Pet Insurance - Help ASAP!

dacouch

Axa are in the market for the long term and offer a good policy.

If you can afford it, Petplan are the best but as you've found they're expensive.

asharon

petplan are very expensive but they have always paid out very quickly for me.

dacouch

NFU are also very good.

Avoid anything that is underwritten by E&L who are really really bad.

You can find out who Insures a product by looking at the "Key Facts" or "Summary of Cover" which all websites display. You should read these as they are a quick view of the policy and state major or unusual exclusions.

pc1271

There are big differences in the level of cover on different policies - a basic policy may be 10s of pounds, but a covered for life policy would be hundreds. If your cat has any pre-existing conditions you're probably stuck, but if it's fit and healthy and has never needed any treatment, you're free to move (although there may be 30 days at the start when you're not covered under a new policy)

Just make sure you understand exactly what's covered on a new policy: is it £1000 per condition for one year only (after which, no cover at all)? Is it £5000 per condition for the life of the animal (subject to renewal)? This is the kind of thing which dictates the cost. Don't forget that as your pet gets older, the risk of illness/injury increases.

I used RSPCA in the past and they were very good - they paid out with no hassle when my dog was ill. Their policy was cheapest for me, and offered cover per condition (not time limited).

Azmataz

Whoever you do opt for, make sure you get that 'cover for life' to cover you in the case of long-lasting conditions which are the most costly over time. Other policies will pay out for the first 12 months of a condition only.
Out of interest, I just ran a dummy quote on Petplan based on two of the places I used to live - one inner city and one in the countryside. Surprisingly, for the very same cat I found that the former was £10 per month more costly! :eek:
Have you tried the comparison sites like Comparethemarket?

dacouch

Azmataz wrote: »

Whoever you do opt for, make sure you get that 'cover for life' to cover you in the case of long-lasting conditions which are the most costly over time. Other policies will pay out for the first 12 months of a condition only.
Out of interest, I just ran a dummy quote on Petplan based on two of the places I used to live - one inner city and one in the countryside. Surprisingly, for the very same cat I found that the former was £10 per month more costly! :eek:
Have you tried the comparison sites like Comparethemarket?

Vets tend to charge more in urban areas hence they tend to be more expensive

Frankie.

Axa are much cheaper. They want just over £10 a month. But what's the catch? Are they any good? Good reputation? Is £7,000 enough vet cover? Do they cover dental?

My plan is to ring Petplan tomorrow and ask for a discount, and if unsuccessful I will look elsewhere. I was going for John Lewis as they do higher cover, but it's still expensive. I guess I want the highest cover for the cheapest price possible.

dacouch

The Axa cover is good, bear in mind that their price may include a lower price the first year as a new customer which you won't get next year. Quite a few companies do this so be aware the renewal may jump.

patchy987

I have my pets insured with Argos insurance, had a lengthy claim with my dog and they were fantastic

Bonus is that you only pay the excess and not a percentage of the claim too which a lot of insurers now ask for

Frankie.

Argos is just as expensive as John Lewis and not far off from Petplan.

If worst came to very worst... how much in vet fees could a cat cost a year? Anyone know?