Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

nicky7175

I am looking for a different insurer for my cat. he is currently with petplan never had any problems, just trying to cut my monthly outgoings down.
can anybody recommend a good insurer to go with. He is roughly 3 and a half years old .no medical problems to date up to date with boosters etc

mirrorimage0

hiya we just changed from petplan for our cats and dogs and eneded up with hsbc, the cover cost roughly £10 for the cats and it was up to £7500 for each treatment which renews each year as long as you stay with them

hethmar

If the cat hasnt had ANY treatments at all then you have quite a choice - as above in this thread, there are a number of real for life policies, AXA, HSBC, Halifax, Petplan and some others. Have a whip through them for a quote (quidco give cash back on a Halifax and Petplan I believe)

kingkongkirk

Hi, pet insurance is confusing.....

Just to make sure i have understood it properly, "Up to £7,000 a year in vets' fees for illness and injury" this means that i am covered per year up to this amount, no matter what the problem could be, no matter if it's an on going illness, or a broken leg, so long as the i don't exceed that amount per year??

Whereas "Up to £7,000 vets fees cover for each and every new accident and illness. What’s more, your pet is covered for as long as they need the treatment, as long as they remain insured with" means for per conditiion, and once that quota is used up, that's it your on your own...... for the rest of the animal's life???

Therefore it would be a safer bet to get the first one, in terms of cover for potential long term treatment?

Thanks in advance?

lowis

that's about right yes...but be careful with the wording for the first option you gave. some policies will give you £XXXX a year...starting from the first date of the claim and then run out 12 months later, and doesn't renew.

true lifetime cover is when the vets fee renew every year and you are not penalised through increased premiums if you claim and will cover ongoing conditions - petplan, AXA, M&S, GreenBee, Animal Friends all offer such cover I believe.

hethmar

Its very misleading - quite distressingly so as you could end up in the poo if you choose the wrong cover. I really think something should be done to make it clear. So many policies appear to say they have life time cover when they really dont.

The up to £7k a year in vets fees - sounds to me that that is per condition per year so you should ring to double check.

Some have policies that only cover for 12 months per condition. Others cover the condition/illness up to when the pot is empty. The best ones top up the pot of money every year and start again.

If it says up to £xK per condition or illness - then thats the one you shouldnt touch

barksavingmad

Hello Folks!

This is an absolute minefield isn't it!

I've been with Tesco's Pet Insurance for a year, at the time I didn't realise what I should look for. I've not claimed on the insurance, but Honey my springer has had three sets of upset tummies. Each time she was on various medication and special diet food, unfortunately each time coming to around 70 squid and my excess was £60 so didn't both claiming.

Would this then go against me if I were to change my policy? They didn't find anything specific, but prob she just prone to a dodgy tum and being a scavenger doesn't help!!!

I'd like to find a better insurance company, but as many of you are in the same boat, things are a little tight so need to watch the pennies too.

Thank you very much in advance, your advice would be appreciated.

hethmar

Well when you make a claim - there is a section which the vet has to fill in asking if they have had a related problem before - thats where you may come unstuck if she has a stomach problem in the future.

barksavingmad

Ok I get it, bit of a gamble then. Thank you very much for your prompt reply

hethmar

Yes, its a problem. You need to choose a policy for the whole of your dogs life but the insurers are changing the details on them every year Once you have had an illness or condition, however minor, the new insurer can leap on that as a pre-exisitng condition and refuse to pay out if your dog gets it or a related illness again.