Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

Bromley86

I'm afraid you're just going to have to call them all up and see what they say. I just did a test quote on Halifax and as you say, even if the dog hasn't bitten, answering "yes" to the aggressive tendancies question means they won't give an online quote.

It may well be that you can arrange to get sign-off from a trainer (that the insurers will accept as such) that the dog is not unduly aggressive after training.

hethmar

Shirl, thats very honest of you!

If you got the dog from a rescue, have you asked them about appropriate retraining for her? I take it they told you of her problems when you adopted her? Many rescues will give you insurance cover for a short period with their insurers when you first get the dog - did this not happen?

When you say she is aggressive to people? You mean she barks/growls? I take it she doesnt attack ? What breed is she?

prudryden

As Heathmar asks, does the dog actually try to attack or does it grumble a bit?

hethmar

Shirl - you there?

user55

I wish someone could wave a magic wand and just tell me which insurance to get! My quotes have all been within £10 of each other. I've ruled out Tesco and Direct Line on the basis of not offering lifetime cover, and tbh I'm swinging between NFU and Petplan. My vet recommends Petplan, but I did wonder if he gets a backhander for doing that!

Really, it's all about how things go when you need to claim. Buying a policy is easy. Claiming is a whole other matter, and having battled over a building insurance issue that ran literally for year, I'm terrified of choosing the wrong insurer for anything now!

So has anyone got experience of claiming from NFU or Petplan, and would you recommend either of them based on that experience?

Bromley86

Easy. PetPlan Supreme if you can (or want to) afford it.

Of course, having said that, if we're talking about the PetPlan Budget policy, I'd personally go for AXA as their claim limit is something like £7k per year vs. PetPlan's £4k.

Muddying the waters for you , especially as NFU has a good reputation too.

On the claiming front, I really don't think you'll have an issue with any of the companies recommended in this thread (as long as someone hasn't recommended one underwritten by E&L!!!). We've been claiming pretty regularly from Halifax and they've never once queried anything or tried to take two excesses. Even M&S, which has fallen out of favour at the moment, hasn't had any complaints about paying claims.

We haven't tried to get them to pay the vets direct (which they apparently do) - I suspect (but don't know) that vets would be unhappy with this sort of arrangement unless it was PetPlan.

hethmar

Petplan is the company that is regarded most highly - cant see that it can only be a tenner more than the others though as its normally about double for my dogs. Ive just gone with the Halifax policy which has a £50 excess against AXAs £70 as I was a bit concerned about the lowish level offered by NFU for each condition (£4k)

Bromley86

Hethmar. I was pleasantly surprised on the renewals front (but then we haven't had the £5k surgery yet). Of course, we claimed a lot so our case doesn't help establish whether Halifax increase the premiums if you haven't claimed. Rather it's confirmation that they don't play silly-!!!!!!s at renewal time if you do claim.

Total claims (1st year): £1,410 (£1,360 paid, £50 excess)

Old premium: £12.64
New Premium: £15.02

user55

OK Petplan "supreme" is a fair bit more but I guess if it takes the worry out of life it's worth it! Their excess could do with being a bit lower though!

An extra £96 a year for unlimited cover v 4k a year......it's only worth paying less if I never need it, right!

I liked the bloke at NFU more than the woman I spoke to at Petplan. But that's not all that important I guess.

I need a coin....heads or tails LOL!

ShirlUK

She got a long way to go before i can get a sign off, but thanks for trying to help!

Bromley86 wrote: »

I'm afraid you're just going to have to call them all up and see what they say. I just did a test quote on Halifax and as you say, even if the dog hasn't bitten, answering "yes" to the aggressive tendancies question means they won't give an online quote.

It may well be that you can arrange to get sign-off from a trainer (that the insurers will accept as such) that the dog is not unduly aggressive after training.