Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

hethmar

It looks all a bit amateur on their site doesnt it. I cant see how Which could have put them at the top of the class with no apparent history? I did a "quick quote" on there and it came out higher than my Halifax and M and S Policies but with less benefits.

watchcote_2

Anyone have any experience/guidance regarding HSBC pet insurance for my 4 month old Bichon? Looks to be cheapest option for me.

hethmar

Get a quote from AXA and some of the others aswell. HSBC is underwritten by AXA - I think you can get cash back through quidco. I know I got £20 back on a Halifax pet policy

fedupnow

Hi Everybody

I'm hanging my head in shame here as I have just discovered the flaming '12 month and sod you' clause in my Direct Line policy.

My 3 year old has just had x rays to determine the cause of her arthritus and she has hip dysprasia (spling). This means that she is likelyto need an op sometime in the future (not within 12 months though)

Anybody out there sucessfully moved their pet policy under similar conditions?

I am truly gutted about this. I know I should have noticed it but.......

hethmar

Afraid not fedupnow - thing is you have to declare any known conditions when you sign up and the insurers will contact your vet and any previous vets if you make a claim. Its not your fault, so many people are totally oblivious that they are in the same situation. Its only when you need to claim long term, you find this out. I really do think something should be done to regulated pet insurers and for it to be absolutely clear what the policy terms are.

You have my sympathy.

fedupnow

hethmar wrote: »

Afraid not fedupnow - thing is you have to declare any known conditions when you sign up and the insurers will contact your vet and any previous vets if you make a claim. Its not your fault, so many people are totally oblivious that they are in the same situation. Its only when you need to claim long term, you find this out. I really do think something should be done to regulated pet insurers and for it to be absolutely clear what the policy terms are.

You have my sympathy.

thought as much...

Ya know I feel like moving it anyway...... I think I'll claim for the next 12 months for all that I can and then cancel it.

Sounds silly, but even if the next one doesn't cover that condition... at least DL won't be getting anymore of my money.

The RSPCA thing looks interesting. Perhaps I'll look into that one and then save a few quid a week in a special 'dog op savings account'.

hethmar

NO - I think the RSPCA one is another not for life job! (which is damn ridiculous)

Check out AXA, Halifax, NFU and a few others.

Yes, RSPCA is a per condition policy, once you use the £3k or £6k that condition or a related one is excluded

• Vet bills - If your pet develops a new medical condition, RSPCA pet insurance can provide up to £6,500 per condition with Gold cover, or £3,000 per condition with Silver cover.
• Recovering lost and stolen pets - If your pet is lost or stolen, RSPCA pet insurance can give you financial assistance of £750 with Gold cover, or £250 with Silver cover to help recover your pet.
• Boarding costs - If you should fall ill and require in-patient hospital treatment, up to £100* per week is available to provide your pet with emergency cattery or kennel fees (*£100 per week to a maximum of £750 with Gold cover, or £50 per week to a maximum of £250 with Silver cover).

suki1964

fedupnow wrote: »

thought as much...

Ya know I feel like moving it anyway...... I think I'll claim for the next 12 months for all that I can and then cancel it.

Sounds silly, but even if the next one doesn't cover that condition... at least DL won't be getting anymore of my money.

The RSPCA thing looks interesting. Perhaps I'll look into that one and then save a few quid a week in a special 'dog op savings account'.

Dont give up on another insurance company. RING them. Just because the condition is already there, they can still tailor make you cover. The online qoutes are always for fit healthy dogs - the cheapest quote. Ring around and you may find a company that will take you - but at a higher premium.

Can you imagine if when we wanted holiday insurance we were refused because of exsisting complaints? Or we were refused house insurance because we had been burgled? My step dad has to have specilaist insurance as he has a heart complaint. Its not the cheapest but he can still get cover - just not the run of the mill cheap price the rest of us get

Bromley86

fedupnow wrote: »

I'm hanging my head in shame here as I have just discovered the flaming '12 month and sod you' clause in my Direct Line policy.

My 3 year old has just had x rays to determine the cause of her arthritus and she has hip dysprasia (spling). This means that she is likelyto need an op sometime in the future (not within 12 months though)

Don't despair. Don't get your hopes up, but it's possible that there's a way out.

Our lab had a hip replacement (same reason - hip dysplasia, diagnosed at ~7m). The normal vet xrayed her, diagnosed it and gave us coping strategies. We asked for a referral to a specialist, who said she might as well have the operation now as she'd be needing it in the next 4 or so years.

The justification was (a) she was going to get arthitis and (b) she wasn't getting quality of life. However, she was able to walk for 30-40 mins a day. She'd be stiff, but she could consistently do that. We were lucky in that our insurance was lifetime, but that didn't feed into the specialist's decision.

I assume you're on the £4k plan. A hip will cost ~£5k. They don't do both hips at the same time - that enables your dog to walk pretty much immediately after the op. That may still leave you the other £5k hip to do at a later date (depends, often one hip is much worse than the other), but that beats having to do both.

Anyway, best of luck. If you need any more info (exact costs etc.), just pm me.

hethmar

suki1964 wrote: »

Can you imagine if when we wanted holiday insurance we were refused because of exsisting complaints? Or we were refused house insurance because we had been burgled?get cover - just not the run of the mill cheap price the rest of us get

I think its a bit different suki. In those cases the insurers can see its unlikely we shall need the insurance and so they will make a profit anyway. When, like the OP, you have already been told that an expensive op will be required ...... then the insurers know its a dead cert they will be losing money and will either charge so much that its more than the possible costs or just not be interested. I think OP should think about putting away some money every month into a savings account to cover any eventuality.