AXA pulling out of pet insurance

Kinski · 25 July 2013 at 9:28AM

lee111s wrote: »

Surely that opens the door for them to massively bump existing customers premiums though..I'll wait and see what the renewal is next year!

my Bichon's renewal this year was £301 last year I paid approx £135, thank goodness we're putting our house on the market soon and we have loads of equity in it :rotfl::rotfl:

suecoo66 · 25 July 2013 at 4:02PM

Nereis wrote: »

I have literally just renewed with AXA, am I now tied into this for a year? Just thinking if they're not going to exist next year it makes the cover almost useless because if I claim on it I won't be able to get cover that includes the condition I claimed for. I'd rather move to Petplan now.

I've just taken out a new policy got 4 more days left of my cooling off period so will be cancelling!

JudgeKitteh · 25 July 2013 at 4:07PM

walwin wrote: »

I'm really annoyed by this.
My cat is 14 so I'll struggle to find a decent company to insure her even though I've never made a claim :mad:

I'm in exactly the same position and will be moving to Animal Friends. My mother in law has been with them for years and has had no problems.

FuzzyWhuzzy · 25 July 2013 at 4:17PM

suecoo66 wrote: »

I've just taken out a new policy got 4 more days left of my cooling off period so will be cancelling!

Definitely do it before the cooling off period expires.

FuzzyWhuzzy · 25 July 2013 at 4:26PM

Thought i'd join this discussion as I switched from AXA to Animal Friends Insurance last year as I wanted cover for my cat who is now almost 14 years old.

I'm glad I did now knowing that AXA have pulled out just as Lloyds and Halifax did last year. Seems all the big insurance providers are withdrawing from pet insurance. I guarantee that at renewal either they'll add loads of exclusions and/or add massive premium increases or suddenly withdraw completely from ongoing cover.

As i say i'm with Animal Friends because they are a specialist pet insurance provider, premiums are comprehensive, they can insure pets even when they're old and they support loads to animal charities. I took a lifetime policy which means my cat pre-existing conditions are covered each year...unfortunately he's started to develop Arthritis so this has helped massively in affording the treatment.

Kinski · 25 July 2013 at 7:24PM

I posted on Dogs today Facebook wall yesterday and I got a message back from them saying the're looking into it as is their insurance specialist.

rising_from_the_ashes · 25 July 2013 at 7:57PM

Nod_Off wrote: »

I read about this on facebook last night and I am really ticked off. I also feel a little bit daft after advising people time and again to stick with policies from companies who only deal with insurance and avoid supermarkets, banks etc. That's come back to bite me on the bum!

Me too :mad: I've recommended them to loads of people as their policies are good and well priced - worse .... I know some people have now moved and have claimed so will be stuck no matter how much the prices go up

cassiehagger wrote: »

a memo and has confirmed that any existing policies can be renewed they will stop providing to new customers though. Therefore pre existing conditions will be still covered with AXA.

That's what I've heard elsewhere too so fingers crossed

lee111s wrote: »

Surely that opens the door for them to massively bump existing customers premiums though..I'll wait and see what the renewal is next year!

Yup

TBH I can see me leaving big cat there (as he is older so most other policies would ask for % of any claims too and probably be a lot more expensive than now - if they will even take him on!) - wee cat & Maisie as they're both still pretty young (5 and 6) and, although both already have pre-existing conditions - they're already excluded anyway so nothing really to lose!

I did a couple of quotes for Maisie - PetPlan is around £12.50 / more (ouch!) for the same cover (higher excess too:() but interestingly JL were £3 more than PP!:eek: Animal Friends is coming out around £4 / more than Axa but don't know that much about them / their policies so will have to investigate a bit more!

Padstow · 25 July 2013 at 8:48PM

cassiehagger did a good job in establishing what's what.

I wonder if more names will withdraw, AXA being their underwriters?

It's obvious that no money's to be made from pet insurance, so I wonder how Pet Plan survive, and for how much longer? Would be interesting to know, Martin MSE, why pet insurance isn't profitable, whereas all other insurance is?

Padstow · 25 July 2013 at 9:04PM

FuzzyWhuzzy wrote: »

Thought i'd join this discussion as I switched from AXA to Animal Friends Insurance last year as I wanted cover for my cat who is now almost 14 years old.

I'm glad I did now knowing that AXA have pulled out just as Lloyds and Halifax did last year. Seems all the big insurance providers are withdrawing from pet insurance. I guarantee that at renewal either they'll add loads of exclusions and/or add massive premium increases or suddenly withdraw completely from ongoing cover.

As i say i'm with Animal Friends because they are a specialist pet insurance provider, premiums are comprehensive, they can insure pets even when they're old and they support loads to animal charities. I took a lifetime policy which means my cat pre-existing conditions are covered each year...unfortunately he's started to develop Arthritis so this has helped massively in affording the treatment.

Maybe you're here to promote your insurance company. If not or you are, give us an assurance that the company mentioned is here to stay.

You can't of course. As hopeful as the wives over yonder who say their husbands will never cheat, your insurance company may/likely fail and is just as fallible.

rising_from_the_ashes · 25 July 2013 at 9:25PM

Padstow wrote: »

I wonder if more names will withdraw, AXA being their underwriters?

It's obvious that no money's to be made from pet insurance, so I wonder how Pet Plan survive, and for how much longer? Would be interesting to know, Martin MSE, why pet insurance isn't profitable, whereas all other insurance is?

Yup I wondered about the ones underwritten by Axa .....

I think - and I'm maybe in a minority here - that I'd be happy with lifetime cover but with less cover in some instances / sticking to basics IYKWIM

I'm not sure that I - and this is me personally, I don't have anything against anyone else doing it and have seen great results - would necessarily put one of my pets through what can sometimes be pretty difficult surgeries etc

Where do you draw the line at what is fair for a pet to go through?

Also a lot of these policies have stuff on that I'll never use (holiday cover etc) and I'd be happy for others to go (kennels if you're ill etc)

Also - if meds can be bought online for a fraction of the price the vets charge (I know the reasons) then the fact that the insurers are paying the higher prices (as people just get them from the vets as the insurer is paying!) - it's bound to have an effect

Maybe the insurers should insist on the lowest cost reimbursement for drugs for long term conditions etc

Vet treatment has come on leaps and bounds which is fantastic but ..... at the end of the day I know several people who've already said their current pets will be their last due to the costs .... how sad for the future and rescues who are already bursting at the seams

I'd love another dog - I can afford the food and usual health costs ..... another pet to insure ... with the market the way it is ...... nope, can't take the risk

AXA pulling out of pet insurance

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