Pet Insurance guide discussion area

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  • jbone1
    jbone1 Posts: 1 Newbie
    On 3rd party liability coverage for dogs, you may find this is covered under your household contents cover already.

    I would check your home contents insurance wording first before buying coverage that is duplicated elsewhere.
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,250
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped!
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    Please does anyone know exactly what is happening with Petguard?

    I have been with them for three years and never had any problems, but for the past few months their website just has a screen saying "under construction" and I have read on another site that their underwriters have pulled out and so they are no longer insuring dogs with existing conditions.

    My dog unfortunatley does have an ongoing condition and our policy runs out next month when, according to others, I will receive a letter saying they are not willing to insure my dog anymore, despite the fact that I do have a policy that covers conditions for life.

    It is very worrying as of course no other company will offer cover for an existing condition.

    Would be grateful for any further information if anyone knows anything about this.

    Thanks.
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • thistledome
    thistledome Posts: 1,566 Forumite
    A comment/enquiry about the comparison sites and cashback sites.

    I know with motor insurance that if you get a quote from a comparison site, it can interfere with your cashback as the commission is then paid to the comparison site as they were your first point of contact. Might be worth checking this and pointing it out if it's the case with pet insurance too.
    Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble their joy, don't harrass them, don't deprive them of their happiness.
  • I appreciate that this is a money saving website but please when it comes to ensuring your pet, do not go for the cheapest option. Only when you come to claim will you appreciate the value of a comprehensive policy. From personal experience, I would only choose a policy that guarantees to cover a condition for the lifetime of your pet. While your pet is healthy, it may seem like a lot of money but believe me, if/when you have to claim, it is worth every penny. We are with Petplan and I would suggest using this as the starting point when comparing policies
  • BeckiW
    BeckiW Posts: 1 Newbie
    In my experience Pet Insurance is a total waste of money. I have had my cat for 10 years, as a responsible owner I have paid for pet insurance for the whole time and have never claimed until last year. Generally younger pets do not require vet treatment that would cost more money than your excess so it is only really worth taking out when your pet starts to age. The premiums go up and up every year regardless of how old your pet is when you join. In my experience insurance companies will find any possible loophole to stop paying out. My cat had an eye infection, they paid out but then over a year later he had a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT issue that just happened to be with the same eye and they wouldn't pay. It's cost me hundreds which I could have paid for using the 10 years of wasted premiums. Please please take my advice, put a tenner a month into a savings account instead. If you need it you've got it, if you don't then you can treat yourself and your furry friend! P.s. I foolishly went with Tesco if you must buy pet insurance for gods sake don't go with them!
  • Hi I'm a Vet and there's a few things we usually advise pet owners regarding insurance.
    Our impression is that you seem to get "what you pay for". Cheap policies often duck out of paying, have limited cover or can take months to pay out. However, there's going to be a policy to suit all budgets and it's certainly better to have a say £10 a month one rather than none at all but this may have a limited pay out and not cover for conditions such as dental disease at all.
    More costly policies will often give "lifetime" or "lifelong" cover which means if a condition needs treatment year after year eg diabetes, arthritis they will keep paying out (premiums may go up and they will take an excess each year however) rather than stopping all payment for that condition after 12 months.
    It can also be better to have a policy that gives you a limit per year rather than per condition, as, for an ongoing condition, you may reach your eg £4000 limit but would be unlucky to need more than £4000 a policy year unless you had a very bad year.
    With reputable companies and particulary those that specialise in animal insurance Vets may agree to do "direct claims" which means they claim directly from the insurer. They may do a pre-authorisation form first but with may less reputable ones they're more likely to ask for payment up front which can be awkward for personal cash flow.
    If you regard your pet highly and want peace of mind the cheapest policy you find might well be a false economy.
  • please be aware if you are referred to a specialist for your pet not all insurers are accepted for direct payment to the specialists.
    my pup has just completed nearly £8000 worth of treatment and thankfully all payments were made direct from the insurers because I could not have afforded to pay and reclaim it is not just a case of cheapest is best
  • emeraldemma
    emeraldemma Posts: 23 Forumite
    Don't forget the vet practice isn't obliged to accept direct claims for insurance purposes, so shouldn't assume vets should do this. Perhaps a credit card would be advisable til the insurance company pays the policy holder back with regards to cash flow, if the vet practice doesn't accept direct claims.

    I recommend petplan.

    Also re-iterate DON'T GO WITH THE CHEAPEST!!!
  • kaky
    kaky Posts: 3 Newbie
    Pet insurance.... Take care.
    Before you take out any insurance decide what you want from the insurance. Pet insurance is not like car/house insurance and isn't always a case of trying to get the cheapest deal.
    Do you want cover for life?? Some breeds of dog can develop arthritis as young as 1 years of age. Are they going to be covered for one year/set amount or for life? Same with heart/skin conditions etc.
    If your animal develops diabetes (list is endless) are they going to be covered in 3 years time?? PLEASE read these policies carefully. All conditions are potentially expensive. Look at covered for life policies.
    If you want a basic cover that will cover you for those accidents like cut pads, road accidents then most policies will cover you for a set amount and as long as the accident doesn't happen in a cooling peroid after the insurance is taken out. The problems happen when people move policies. If your dog had an ear condition and you were insured and made a small claim with one company then you probably won't be covered with the new company! Check with your insurance and the company you are thinking of changing to BEFORE you do it!:)
  • Hi, about a year ago I thought about changing pet insurance as my policy was getting quite expensive (due to my cat being over 10 rather than anything else). However, after looking on several forums, I decided to stay with my current insurer, PetPlan, as many people reported problems getting payments for treatments from other insurers. My cat has had several fairly major illnesses over his lifetime, and PetPlan have never quibbled over any payments - claims are always dealt with quickly and efficiently (and they will pay directly to the vet which means you are not out of pocket). Furthermore, my insurance did not increase after these incidents, only gradually getting pricier as he got older. Due to his age, I now have to pay a percentage of any treatment needed - but after a recent vet bill of about £1000, I was still grateful to have to pay only about £300. I would advise doing lots of research before changing from an insurer you have had good service from in the past, even if they are not the cheapest.
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