PDSA and BDML Connect Pet insurance

Custard12

PDSA run their pet insurance through a company called BDML Connect.

Last year my premium for my dog through PDSA was £18.05 per month. I have just received my renewal and it went up to £28 per month. an increase of 48%!

Using the Go Compare website I went in search of new quotes to find PDSA will offer me the same insurance as i already had from them for £19 per month!

So I rang BDML straight away and they acknowledged that might be the case. They stated that the increase may be because of claims I had not yet made! - Are they psychic? do they know when my dog is going to be ill?

I asked the rep what there was to stop me from cancelling and then renewing on-line and the response was "nothing - many people do it"

I suggested that they were happy to reward new customers but not existing ones. The rep said there was nothing they could do about it.

So I renewed on line saving myself £9 per month.

The moral of this story is never renew automatically as the sharp practices by people like BDML Connect will result in you paying more than you need to.

InsideInsurance

Same goes for most insurances - year 1 is often written at a loss to attract those that are considering switching, year 2 and beyond premiums have to increase in part so its not loss making and secondly to fund those new customer deals.

The challenge with Pet of cause is, depending on the type of policy, that you become locked into an insurer if your per does develop a chronic condition because it will be excluded as pre-existing if you look to other insurers.

PennyU

I have the same problem at the moment, I am with Argos who were brilliant until renewal this year as they've passed their insurance to Royal Sun Alliance and my premiums have risen by £24 this year against £5 the preceeding year, for a 2 year old cat. They won't discount even though the same insurance online to new customers is quoted at 25% less!

Problem being with cancelling the existing policy and renewing with the same company for less online is that your pet probably isn't covered for anything within the first 10 days (their exclusion period) and sods law says .....

Question though, could I have two policies running along side for the 10 period but, if needs be, only claim on the one?

justwannabeloved

insurance compaines dont make money on the policy for the first year, but do on renewals.... my advice is search around for better deals...