Can I cancel/change my pet insurance before the year is up?

Greyhorse

Hi everyone,

Just trying to lower my monthly outgoings and one of my largest is pet insurance!!
I currently insure 2 dogs and 2 horses with Petplan.

Horse 1 costs me roughly £24 a month but I am paying over what I want to as he is insured for far more than he needs to be. Stupidly I forgot the renewal date and it has continued on and has gone up a few pounds since I took it out although I have not claimed. I have until February until renewal again even though I never agreed to it last time (my own fault I know!)
Can I ring them up and lower my policy? I also get discount on my dog insurance as I am a vet nurse and I wish to have this discount on my horse too but dont know if I can do it in the middle of the year?

Horse 2 is on a seperate policy as I aquired her after the first horse policy was taken out and I want a mutiple policy. Her insurance is somehow more at £26 per month.

Then I have the 2 dogs on cover for life at about £40 for both, although one is 8 so getting on abit.

So, if I ring petplan is it likley i will be able to cancel/change my policies or will I have to wait until they have ran out and started again.
I am also unsure whether to just cancel dog altogether, can I just ring up and do this or do I have to wait?

Thanks!

rising_from_the_ashes

You'd need to read the T&Cs as each company/policy can be different - I recently changed something on my house insurance but as I did it at renewal there was no charge, hoewver, if I'd done it part way through I'd have been charged £25.

While I appreciate you're paying a fair bit in insurance I'd have a serious think before cancelling any of them.

Greyhorse wrote: »

Stupidly I forgot the renewal date and it has continued on and has gone up a few pounds since I took it out although I have not claimed. I have until February until renewal again even though I never agreed to it last time (my own fault I know!)

I'm sorry but I don't understand this - most policy premiums change every year and automatically renew, you don't have to "agree" to a premium change?

The best thing to do would be to ring them up and ask them how much it would be to change them all so you get the multi-pet and vet nurse applied to all - and to change horse 1's policy if needed - however, I think there will be a charge for this (probably for each separate policy) so it may not be worth it.


TBH £24 & £26 for 2 horses and £40 for 2 dogs isn't a bad price - especially if with Petplan.

If you don't get anywhere, put a "diary reminder" in for next January to have a look around and see what you can do to lower the premium's then.

Re cancelling the dog insurance - think carefully about this (esp if one is getting older) as it may need "older age" treatment at some point - however, if you can put an amount away each month to cover any costs (and presuming you may get a discount as you work for a vet?) you may decide it's worth it. However, would you be able to find the money to pay a £1000+ bill if needed?

Greyhorse

Ah I thought they would have sent a courtesey letter to notify me that the premium was increasing thats all. I understand it is my fault as I forgot the date but still annoying none the less.

I wish to have them all on 1 policy if possible, with the nursing discount and change horse 1 to 'horse at grass' rather than competition horse, if this is possible!

rising_from_the_ashes

Greyhorse wrote: »

change horse 1 to 'horse at grass' rather than competition horse, if this is possible!

Chuckling at this - yup, this would affect the premium!:rotfl:

You should have received a renewal and new certificate of insurance for the next year - this would confirm the new premiums.

trudij

Ring them up and just say that you dont do the things in band B any more so you need to drop it to band A (or whatever!!) - it should be fine, as long as you pay monthly you shouldnt have to do anything other than make sure it changes.

Dont be fooled by the vet staff and multi pet discounts though - I rang to do it for mine, ive got 2 dogs and a horse, when i got my quote for the older dog, it was more than I had been quoted for both the dogs just a week before (and yes,that was with the discounts taken!!) - so I politely declined the offer to put me through to the equine department - though she is with Petplan.

tis worth shopping around any time - if you dont have anything ongoing treatment wise, then you can cancel your policy at any time, you dont have to wait until you're due to renew. Good luck !!

thesim

With Petplan you can cancel at anytime, and downgrade the policy at anytime.

There_Goes_Trouble

thesim wrote: »

With Petplan you can cancel at anytime, and downgrade the policy at anytime.

I think this is right. With petplan you can cancel policies at any time and you are not charged for the rest of the year.

When my old dog died I rang to cancel her policy. She died in the February and they canceled her policy from the date she died, even though the policy year didn't end until June. They even refunded me for the part of the month after she'd died!

I have heard that other policies will charge for the whole year regardless, which although I understand why, I find a bit unfair.

hethmar

They are getting a fair whack of money from you (dont you get freebies working at the vets!) so ring them up and discuss all you have said on here and be fairly robust in saying you want a multiple package for the animals at a reduction in the premiums. Be careful they dont just sell you the cheaper, not for life policies though!

Good luck, dont ask, dont get! Make it clear you are thinking of moving.

Have you thought of getting a quote from NFU?