Pet Insurance (lifetime cover for a dog)

AmTheMan87

Hi, looking at taking out a pet insurance policy for my dog but unsure who to go with.

Looking preferably at a "lifetime" cover and originally through PetPlan but recenlty came across HelpUCover and thier Premier Policy.

Received feedback from others in regards to PetPlan and recommended from our Vet, but has anyone had any dealings with HelpUCover or any other "lifetime" policy cover that they can advise of?

Unsure who to go eith and cost differs quite a bit.

Any help would be appreciated.

krlyr

One thing to consider (and discuss with your vet) is the option of direct claims. Many vets are happy to deal directly with Petplan, but many other companies are excluded from this due to them taking too long to pay out, worming out of paying the full amount, etc.
Not a problem for me, I have a credit card for this purpose and savings I could dip into short-term but might be a consideration for some people - could you fork out £1000 for an emergency operation and wait a month for a cheque from your insurance company?
Check out the terms and conditions of what they will and won't cover too. Some insurers, for example, won't cover certain breeds, some won't cover certain conditions (seen one recently that won't cover cruciate ligament issues, which can cost thousands of pounds in treatment), if there are any limitations on claims (e.g. has to be submitted within x days with y evidence from the vet).
Also check out the excess, I can't seem to spot the details on the HelpUCover website at the minute, but be wary of those with a % excess. 10%, for example, of a £100 vet bill isn't too bad but 10% of a £2000 bill is slightly more significant!

Edit: Just done a quote, £90 excess per condition isn't too bad, seen better, seen worse. Their quote was quite high for my dog though, I've been quoted half the premium from Axa and they offer £7000 which beats their £6000 - could be worth checking out, they're quite popular amongst doggy circles which is why I've used them the last two years running (once through Sainsburys, the next year direct) and will use them again this year Petplan are considered the creme de la creme of the pet insurance world so definately worth it if you can afford it - one benefit is that most customers have found that they don't hike the premiums up much each year, so although you initially pay more, 5 years down the line it will probably not be too horrendous. Other companies can really rise the premiums in year 2, which is OK if you haven't claimed and you're in a position to switch, but if your dog has developed an ongoing condition, you're tied in to the higher premium.

*Scarlett

I would agree that Petplan offer probably one of the best covers on the market but at a price.

I have just gone through the renewal process - checking comparison sites and direct providers. Honestly- my head is melted with it!

This site is helpful.

http://defaqto.com/compare/dog-insurance

You can compare policies and see their star rating.

My advice would be to use the comparison websites to check pricing. If there are any that you are interested in, make sure that you check that the excess is affordable.

Then use defacto to compare the policies.

Hope this helps.

charlearose

Im with argos on a platinum life time plan for my 7 dogs

You need to really clarify as well when you call or contact insurance companies that it really is a lifetime product that you are buying and not a per condition one with limits

Some are worded to say lifetime, but its a per
condition policy

So make sure you really clear on that you want a lifetime policy and ask them that you get the same amount per year reinstated for the same condition use the example of something that is recurring for life ie like diabetes ect so that you are sure your covered


also anytime you go to the vets for anythign more than a booster let the insurance company know even if you dont claim
its worth it for piece of mind