Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

RHYSDAD

hethmar wrote: »

There is a huge sticky thread at the top of the board.

Basically most of us seem to think the best are Petplan, NFU and AXA - the "for life" options of those

I know now i've looked, sorry!

Jellicat

I looked into Exotic direct because I have ferrets, ratties and lots of other small critters, both unusual and common. I contacted Exotic Direct and they only insure small animals up until the age of 5, I don't know a lot about degus but they live a bit longer than 5 I think? Basically, they stop insuring at the time when your pet is most likely to start getting illnesses due to older age. I decided against it for that reason (plus the massive cost of insuring my lot), much better to just save in case of vets fees.

jo9919

Does anyone have any experience of Greenbee insurance by John Lewis? Their cover looks good and it's the cheapest lifetime cover I can find.
Thanks,
Jo.

Drea

Hey all, hoping for a bit of help. I have just got a cat and looking to insure her.

I have started the vaccination process and in 3 weeks she is due to go back to get the second (last) vaccination, so do I say she is up to date with her vacs as she will be in 3 weeks? And when she goes to get her second vac she will also be getting neutered, so do I tell them she is neutered at the moment? Or should I say she isn't? Have never had to sort out pet insurance before so it's a bit of a minefield for me.

Thanks for any advice

Drea

Have insured her with Axa, phoned them this morning and they helped I'm to give them a ring when she is neutered and I'm okay to say she is up to date with vacs as the process has been started.

Mephista

Just reading through all of these as my 6yr old weimeraner is due for renewal next month. She was with KennelClub which is extremely comprehensive and also extremely over the top (I think the insurance we needed would have been around £50 a month for her this year!!). Insured with Sainsburys last year at around £22 per month which was great and when we had an emergency which required her entire womb to be removed I must say they were extremely efficient and helpful at such a distressing time and paid up right away. The only problem I have now is that she is getting to the age when I really need a "for life" insurance which renews the amount annually and there are so few of them. I looked at Greenbee Insurance and must say it is impressive and also the M&S. I think its a choice between these 2 so any advice anyone has on these 2 insurances would be great. I wouldn't touch Petplan with a bargepole. I know vets are very keen to sell them onto customers but anyone I know who has had dealings with them has said they are difficult, uncaring, undiplomatic and getting them to pay up for anything less than straightforward is a fullscale war. I had to assist my sister personally with just such an event to the point where I threatened legal action and because they knew they were in the wrong, they eventually backed down and paid out. My sister could have done without the unnecessary stress at the time as her cute little doggie nearly lost its tail over the whole thing ... not that they would have cared.

Sorry for the longwinded tale but just wanted some opinions and my own insurance and to give an honest interpretation of the ones I have come across.

trevillyn

Hi pet lovers,

Last March our our much loved cat that adopted us seventeen years ago, died in France. We never took out insurance, but luckily she was healthy throughout most of her life. We paid the usual exorbitant UK vet's fees for regular checks (French vets are far more reasonable) but on the whole she was very healthy. Last Christmas she survived a stoke, the UK vet fees being about £200. She was put to sleep in France, at our request when, through kidney failure, we asked the Vet to perform the act at our home. His charge, including travelling a twelve mile round trip was about £70.
Having just adopted a one year old rescue cat from the RSPCA, we decided to look at insurance. Reading all the Forum's horror stories about the premiums, price-hikes, exclusions and double dealing we've decided to go it alone by opening a dedicated savings account, depositing an initial £1000 then paying £10 a month into it. A gamble, I know, but a calculated one. If nothing happens for the next few years we'll be able to pay any reasonable costs: if it's never needed we have the money in the bank. For us, a far better plan.

loopy_lass

my dog is now showing intermittent signs of problems, the vet quoted £700 just to investigate. Now she isnt suffering and as soon as she does she will be back to the vets for the final time. She is coming up for 9... im devastated but dont have insurance as for 9 yrs shes been fine. So i think once shes gone and if i ever have another a monthly sum into a bank account incase of issues...
its a no loose situation really...

loops

lowis

Doobydools wrote: »

Hi there

It's that time of year again...

I've had pet insurance with Animal Friends for nearly a year now (I used to shop around each year for the best premium) and wonder if it's still worth continuing with them...

The cover we have is a monthly policy "Prime Plus" with a policy excess of £49. After my dog is aged 8, I will have to pay 35% of vets fees as well!

up for renewal soon, and I was wondering about whether it's worth staying with them, or shopping around, and also if anyone has had any direct experience or opinions of Animal Friends.

FYI, my dog is a 6.5 yr old Border Collie (pedigree) with only one small minor skin complaint when he was little (one of those benign skin flaps was removed), and because of that Animal Friends say that my insurance excludes "cover on all claims with respect to Follicular Cysts and Resulting Conditions" (I had to fight to get the initial exclusion reduced to this, as like I said the 'skin flap' was removed and benign and we've not had any further 'problems' with his skin -- interestingly, no other insurer made any such exclusions, although who knows if they would of if I'd ever had to claim for a skin condition).
WOuld love to hear your thoughts... :beer:

pet insurance is different to other types of insurance, in that ANYTHING non-routine that your pet has been seen by the vet for, will be excluded from a new policy. so people who switch each year, and who are unaware of how pet insurance works, risk adding a whole load of exclusion to their policy for the sake of saving a couple of quid a month.

if your pet has only had routine treatment (i.e. check-ups with no problems, vaccinations) then switching is a good idea if you find a better deal. in this instance above the new insurer will ask for a medical history from your vet and will exclude the kin condition you mention.

the best and most consistent insurers are AXA and Petplan. Not so sure about NFU anymore...think I read some complaints somewhere recently.

Mephista

Hi Everyone

Just to let you know that I ended up going with Greenbee. Although I had never heard by it, I know its run by John Lewis and when I looked into it, its backed by AXA. I checked their policy with AXA's and its basically identical except for one fact - it was cheaper. Hope this is of some help!