Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

frxxan

Does anyone know of an insurance for a 4 year old dog which covers her now & when we breed her next season. I have spent hours & hours looking, I get so far & then they reject me when I say we want her to have pups...M&S was looking good, but they also have said "no" because of it.. thanks

pboae

Piegeonpie, I have a dog insured with M&S, he was a rescue and was 2 when we got him. I asked M&S about pre-existing conditions and they said he would need a vet check before the cover started (which I did, and it was all clear). I just write 'rescue dog-history unknown' in the history box of the claim form. They've paid out all my claims, even for a condition which he was born with, although the symptoms only showed recently. So maybe it depends who you speak with on the phone?

They have just massively hiked their premiums though, so I am not best pleased with them. But they still give excellent cover.

pboae

frxxan, I am not aware of any standard insurer that will cover a b*tch for breeding. There are so many things that can (and often do) go wrong, some of which are fatal and others lead to lifelong disabilities, which are very expensive for insurers. Plus all the potential health problems with the pups. You might be able to get something through your breed club or the KC, but not standard pet insurance.

Torby

Do NOT...thats right NOT! insure your pet through Sainsburys, my wife has just discovered that we hadn't received a renewal letter this year from them and phoned up to query it.....she was told that our insurance had been cancelled last year, even though we had policy documents etc...they didn't even have the decency to write out to us telling us it was cancelled!....the reason....even though our original contract states...you don't have to do anything, your payment will be taken from your sainsburys credit card when its due....apparantly there was a problem with our sainsburys bank credit card....first we've heard.
My wife exclaimed on the phone....so you're telling me our pedigree GSD has been uninsured for the last year and you didn't even notify us?....quick apology from the telephone operator....my wife says "well I need to get this sorted immediately what is the cost for this year?"....operator replies..." well you'll have to pay the insurance for last year PLUS the charge for this year"....my wife says "why should I pay insurance for last year when you have just told me, you cancelled my insurance without notifying us AND my dog was not insured!"


The saga continues....will update this thread as soon as the supervisor phones back....

Torby

update on Sainsburys insurance....operator phoned back and said they would waive last years charge....my wife said just as well....I wasn't going to pay it if my dog wasn't insured....proceeded to get a quote for this year....almost double last years quote...mmmmm....strange....my wife asked why....operator said we rate insurance by breed now and because its a GSD we look at possible problems and likely costs..... meantime, after reading this thread I've checked quotes online and guess what....M&S seems to offer the best insurance AND its a few pounds less than sainsburys....guess where we may be going in future...

Chivalry

PLEASE!! this is important! not read the whole thread so sorry if its been said already.... But 1 most important thing in pet insurance is rarel;y coverd by most companys.. and thats ongoing ilness!!
nealy all of them have a maximum payout on any 1 ilness .. so if u dog developes a long team ilness that requires treatment for life.... 90% of insurers stop payouts after maybe 5k... which in some treatments is maybe only a year or 2 of treatment costs....
Marks and spencers (and a few other) cover this on a yearly payout system of 8k i think? (not sure) .. but the important thing is .. that at the end of each year the payment for any ilness is reset to 0.... and u can claim another 8k the following year for treatment... and this resets each year..
So if your pet developes a long term ilness u know its gonna be coverd year after year... added to the fact that M&S are cheaper than most.. with a brilliant 0 excess..... well.... u decide

jaxxy00

Chivalry wrote:

added to the fact that M&S are cheaper than most.. with a brilliant 0 excess..... well.... u decide

Totally agree. Even if they work out slightly dearer though with the cover you get and the 0 excess its well worth it.
I think the actual cover is £7000 per year which considering that is each and every year is great, unlike some which after the first year exclude the current condition.
I know who i reccommend all the time and many are already insured with M&S now or have changed over to them from others.

SuiDreams

I have recently got a Puppy he has got 6 weeks free insurance with the kennel club. I will not be keeping on the kennel club Insurance as its £25 per month. What I was wanting to know is it worth looking round for alternative Insurance or should I be putting some money away for him every month?

tanith

If I had a new animal I would be tempted to have a savings vehicle instead of insurance.... someone will no doubt disagree , but it really is your own preference...

Jazzy_B

I've had 6 dogs, who have lived to old age, and never taken out pet insurance. The vet treatment we have had has never amounted to more than £120, and our vet allows you to pay in instalments. I know some people will say that you need 3rd party insurance if your dog causes an accident, but I'm prepared to take that risk.If I'd taken out a policy it would have cost a fortune compared to the amount I've actually paid to a vet. Touch wood,I haven't needed the vet for anything other than jabs, worming stuff and flea treatment for about 5 years.
Other dog owners I know think I'm reckless, and they swear by their policies, but it's up to you