pet insurance

Eloise32

I am looking for advice on pet insurance. It is such a minefield trying to choose the right insurance/cover for my pet! I have an 11 month cross breed pup. He is chipped, and has not been neutered. I was going to go for lifetime but this appears to be more tailored for older dogs with ailments such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis etc. I have looked at the time-limited policies but I am still unsure again, whether this is the best policy. Any advice/guidance would be grately appreciated!

krlyr

Lifetime is not just for older dogs - but your dog could develop an issue at any time of his life, and it could reoccur as a one-off in the future or be a chronic condition.

For example, if he were to be in an accident and break his leg (which can happpen to any age dog), the insurance would pay out now. However, if you only had a 12-month limited policy, should he develop arthritis in that leg in 5 years time or so, it would be considered a pre-existing condition and excluded from any claims (x-rays to diagnose the arthritis and rule out any other causes could cost you several hundred pounds, for example)

Vets may also put exclusions on related conditions - for example, if he were to be treated for a stomach issue that went on for a couple of months, even if he was then symptom-free for the next few years, if you were to change insurance or only have a 12-month policy, they may opt to exclude anything stomach-related in the future.

A lifetime policy means that, for as long as you stay with your insurers, you'll be covered regardless.

Pet Plan are considered the creme de la creme in the insurance world, they are a bit more expensive but I've heard they don't tend to increase their premiums much each year so in the longrun you may pay more with "cheaper" companies who hike their prices each year (especially if you get 'stuck' with a chronic condition meaning you can't move to a new company)

Eloise32

do you know of any companies that you would recommend personally? M&S seem to have a good price for lifetime cover at £14.32 per month but what puts me off is that you must pay 20% of any treatment cost beyond the excess once your pooch reaches a set age, which is 9 years old with M&S. Many policies are like this, as the MSE info states, but that must mean not all are so.

I might look at PetPlan. We were with them when we first got him back in June of last year but my partner cancelled this as we were not sure what we were covered for - it was all confusing for us as this is our first dog, plus we were bombarded with correspondence from them which was slightly annoying!

chris_n_tj

Go for the best you afford. I only use Pet Plan, yes they start off seeming more expensive, but in the long run I have always found they still end the cheapest.
many Vets will claim direct from PP and believe me if your fury friend does need treatment things soon add up. x

sheramber

Many companies include a co-pay as well as the fixed excess when the annual reaches a certain age. For dogs Petplan do it from age 10, I think Animal Friends do it from age 8.

This is because you are more likely to need to claim as the animal gets older.

Other companies do not charge an extra co-pay when the animal gets older but you may find that premiums increase more in old age.

Some companies increase the annual premiums based on any claims made. Petplan are one who do not do this but there are others who state this. Check the policy document- not just the policy summary- and the FAQ to make sure you understand what you are covered for.

Lifetime cover is by far the best cover.

Insurance companies are a business who are expected to make a profit for their shareholders. They are not charity to pay for vet treatment for pet owners. income from premiums from those who do not claim makes up the deficit of those who do claim and leaves an excess as profit for the company.

Avoid any company who are connected with E& L as they have a reputation of being reluctant to pay out.

Ask your vet if there any companies that they have problems with. This is important if you want the insurance company to pay your vet direct rather than you paying the bill and having to claim it back.

Nobody can advise you of the best company for you as peoples' experiences differ depending on breed, age, your post code.

If you are going to take out insurance the sooner you do it the better as anything arising beforehand will be excluded as a pre existing condition.

adandem

I use Tesco, they do different levels of cover including lifetime which I would highly recommend, any dog can develop ongoing conditions.
All policies carry an excess, the co-pay element usually comes into play when your pet is around 8.
Avoid Kwik Fit, they took ages to settle our claim saying they hadn't received it etc.

Anjek

Hi, I am writing some article about ferret insurance on my blog Friendly Ferret. So if anyone know some good article about that or have knowledge.