Thinking of scrapping horse/ cat insurance & saving - advice needed

Lgas

Thank you, I will look into it. My pony has never had anything wrong with him ever so for now it should be ok (not due to renew for quite some time but i'll see if I can get out early if they're that bad!).

I've heard good things about Petplan but they are pricey.

lostinrates

Lgas wrote: »

Thank you, I will look into it. My pony has never had anything wrong with him ever so for now it should be ok (not due to renew for quite some time but i'll see if I can get out early if they're that bad!).

I've heard good things about Petplan but they are pricey.

Pet plan have ben very good to us in the past. However, its they who have the policy of not paying out for veterans who need PTS in the field for unexplained situation without post Mortem.


Many vets will PM at their places, or at kennels, mine were happy to do it. I just decided it wasn't right for us.

I don't want to put down pet plan, in other instances I have found them great, but this isn't an uncommon end for veterans. My vet was, frankly, cross at the incident that they wouldn't accept the situation was as it was and though pm would have cleared everything up it was simply too much in a week where I had lost the horse I'd had since she was four.

orlao

I think that I'd keep all the insurances going now. The cats insurance is very reasonable considering their ages IMHO. While your mare is relatively young and has a fair few years in work potentially I would look to change insurers (For those that don't have horses, the only vet fees cover available only lasts 12 months and then excludes that issue forever more no matter who you go with). Try PetPlan - I found it cheaper than NFU and also easier and more reasonable to deal with. They also cover more treatments than NFU. Post/search on HHO to get recommendations of reputable insurers.

What I did to cut costs was to reduce the value of the horse (for all that they are worth a million to us, realistically the market value of a 15 yo mare with a history of tendon damage isn't that much and Ins Cos only pay market value on death despite the value you have them covered for), check carefully the level of cover ie hacking, pleasure rides only (our competitive days are long gone ) check if it's worth paying for tack cover as most shared or yard tackrooms aren't covered. If you're a BHS/BD/BS member you probably already have public liability cover albeit under 'last resort' rules and with a high excess - it's up to you at that point if you consider it adequate and look at dropping it from your horse insurance.

The other option, as you said is to self insure - I do that with one of mine because he isn't temperamentally suited to big ops and extended box rest type treatment. I'm happy with the decision that if he is injured or ill that he will only have treatment like anti bs, stitches etc on site and that if he goes down with something like colic or laminitis that he will be PTS rather than be shut in for weeks or go to Newmarket/RVC for an op. As you know, the minute a large animal like a horse needs extended treatment the costs are terrifying - even a vet visit isn't much under a £100 a time! Drugs are scarily expensive and so on...

yorkshire_terrier_owner

I don't know about horses and the cost of vets for them, but I don't insure my lot (6 dogs and 2 cats). 4 of them are old, and the excess and exclusions doesn't make it financially viable anyway. The other 2 I breed from so wouldn't be covered for that anyway.

I put a considerable sum of money into a savings account every month which has built up into a very healthy amount. The account is ring fenced for them and separate to my own savings. I never worry about vets bills.

CreditCrunchie

Lol I wish there were things I could 'drop' but I already have the most minimum coverage. Tack is not included and I said she was worth £1,000. I only have it for vets fees.

@Yorkshire put it this way, the lowest bill I've had for a horse is £250, and my girl's tendon injury came to just under 6k!!!! A call out alone is around £60

Lgas

lostinrates wrote: »

Pet plan have ben very good to us in the past. However, its they who have the policy of not paying out for veterans who need PTS in the field for unexplained situation without post Mortem.


Many vets will PM at their places, or at kennels, mine were happy to do it. I just decided it wasn't right for us.

I don't want to put down pet plan, in other instances I have found them great, but this isn't an uncommon end for veterans. My vet was, frankly, cross at the incident that they wouldn't accept the situation was as it was and though pm would have cleared everything up it was simply too much in a week where I had lost the horse I'd had since she was four.

Oh My pony is 20 this year, so maybe not such a good company to go for!

gettingready

@Yorkshiere - my dog had double hip replacement - total 14k
one cat knees surgery - 5k
another cat ate dog's tablet - almost 2k in vet bills

do not have a horse but would never be without an insurance...

friend cancelled his dog insurance as "nothing ever happens" - dog got run over 3 days later, vet bill for 6k to save the dog....(dog is fine now)

lostinrates

Lgas wrote: »

Oh My pony is 20 this year, so maybe not such a good company to go for!

It might be ok. If you feel you could cope with the pm.


Even putting aside sentiment:


We are a working yard on a small holding and farm. We have very free range poultry and anything that encourages predation is not in the best interest there. We also have livery clients. We are and adult only yard but one client has a small child who sometimes comes with her. I have to consider impact on others. We very occasionally run niche events here, a dead horse waiting for pm at a weekend is not best business.

We took a sentimental decision we rationalised with such practical considerations. She had earned her insured value many, many, many times over whether purely business or sentimentally, in which she was quite literally priceless ...I'd been offered staggering sums for her in her youth and amazing stud opportunities.

I feel it fair to point out she had an injury earlier in career which pet plan were AMAZInG over and I have found them brilliant in the past with other claims too. I just wouldn't personally insure a veteran with them or any company with this clause.

My girl died the day after the hunt were a few miles away, and she really did exert herself. In my mind, whether or not in fact, there is connection. Its quite likely the same excitement could have been generated by a dressage event that's held locally in the summer. I'm glad, she liked 'going out to stuff' what ever we tried to get her she liked to be flashy about and of she felt involved the day before she had a good 'end' . But its not uncommon for old horses to over do things and for us to not know exactly what is the cause for PTS at a time of crisis like that. My vet and I made the right choice for a horse who couldn't stand. I don't begrudge the decision or blame pet plan. I just wouldn't make the choice to insure a veteran like that again.



Getting ready, your claims are hefty. We've had hefty claims for dog dog, but we still come on better than we would for our lot insured. If we had not access to money we'd make different decisions. IMO the decision to self insure comes with access to a cash cushion and definitive decision over outcome benefits.

Also consider vets are often minded to keep costs keen for good, conscientious self funding clients.

gettingready

IMO the decision to self insure comes with access to a cash cushion and definitive decision over outcome benefits.

Definitely - too often people "self insure" by putting too little money away and when tragedy happens....

Yes, my vet bills were massive but then having 4 cats and a dog with me and 2 more cats with my daughter - I could not possibly "self insure" enough to cover possible emergency.. so they are all insured

bugslet

Hi getting ready

I think it depends on your financial circumstances, your experiences and your views on extensive treatments


A year ago I had 6 dogs, so on a par with you!:) and have had a multi dog household all my adult life ( 30 years -eek!) and in that time I have had 1 expensive bill of £1600.00. So that's my experience, financially I can throw money at things if need be and my views on extensive treatments is that once they get to around 10, I question the value of doing too much. That actually hasn't happened, most have lived between 12 - 15 years and just had old dog problems. I had one that died at 10 with haemangio sarcoma ( sp) but the treatment that I chose would have been the same even with insurance, which was more palliative than the try to operate on multiple sites for a few more months of life.

I have had 30 years of no insurance working for me, but I always say what works for me, might not work for others, you have to weigh it up carefully.