Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

Fire_Fox

Mish_Mash wrote: »

I have looked at Axa, LV= and some of the other recommended life time policies and I am being quoted nearly £600 year (which is more than the dog cost). I have looked at other policies like M&S and Pinnicle that have more strings attached and require additional % payments once the dog reaches a certain age, these average out as approx £250 per year.

I have looked out the cheap annual renewal policies, which average out at about £150 a year.

I just don't know what to do. I am able to pay the most expensive premium but feel it's a bit of a rip off tbh.

I am thinking of going for the cheapest best coverage policy and taking the hit on existing conditions in future years. At the end of the day, the way I look at it, unless a premium is guaranteed there is nothing to stop it rising and if you change insurance you lose coverage for existing conditions anyway.

In the earlier years I would hope that the majority of complaints will be minor or related to injury which should be one off's. As the dog ages I expect more serious costly issues to occur so it may be wise to move onto a more expensive policy before the dog gets too old i.e. around the age of 5 years old.

Do you think this is miguided logic?

You have to work out what you are insuring against, and that is a personal decision. My finances can cope with multiple small claims to a point, I can also cope with a one off big expensive like an operation. However something like diabetes could take me down financially, as it is ongoing for a long time and there are so many potential complications (heart, eyes etc.). This is the same as I see home insurance, I am not insuring against a minor burglary I am insuring against fire or flood or explosion: it is not likely to happen but if it does ....

If you truly don't think your dog is going to get anything you can't handle in the first few years, then I don't see the point of a cheap insurance switching to a decent one, why have any insurance at all? Do you know what medical conditions your breed is prone to, did you thoroughly research the pedigree, were parents and grandparents health screened?

Mish_Mash

I have done my research and Shih Tzu's have a pre-disposition to eye and kidney problems.

By taking the cheaper insurance for the first couple of years I would be safeguarding against accidents and 3rd party liability.

I have phoned NFU today and have been quoted £238 for their lifetime policy which is very competitive and compares nicely with the Argos policy. Only real difference is amount you are insured for: Argos £7k per annum, NFU £4k per annum.

What are the perceptions or NFU/Argos? Which offer the best customer service and consistent approach towards pricing on policy renewal?

cathodetube

When I spoke to NFU they said have a fixed premium offer which guarantees premiums for up to 5 years. But someone else posted to say that there premium had gone up this year despite no claims.

lowis

nearly all insurance premiums increase even if you don't claim. i usually find it goes up by about 10% per year with both Pet Plan and Axa now that my cat is elderly. it wasn't such a huge increase in his younger years per year. even when i claimed £5k in a year the premium still only increased by 10% or so...the massive claim made zero difference. i don't know about the super-market brands though and what their policy is on premium increases if you claim.

catlou

AAAARRGGGGGHHHH :mad: :mad:

I am SO annoyed about this........

I took out pet insurance costing £151 for my dog who is now 16 months old with NFU after spending a couple of days looking at loads of different companies / policies in June last year. I asked a million! questions to NFU including how much the policy would be when my dog was say 3 and 5 so they gave me a rough estimate based on their prices at the time as £165 @3 £180@5 so I thought this all seemed good and they guarantee not to raise their excess which was £50. So after really studying the policy I went with NFU.

After reading the bad feedback above I thought I would ring them and ask how much my renewal will be when it comes up in June....I nearly fell off the chair when they said £274!!!!!:eek:

Yes £274 - for a small crossbreed dog who will be 18months old who is microchipped, vaccinated, neutered after NO Claims! After querying why it was nearly double they said they have made a lot of changes as their pet insurance business was losing money (not my problem?) They tried to justify that it did cover £4000 per condition, per year and £500 for loss of pet etc. but it is exactly the same as the cover / policy that I already have except £123 more expensive.:mad:

So as you can imagine I am appalled especially because I put so much effort into choosing a policy in the first place and I felt that I had a good policy with a fair company that I thought I would be keeping "for Life" - Not any more....unless something changes dramatically before the renewal in June I will be dumping NFU and starting all over again..................:(

Sorry Guys - Rant over......... But thought I best warn others.

I am really disappointed in NFU so definitely won't be recommending them anymore.

Pet Insurance it's a bloody minefield!! - Back to square one again........

pinksprout

catlou wrote: »

AAAARRGGGGGHHHH :mad: :mad:

I am SO annoyed about this........

I took out pet insurance costing £151 for my dog who is now 16 months old with NFU after spending a couple of days looking at loads of different companies / policies in June last year. I asked a million! questions to NFU including how much the policy would be when my dog was say 3 and 5 so they gave me a rough estimate based on their prices at the time as £165 @3 £180@5 so I thought this all seemed good and they guarantee not to raise their excess which was £50. So after really studying the policy I went with NFU.

After reading the bad feedback above I thought I would ring them and ask how much my renewal will be when it comes up in June....I nearly fell off the chair when they said £274!!!!!:eek:

Yes £274 - for a crossbreed dog who will be 18months old who is microchipped, vaccinated, neutered after NO Claims! After querying why it was nearly double they said they have made a lot of changes as their pet insurance business was losing money (not my problem?) They tried to justify that it did cover £4000 per condition, per year and £500 for loss of pet etc. but it is exactly the same as the cover / policy that I already have except £123 more expensive.:mad:

So as you can imagine I am appalled especially because I put so much effort into choosing a policy in the first place and I felt that I had a good policy with a fair company that I thought I would be keeping "for Life" - Not any more....unless something changes dramatically before the renewal in June I will be dumping NFU and starting all over again..................:(

Sorry Guys - Rant over......... But thought I best warn others.

I am really disappointed in NFU so definitely won't be recommending them anymore.

Pet Insurance it's a bloody minefield!! - Back to square one again........

Just wanted to empathise with your frustration! You are quite at liberty to rant ... and justified too. At least if you haven't claimed on your policy and therefore you don't have to renew with NFU, as you know, but it's just aggravating to have to go through the research process again this year.

Try Argos' lifetime Platinum plan (£20 cash back via Quidco, Top Cash Back etc) and AXA. It seems to me that Pet Insurance is fundamentally a gamble - conditions, excess, premium etc are all at risk of 'adjustment' from one year to another ...

Thanks for sharing - it's always useful to know of renewal experiences.

salukigirl

Just thought I'd add my latest renew experience.
I've been with M&S since I got my rescue Saluki lurcher 6 years ago. This month the renewal came through at £47.75 per month! I tried to get them to come down but they wouldn't budge.
I have shopped around and gone with Sainsbury's (AXA) for £35 per month with pretty much the same cover and double nectar points.
So stick that where the sun don't shine M&S!!!

cathodetube

Salukigirl, Think AXA itself would be cheaper than Sainsburys. If Sainsbury's changes underwriters the premium will undoubtedly climb. Did you try them? I have a 6 year old dog and her premium with AXA is a lot less than that.

cathodetube

Anyone try LV? They seem to be reasonably priced.

wisewoman

Has anyone experience of PDSA? It's underwritten by AXA, and 20% of the premium goes to the charity. I have read so many pages/quotes that I feel I have been put in a food blender, plus Martin's comment in the main site, that you need to get it right or you might have to put your dog down is freaking me out. This is quite an emotional area for new dog owners!!