Pet Insurance Cost Cutting System/MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion

scat

Well I've gone with Petplan for the first year ( £35 back through quidco ) but provided nothing untoward happens will probably have another shop around when it's due for renewal.

Magpye

Does anyone know of a good insurance deal for kittens with congenital conditions? Our latest addition has Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome and I'm not sure I can get a decent insurance for her, as it could be seen to contribute to pulmonary/respiratory conditions.

thanks

ilsonreject

Hi

Looking for insurance for a 4 month old Labrador puppy. This from Argos via MoneySupermarket seems good to me, but know absolutly nothing about insurance!

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/petinsurance/PetInsuranceResults.asp?PetEnqID=737585&PetNumber=1&PetType=Dog&Filter=0&Breed=Labrador%20Retriever

If anyone could have a quick look and see whether it is decent value would be very grateful

Thanks

croftlands

turns out that there is a fracture but it was from the last time and now his ligament is calcified. nothing much can be done.

But if anyone does know of a company who accepts pre excisting conditions please post it here.

Thanks

GarethR

Hi can anyone recommend a good company that does insurance for Parrots, done a search on google but got about 2 thats it. All the main companies that offer it only do the four legged variety & you dont get many parrots like that!!

Any help be appreciated!

Cheers

G

:beer:

pboae

IM(NS)HO, none of the ones you have linked to are much good. Most of them are by E&L (try googling reviews of E&L to see their reputation), and the Argos ones only offer cover for one year. So if your dog develops a lifelong illness, or even just suffers from the same illness twice (e.g. getting a grass seed stuck in a paw) in different years, it wouldn't be covered the second time.

Argos do a platinum one which does offer lifetime cover (but with a per illness limit) but you would have to do a seperate quote for it.

debbiedeejay

Hello All

I have a totally barking mad but healthy 13 year old Westie and have for a long time have insured her with Tesco.
Up until now I have quietly swallowed the yearly increase of the premiums and am currently paying £31.72 a month.
I have never had to claim on the policy at all as I say she is really fit and healthy for her age,but of course you never know.

Yes, I now realise that I am the one that is totally barking mad for not shopping around
but my questions to all is

A) Should I stick with Tesco Pet Insurance because the price I am paying is the "norm" for her breed and age etc.?

Change Insurance providers if so which is best for older dogs and would any take on my elderly dog?

C) Stick the £31.72 in a savings account for my own "Vet" account?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

"Woof Woof " from Poppy too! :j

Bromley86

ilsonreject. I started with the "I want less than £10/month" position as well, but it's not a good plan.

When you look at the Argos & E&L terms (forgetting the apparent difficulty of claiming from an E&L underwritten policy), you'll find them worthless if you are not willing to (a) put your lab down or (b) pay thousands a year if (s)he develops an ongoing condition.

Anyway, the Halifax one I went for (see my 11/07/07 post) is perfect for you. I know because we have a four month old lab too . It costs £12.64 per month for cover that others charge £20-£30 per month.

debbiedeejay. Halifax seemed to have no age limits and seemed reasonably priced for older dogs when I was checking them out (it's beginning to look like I'm shilling for them ).

The only other one that I noticed accepted older dogs was Animal Friends. Two big warnings though. They're underwritten by E&L and they have a whopping 35% excess for dogs over 8 years. However, that aside, they would only charge you £19.84 for their basic Lifetime cover (Gold Standard). You might decide that you can put up with the apparent hassle of E&L claims and stick the £12 savings into that Vet account (although it won't go far if something does go wrong).
http://www.animalfriends.org.uk/pet_insurance_dog_over_8.html

"Woof woof" from our Poppy .

EDIT: Just did a rough quote from Halifax: £21/month for normal (£1000/yr), £36/month for Xtra (6000/yr). Both of those are proper lifetime policies, unlike (I believe) the Tesco's one.

thetargetarcher

I researched Cat insurance for the best cover having read the info on here and elsewhere on the Web. E & L seem to be the underwriters for quite a few policies but with bad press for paying out. AXA are the underwriters for various other policies (Argos, M&S, Halifax etc). However, getting a quote on Halifax for a crossbreed female cat in London who is nearly 5 was approx £192 per year for the Extra policy; M&S the cost came out as £170.06 per year BUT via AXA's own website for virtually the identical cover (see my comparison below, turned out to be £100.84 saving a further £69.22

In my case it has been best to go direct with the underwriter via their website. My advice is to try the underwriters, namely AXA, Domestic &General (they do Pet Pals and Pet Protection), Petplan and E&L. I think they are the main underwriters for all standard cat and dog pet insurance policies.

M&S vs AXA cat and dog policies as at 12th August 2007:

Veterinary fees £7000 per period £7000 per period

Complementary treatments £750 per period £250 per condition

Referral to behaviourist £250 per period £250 per condition

Cremation / burial expenses £100 £100

Dietary foods £200 £200 per condition

Third party liability £2,000,000 £2,000,000

Emergency boarding kennels and cattery fees £750 £750

Daily minding by someone other than kennels or cattery £750 £750


Advertising costs £1,000 £1,000


Reward £500 £250


Theft or straying £1,500 £750


Accidental death£1,500 £1,000


Death by illness £1,000 £1,000


Holiday cancellation £2,500 £3,000


Accidental damage to own property £750 £500


Quarantine costs£1,500 £2,000


Loss of Health certificate £250 £250


Repeat tick and worming treatment Covered Covered


Overseas Vet Treatment £1000 per condition


Excess £50 but pet over 9 yrs old it is £50 or 15% whichever is more £50

If you continue with the AXA and M&S policies you continue to get up to £7000 Vet fees per year for ongoing treatment- so they are for life policies.

Hope the above info is of use to you.

debbiedeejay

Cheers Bromley86 will be checking both of them out today. certainly the Halifax one looks promising.