Insurance recommendations

[BetterEatCheese]

Evening everyone! We are getting our new puppy in 6 days and looking to set up insurance. Does anyone have any recommendations / top tips / dos or don'ts?

I have looked at a few today and am unsure whether to get time limited, lifetime ... any help much appreciated

Get a life policy and for as much cover per year as you can afford.

I have claimed over £4500 within the first two years of my dogs life. Fortunately I have a life policy otherwise he would be pretty uninsurable now. Unfortunately I only got cover for £4000 per year which isn't a lot when you see how quickly vet bills mount up. Remember vet care is private medicine and I know someone who has paid out over £10000 for one condition in one year in a relatively young dog.

Don't scrimp on insurance and read the T&Cs very carefully. Remember anything you see the vet about even if you don't claim will be viewed as a pre existing condition for most policies so get it set up ASAP.

Thanks so much for the tips - I was looking at a lifetime one this morning which pays up to £6000 per year. I'll have a look at the small print.

Who is your insurance with?

I am with petplan. They aren't cheap but they have paid out really quickly each time (I have unfortunately made many claims).

They advertise that premiums rise based on age, breed of dog and location rather than on number of claims and I haven't found the increases excessive so far. The only regret I have is not getting a higher yearly amount.

I have seen other companies rated highly on here but can't remember which ones but if you search for threads then you should find them.

Check if they have any rules on referrals to specialists. Some insurers will only refer to specialists they have pre-existing arrangements with and will charge extra, on top of your excess, if you decide you want to see someone else. Obviously it's only an issue should you need to see a specialist but if that eventuality arises I'd much prefer

Also check for dental cover. Some insurers don't cover for anything other than accident-related dental issues so anything like cleaning or extractions as a result of gum disease wouldn't be covered.

PetPlan Lifetime is frequently recommended on these forums, and is the one I've gone with though I've yet to claim as DDog has somehow managed to avoid illness and injury despite doing a variety of stupid things.

I'd also recommend getting a policy that covers a behaviourist - any dog can develop behaviour problems and a good behaviourist consultation will set you back c. £300.

Our dog is nearly 10. We've put money away every month to meet any vets bills. We couldn't get insurance now at a reasonable cost but we're quids in.

Some breeders give some insurance with their puppies and most insurance won’t accept claims within first 14 days so you may need to arrange your policy early so your pet is covered.

Also worth talking to your vets to see which companies they will claim directly from. If you go with a company they won’t claim direct from you face big bills and then have to hope they pay you back.

You want a lifetime policy.

Avoid animal friends at all costs. They don't pay out and have a group on fb from all owners who have been shafted by them, myself included.

Wow thanks everyone, lots to think about. I'll email the vet and see which ones they claim directly from now.

Cover which covers a behaviourist is a great idea too - my sister has issues with her dog and cannot afford one so I've seen first hand what can happen.

Once I've got the reply from the vet I'll check the dental policies too and hopefully get something in place ASAP. I should have done it earlier as I'm now concerned about the gap before I can claim.

This is why you need to check the T&Cs carefully. Petplan cover dental issues but in my T&Cs you must have had a vet examine their teeth in the 12 months before the first signs of any issue.

Not a problem for me as I have a 6 monthly check up with my vets plan and I always get them to check his teeth. However, some people don't go at all to the vets for years, even for boosters, so may fall foul of that.

Good point @BiteyShark - I am going to get the vet plan with Medivet I think which includes a 6 monthly check