Insurance with a Heart Murmur: Advice Please

[BackToLurk]

Boo puppy has a heart murmur. It was detected early, and the vet thought it might have been down to stress. He was given a heart scan by the RSPCA vet which didn't detect any abnormalities at all. He is going to have a second heart scan in a couple of weeks. He also came with a free month of pet insurance with PetPlan, which we have extended just for ease at this stage. We have told them about the heart murmur.
We are hoping his heart scan will be fine, but does anyone have any experience/recommendations for insurers that are good for pre-existing conditions. We are aware that some things won't be covered, and understood there may be an extra cost to us (but he'd had a tough start and someone needed to give him a chance). Also if, as may happen, he grows out of the heart murmur, does this 'reset' his conditions (if that makes sense) or is he always 'a dog with a pre-existing heart condition'.

I think ManyPets cover for a pre-existing condition after the dog hasn't needed veterinary attention or advice for two years. Then they cover it as usual. Muddypup had an eye infection two days before MP insurance started, but as no problem since he'll be covered next time I renew.

I've only heard of many pets policy but it had quite restrictive terms and higher cost for that type of policy so would have to lok at the details and see if it would actually be worthwhile or building own savings to cover that condition, I'd not recommend self insuring totally.

What Petplan policy type is your extended one, the essentials 12m or covered for life?

Petplan's underwriters did remove an exclusion I had on on a pre-existing minor illness after it had not reoccurred for set period so it's possible if the specialist cardiac scan is also clear as it fully resolves with growth and deemed not likely to cause issue in future you could request they consider reinstating cover for condition , they could also alter to a more specific exclusion as they tend to group covering a wider range of potentials.
I hope for dogs sake its not abnormal and a misdiagnosis and that would also be easier to resolve for insurance with proof from RSPCA vet that wasn't there before adoption either

Many murmurs don't get progressively worse or have any clinical impact maybe till older but heart meds & specialists can be really expensive if there is a problem 😞

Apart from the murmur beware that it's not what you claim for but what the vet puts down in the notes during a consult that will likely end up pre-existing if later switch insurers as you have to submit history from all previous vets on first claim. Some insurers are terrible for trying to wriggle out of paying and will try link things from history to suggest it's preexisting.

I've have had petplan covered for life policies and they've been decent even into senior years when most insurers like to hike up premiums to offload the higher claims risks.

I was in a similar situation, my dog's insurance covers nothing related to her heart now. Yes there was an opportunity get it covered...if there was no murmur in 2 years' time. Obviously most heart murmurs don't work like that (except sometimes puppy ones). A scan showing that the murmur was 'innocent' didn't cut it.

My girl's elderly now and the murmur has gotten only very slightly worse, but not caused any problems, which is lucky for me.