Best Pet Insurance for dogs

cyberbob

Read the small print when looking at pet insurance. Price isn't the most important factor. Check the amount they will pay out per year per condition. (if you dog has a long term problem and needs drugs there is a chance if the per condition per year amount may not cover them for drugs for the whole year)

Insurances have various limits so it's worth researching them all. My animals are with M&S which isn't the cheapest but has the best cover for what I want. A lot of it can depend on your personal circumstances. If you have a good amount of savings you may be happy with cheaper less extensive cover as some extra costs you will be able to cover yourself.

Think it all through and write all the pros and cons. I must admit though IMO and talking to a lot of people petplan cover is pretty basic.

As I said I would personally recommend M&S but it depends on your own position and what cover you want.

hethmar

Well bob, have to say Id have recommended M and S three years or so back but it has changed underwriters (and can always change again). When I took out my policy for my dogs, there was NO excess, the premiums were reasonable and it even had natty extras like damage to your own possessions covered and no extra when the dog was become older. Then they changed underwriters and the excess was bunged on, the premiums increased, double in some cases, the extras were dumped and now there is a percentage levy when they are 9 years old. I am stuck with them as one of my boys has a chronic condition now and obviously I cant get cover with any other insurer for that. But my other dog Ive swopped to AXA.

I_am_mad

So im going to need to find a pet insurance which offer lifetime cover per condition per year and not one that is just per condition like more than... Is every one of the opinion that petplan is the best? The only thing is the middle value one only covers 4,000. But then the price jumps for the upper level one and I cant really afford that. Does the middle pet plan one cover per condition for the dogs life as long as i keep renewing it.

Is pet insurance like car insurance in that u can ring up and haggle (or is this just me)

Thank you

hethmar

Nope, you cant haggle with Petplan BUT you can get cashback through quidco, I think its £26 cash back if you go through them (but you can only do this once).

You wont find many insurers offering per condition per year (I think NFU does?) but £7k cover in total a year is likely to cover most eventualities. Yes the middle Petplan one is a lifetime one.The £4k policy excludes a few things like payment for death or holiday cancellation.

Have you got a quote from AXA yet, how did it compare? One of mine are with AXA and it works out half of the petplan policy price.

Its important to find a decent policy and stick with it because if your dog gets an illness or injury then you will not be covered for those or any related conditions if you then swap to another insurer.

The reason why Petplan, AXA and NFU are favoured by people is that they underwrite their own policies, unlike other companies who use a third party to underwrite and can therefore change them and their policy details. You are less likely to find that happening with those three insurers.

moomin5

I'm with NFU, i've not made a claim yet to test them out but the premium has been about the same for the last 3years as you get some sort of discount when you renew. They don't have an online quote thingy, but OH was very impressed with the service when he called them. I'd prefer to have higher vets fees cover than our 4k policy but just couldn't afford to up the monthly premiums for 2 dogs this year. Its quite a big decision when you realise that you can end up tied to that choice.

gettingready

BOth Zara (GS) and TIger(cat) are with MS, had this for about 2 years and had to claim for removing Zara's lump from her elbow (about 800) and Tiger diagnosed with cancer so all diagnosis, tests (about 350) and now monthly repeat medication.

MS paid all without problem (I got excess - about 50 for dog and 30 for cat from what I remember).

Pay about 50 per month for both of them but I am sure this will go up next year...

Mupette

Been with pet plan for 2 years and had to change it last year due to financial difficulties to their budget plan. This year (it's just come up for renewal) I had a look around and sainsbury's were half the price of budget, and vet fees, etc were a lot more. excess is £75 but for my money i am getting a lot more protection for the pup. and double points on my shopping for 2 years, quite handy as i have recently moved and live very close to a sainsbury's

I_am_mad

Hi yes I did get a quote from AXA but there was a reason I didnt like them but now I cant remember

So if I go with petplan for it to be covered for life I would need to renew evey year and the price may go up which I cant then haggle for?

I am going to have a look at NFU now. The 4,000 seems a lot less than the ones that offer 7,000 but then I guess its cause its lifetime cover? I would go with the premium petplan but I cant afford 35 a month as I have only just finished university and am waiting to get a job, or should I say looking

Thank you once again, you are all so kind.

cinderellacomplex

Mine is useless to you then lol - it's another vote for AXA. I was with Petplan and paid around £23 a month for their Budget Life which gave me £4000 a year in vet fees. I switched to AXA a couple of months ago and now pay around £12 a month for up to £7000 a year in vet fees. They were also very helpful on the phone regarding the switch etc and though I haven't had to claim yet I am confident that they will be easy to deal with as far as insurance people go.

I_am_mad

I am thinking maybe AXA it is then if they over more money. Is this cover for life?