to find anyone offering a new lifetime policy for a dog over the age of 7 and a 12 month policy is next to useless for a dog with an ongoing condition, even if they covered pre-existing.

This company have recently launched policies that cover pre-existing conditions, but only:

"conditions for which your pet has not been treated or had any symptoms in the last 2 years"

They are the only insurers I've ever heard of that will cover pre-existing conditions though.

Thanks tabulah that is useful, will have a look!

Toboldlygo you've made me feel better - the huge hike between the first and second year of the policy made me wonder if we were paying over the odds. It's still a lot but if it's reasonable I'm not so bothered. And it's still cheaper than her tablets are (£58/month)!

I think that premium sounds really reasonable as well given SquidgyDog's age and hip dysplasia. I doubt you'd find anything more competitive.

As a veterinary receptionist I handle a lot of insurance forms and queries - it really doesn't sound far off the mark. :) It may not even be related to your claims, there is often a hike as a dog reaches 7 (or 5 for certain breeds) with some insurers and as above this is often a cut-off for new policies.

I forgot to add that most (all?) insurers will decline to insure a dog with aggressive tendencies - check the policy wording and declarations carefully if you do try to switch.

No symptoms for 2 years? Pet plan will routinely re-instate cover for pre-existing conditions if no problems for 12 months. Not an ongoing condition though.

Thanks all we won't switch if it's normal - hadn't considered that it might be to do with her age. As long as we're not being fleeced I don't mind!

Well like I said - I pay about that and he's not 2 yet (though for some reason my phone changed it to annoy)