M&S Pet insurance doubled for renewal !! Please help

hethmar

Dont know if thats so, my sisters has just doubled and shes never made a claim at all.

Thing is, those of us with pets that have chronic conditions are unable to move now so M and S will end up with a disproportionate number of dogs that are costly and again will increase the price. Very wrong, to think they told us that there would be no excess "forever" when I first contacted them to take a policy

Angiepange

Another thing Im a little concerned about is M&S have our dog down as a crossbreed on the policy, which he is. Now when I phoned them the other day to speak to them about the jump in my renewal price the customer services woman questioned his breeds, she said we only have him down as a crossbreed but not what the breeds are. I told her we think he is part staffie part lab and she said 'has this been confirmed by a vet and which breed is he more of, staffie/lab or lab/staffie' !!!. Well the vet isnt 100 % certain so I told her we really aren't sure at all.

Now this has got me wondering if M&S have his breeds noted could that mean they will up the premium even more than if he is just left as a crossbreed (unknown) ?? I wouldn't put it past them to do this and I am really cross that so many other people have also seen a jump in their premiums too.

Again thanks for all the replies.

Angie x

hethmar

I guess the lesson from that is anyone with a cross breed simply puts down mongrel and doesnt attempt to qualify the breed. Sickening how they have got us by the short and curlies

Willow147

Our insurance has doubled since our dog reached age 9

[Deleted User]

I was very happy with M&S for the first couple of years. £14 per month the first year and £16 the second. Then this year it jumped to £30+

We've had claims with our oldest - she had surgery to remove a foreign body from her stomach and she's also got atopy which is a lifetime condition.

The youngest (one year younger) has had no claims so it'll be interesting to see if his jumps by the same amount after 2 years.

But to those thinking of cancelling....

I have a friend with 9 beagles. Rather than insure them all she figured it would work out cheaper to put the money in an account each month. Then last year one developed epilepsy, another slipped a disk and a third ripped a dew claw and there were complications. This pretty much wiped out her fund. Then the final straw - one developed a life threatening autoimune condition. The dog was apparantly healthy and happy provided she was given expensive drugs and regular blood transfusions. As time went by the vets gave out little hope of her surviving. They'd spent well over 10k with costs of hundreds of pounds a week. Yet how could they have her PTS when she *seemed* well? They are now up to their eyes in debt. The one good things is that the little dog is showing signs of improvement and has started to create red blood cells again (although she's STILL on expensive drugs nearly a year later). She really wishes she'd insured them all but now she can't afford to - or put money aside for vet bills.

welshmoneylover

I insure and also save a sum each month. I thought by double insuring myself then I should have enough to pay any excess fees as well.

thesim

Angiepange wrote: »

Hi

We have been with M&S pet insurance for 3 years now and have just received our renewal. I was completely shocked to see they have almost doubled the monthly premium from £21.99 (originally it started at £15.99) to £39.68 per month :eek:. Our dog has hip dysplasia and we have had to claim for metacam over the last 2 years to help treat it.

What I was wondering is are there any insurers out there who insure dogs with a pre-existing condition and pay out for it?? I really want to change insurers but think im probably stuck where I am. I have asked them for a qoute to downgrade from their premier cover to their standard cover but am waiting to hear back. The difference is their standard cover pays out £1000 per condition per year whereas their premier pays out £7000. Im worried that in the future our dog may need more expensive treatment for Hip Dysplasia (poss even a hip replacement) and then we wouldnt be covered fully.

I am really shocked that they have jumped the premium up so much but I feel i have got no alternative than to try and pay it ?? If anyone has any advice I would be extremely grateful, thank you.

Angie x

Just having a look at their website now, Their Standard policy covers up to £4000 each year, however, the condition is only covered up to £1000. Before you downgrade, give them a call and find out what happens if you use the £1000 for Hip Dysplacia because nowhere on the website does it say it would renew the next year. Just double check.

gettingready

Well, Zara's recent surgery (removing a growth from her elbow) was over £450, the vet was happy to put this through M&S to pay him directly, I have paid the £70 excess, waiting to see how quick they pay. The insurance I pay for Zara is about £39 per month...

Week later I took my cat to the vet, he needed blood tests etc etc that came to abouut £250, again I have paid the excess (£50 for my cat) and waiting to hear when the M&S pay the vet.

So I guess at the moment I am stuck with them.

At the time when I was looking for pet insurance, M&S did offer the best cover for what I needed.

Paymenets went up A LOT every year but.. what can one do?

MY cat has got a cancer, vet gave him about 3 months from now

lowis

sorry about your cat gettingready (hugs)
i hope your cat makes it beyond the given time, some do you know x

gettingready

Oh I hope he does - despite him being a grumpy 10 yo now who shows his dissaproval by peeing ON my bed... Whenever he does not like something - he goes to pee on the guilty's one bed (mine or my daughters, he is pretty good and deciding who's fault is what LOL)

Got some spare duvets, one lot goes to a laundrette - other lot on the beds and we go on...

He is our baby and can do no wrong - the peeing on beds is NOT ilness related... he has 3 trayes at home for himself too so... it is just him being .. erm... LOL

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Just an update that M&S paid Zara's bill directly to the vets within a week or receiving the claim, same for Tiger's bill.