Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

Pinkdebster

Hi everyone

Thanks for your comments. I've rung both Insurance Companies that I'm considering going with (Argos and Axa) and both have advised me that they class an ear infection as a pre-existing condition!!! How annoying. So even if, three years down the line he gets another ear infection, they wouldn't pay out! Luckily (I guess) this didn't involve any significant cost to myself but serves us all as a classic example of why obtaining the right lifetime insurance the first time around is so important!!!

With regards to the Policies overlapping, this is what I have been advised to do. All new Policies have a clause to say they are not responsibile for the first 10-14 days so I am going to let the other Policy overlap....I am allowed to do this. Again, another reminder to anyone changing over - both Insurance Companies I spoke to said most people cancel the old one, start the new one and end up with a small window with no cover. Sod's law that something would happen during that time!

Thanks again.
Debbie

howeller_2

Hi everyone,

Just got a renewal notice from Kennel Club who have put the premium up from £609.50 to £913.68!! My cocker spaniel is 7 years old and has had cataracts since he was a puppy, which is why I was afraid to move insurers as they won't cover a pre-existing condition, but I will have to take the plunge and leave that condition uncovered with a new insurer. I can see you have all done your homework... any advice

Thanks in advance

andyo

howeller wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Just got a renewal notice from Kennel Club who have put the premium up from £609.50 to £913.68!! My cocker spaniel is 7 years old and has had cataracts since he was a puppy, which is why I was afraid to move insurers as they won't cover a pre-existing condition, but I will have to take the plunge and leave that condition uncovered with a new insurer. I can see you have all done your homework... any advice

Thanks in advance

That sems an excesive premium howeller, unless he is receiving ongoing treatment. If not and you are satisfied that his cataracts have been treated successfully, I would consider getting a quote from another insurer with the cataracts excluded.

melissa'smoney

Thread Stats

Views:
0


WW Factor
Coming Soon...

Share This Thread:

[URL="http://twitter.com/?status=https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3031292 [/URL]



Hi all,

I have M&S premier pet insurance.
I have a CKCS who has an ongoing condition of stomatits (gum disease) so therefore I cannot change insurers!
I've had the policy since 2008 and paid £26pm. Got my renewal today and it's gone up to £33pm!

Spoken to them this morning and there is no moving them on this price, however I can downgrade to Standard cover = £20pm.

The main difference would be:

• loosing holiday cover (don't need anyway)
• excess would increase from £70 to £90
• operations/scan cover would be limited to £1000 v £7000 on premier
• per condition would be limited to £1000 v £7000 on premier

(checking back on my records I have only ever claimed £400 since joining!)

Seems pretty simple decision to switch to the standard cover saving myself £13 per month, however I cannot then go back to premier if I change my mind so wanted opinions before I make this decision.
will have to stay with M&S for the rest of Holly's life otherwise her condition won't be covered as it's exsisting.

Any advice greatly appreciated xx

Mephista

melissa'smoney wrote: »

Hi all,
I have M&S premier pet insurance.
I have a CKCS who has an ongoing condition of stomatits (gum disease) so therefore I cannot change insurers!
I've had the policy since 2008 and paid £26pm. Got my renewal today and it's gone up to £33pm!

Spoken to them this morning and there is no moving them on this price, however I can downgrade to Standard cover = £20pm.

The main difference would be:

• loosing holiday cover (don't need anyway)
• excess would increase from £70 to £90
• operations/scan cover would be limited to £1000 v £7000 on premier
• per condition would be limited to £1000 v £7000 on premier

(checking back on my records I have only ever claimed £400 since joining!)

Seems pretty simple decision to switch to the standard cover saving myself £13 per month, however I cannot then go back to premier if I change my mind so wanted opinions before I make this decision.
will have to stay with M&S for the rest of Holly's life otherwise her condition won't be covered as it's exsisting.

Any advice greatly appreciated xx

Hi Melissa

My personal opinion would be to stick with the Premier Insurance at this stage. While you haven't claimed that much yet, her conditon is obviously ongoing, so it will continue to need treatment and therefore money "thrown" at it. At least with the Premier, you wouldn't have to worry about the limits. If you go for the cheaper one and you exceed the limit,you will be paying for both the insurance and any further treatment Holly might need.

If there was no existing condition I might have moved, but for peace of mind I would stay right where you are. They kinda have you by the "short and curlies" so to speak.

Hope this helps.:o

WeirdoMagnet

joe_t wrote: »

hi,
my tesco policy runs out on the 18/2/11 and im starting a new policy rather than carrying on with the old one, the new one is also with tesco but almost half the renewal quote.

I just came on here to post that my existing renewal quote is £80 more expensive than a new customer online quote with M&S. I called M&S and the chap said to just reapply as a new customer! I was really surprised. So seems it's not just Tesco!

Sorry, that doesn't answer your question, but will keep checking back to see if someone can answer the question.

salsa-sam

I have a 6yr old male golden retriever. He has allergies and almost every year has had an skin flare up that gets infected so ended up on anti inflams, anti histamine and anti-b's has cost quite a bit (couple of hundred a year) but had him insured with M&S since we got him at 8wks old.

At the moment his allergies seems to have settled (crosses fingers) so havnt really claimed anything in the last year.

We started off paying £10 a month and no excess then a couple of years ago m&s changed the underwiters and the costs have gone up ever since...
i have just had this years quote through .. and they expect me to pay ... you ready for this... £60.66 a month and a £70 excess on any illness in the year!!!!! OOUUUCCCHH

So think im going to have to move insurance companies and take the risk that it doesnt flare up really bad cause it wont be covered under exisiting conditions but to be honest at the prices we have been paying i think its cheeper to change and save the difference and pay for his skin ourselves...

How on earth can they justify charging this much!!!!!!!

HateBanks

salsa-sam wrote: »

I have a 6yr old male golden retriever. He has allergies and almost every year has had an skin flare up that gets infected so ended up on anti inflams, anti histamine and anti-b's has cost quite a bit (couple of hundred a year) but had him insured with M&S since we got him at 8wks old.

At the moment his allergies seems to have settled (crosses fingers) so havnt really claimed anything in the last year.

We started off paying £10 a month and no excess then a couple of years ago m&s changed the underwiters and the costs have gone up ever since...
i have just had this years quote through .. and they expect me to pay ... you ready for this... £60.66 a month and a £70 excess on any illness in the year!!!!! OOUUUCCCHH
So think im going to have to move insurance companies and take the risk that it doesnt flare up really bad cause it wont be covered under exisiting conditions but to be honest at the prices we have been paying i think its cheeper to change and save the difference and pay for his skin ourselves...

How on earth can they justify charging this much!!!!!!!

Be careful, dogs become 'senior' at 6/7 years according to insurance companies, and the premiums hike anyway. Our 2 year Japanese Shiba Inu has allergies, and has had allergy tests and now has medication every month to try build up his immunity to the allergens he has reacted to (4 different types of grass and privet, if you ever did!!) The medication costs about £400 for around 8 months worth, and then £7 a time to administer, they did say he would grow out of it, so hopefully your dog has. Our vets very kindly claim directly for the larger bills and we claim every month or so for the jabs, there is no excess as that was paid the first time claim.
Watch out for some insurance companies that charge 10% of the claim rather than a set excess, which on a £2500 MRI is £250, I would rather pay my £80 set excess!!

blizeH

Got a quote of £25p/m for our two cats; 8 and 9 years old and just taken in from a rescue home.

The thing is with PetPlan and have offered 2 months free (which we've taken) but I'm wondering if that's actually a good deal? To be honest my preference would be to have no insurance, but my girlfriend is the sort of person who would want to pay thousands if it meant the cats could live another week or two, so it's probably best to have it just in case some situation arises and at least then we don't have to make the decision to spend a lot of money.

Tesco's quote is just under £20 for the extra plan (roughly falls in line with the PetPlan cover) and also has a free Vet phoneline to call - anyone had any experience with the two? Should I go with Tesco over PetPlan purely because of the cost?

Thanks

cathodetube

If I got a rescue cat aged 8/9 I wouldn't get insurance. I wouldn't get insurance even for a kitten. I have had many cats during my life and only insured one, the last one, and it was not worth it. Insurance companies are constantly changing their terms and conditions, the amount of excess you have to pay and now a lot are making owners pay a portion of the bill. Just because insurance is there doesn't mean you have to take it.