Petplan renewal increase

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  • adonis10
    adonis10 Posts: 1,810
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    I got my renewal today for 2 cats (aged 4 and 6) which has increased by 14% on last year. The 2019 increase was 13% on the 2018 price. It does seem like a massive hike so I decided to do a new quote on the same basis and it came out 31% cheaper (£306 versus £439). As always with insurance, loyalty doesn't pay. I phoned Petplan and they said nothing could be done to lower the price even when I mentioned the new quote. They did say that any previous ailments would not be covered if I cancelled and set up a new policy - this is a consideration but neither cat has had much wrong apart from a couple of stomach upsets (can't remember the exact detail so have requested it from Petplan).


    Has anyone done similar and are there any other things I should consider? I don't want to put any future claims in jeopardy by doing this but just need to understand more about it before committing to anything.


    Also, who are Petplan's main competitors as I would like to get quotes from a provider of a similar quality as I do value the service that PP provide.
  • I was paying £33pcm for a healthly indoor cat. I looked around on here and went for the same cover with Sainsbury's for £14pcm.
    You just end up having that stupid argument with yourself thinking that because you pay more (and misguided loyalty from you) that your cat is better off.
    I'll tell you who is better off. Me. £19pm for the last 2 years = plus £400 better off. That can buy LOTS of dreamies :)
    Savings as of April 2023 Savings account - £26460.50(14474.88)Current account - £2140.24(4576.79)Total - £28600.74(19051.67) £1010 (£65pm CS/BS) £250 CS/BS/JS
  • adonis10
    adonis10 Posts: 1,810
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    I was paying £33pcm for a healthly indoor cat. I looked around on here and went for the same cover with Sainsbury's for £14pcm.
    You just end up having that stupid argument with yourself thinking that because you pay more (and misguided loyalty from you) that your cat is better off.
    I'll tell you who is better off. Me. £19pm for the last 2 years = plus £400 better off. That can buy LOTS of dreamies :)
    Agreed, the higher price just makes you think that everyone is better off. However, Petplan are excellent when it comes to paying out claims and I have no experience of other companies in this regard. So far, the few claims we have made probably totalled a years worth of premiums so nothing we couldn't have paid as one offs. However, you never know if or when (hopefully never) a 4 figure claim will be required which changes the landscape somewhat.


    I guess I will need to review the claims we have made and any exclusions that PP may apply and if it does not appear to be detrimental, cancel and become a new customer (saves £133 for the same product). This would be a happy medium as it would take payments from £36/month to £25/month and entice me to stick with what I know rather than go any lower (£15-20/month) and risk being with a less reliable provider.
  • RelievedSheff
    RelievedSheff Posts: 11,226
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    We insure with Pet Protect and pay £12 per month for our three year old dog. We had a claim last year which was paid out very quickly with no quibbles. We had expected the price to increase this year but were very surprised when the renewal came back at the same price of £12 per month.
  • KxMx
    KxMx Posts: 10,581
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    edited 2 January 2020 at 2:03PM
    adonis10 wrote: »
    Agreed, the higher price just makes you think that everyone is better off. However, Petplan are excellent when it comes to paying out claims and I have no experience of other companies in this regard. So far, the few claims we have made probably totalled a years worth of premiums so nothing we couldn't have paid as one offs. However, you never know if or when (hopefully never) a 4 figure claim will be required which changes the landscape somewhat.


    I guess I will need to review the claims we have made and any exclusions that PP may apply and if it does not appear to be detrimental, cancel and become a new customer (saves £133 for the same product). This would be a happy medium as it would take payments from £36/month to £25/month and entice me to stick with what I know rather than go any lower (£15-20/month) and risk being with a less reliable provider.

    I'm no expert but if your cat has been treated for a stomach complaint I'd expect them to exclude all GI related claims which is quite comprehensive.

    They may or may not remove that exclusion after 2 years problem free.

    When I went with Pet Plan I reported a previous chat with my Vet where they said she may need a dental clean. On that basis Pet Plan excluded all dental and oral claims. After two years my cat had a through dental check while under sedation for something else and her teeth were "fine". Pet Plan agreed to remove the exclusion.

    I can vouch for their efficiency, a £3000 claim was settled as quickly and quibble free as some of my £30 claims.

    That £3k bill was diagnostic only (unfortunately terminal) and I did not put my cat through any major treatment.

    Personally if you're happy with Pet Plan and the exclusions would be too much, I would stick with them despite the rise. While this is a money saving site, there is definitely such a thing as false economy.
  • adonis10
    adonis10 Posts: 1,810
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    KxMx wrote: »
    I'm no expert but if your cat has been treated for a stomach complaint I'd expect them to exclude all GI related claims which is quite comprehensive.

    They may or may not remove that exclusion after 2 years problem free.

    When I went with Pet Plan I reported a previous chat with my Vet where they said she may need a dental clean. On that basis Pet Plan excluded all dental and oral claims. After two years my cat had a through dental check while under sedation for something else and her teeth were "fine". Pet Plan agreed to remove the exclusion.

    I can vouch for their efficiency, a £3000 claim was settled as quickly and quibble free as some of my £30 claims.

    That £3k bill was diagnostic only (unfortunately terminal) and I did not put my cat through any major treatment.

    Personally if you're happy with Pet Plan and the exclusions would be too much, I would stick with them despite the rise. While this is a money saving site, there is definitely such a thing as false economy.
    Really useful post, thanks.


    The first point is a good one re all GI related issues possibly being excluded. I think it is key for me to review the claims we've made (should have kept copies - will do in future!) and any current exclusions and get some clarity around what may or may not be excluded in future.


    I value the quality of service received by PP so far so happy to pay a premium, but do not want to fall victim to the standard 14% price hike for repeat customers. I would liken it to car insurance where I change insurers pretty much every year but I feel that a claim on pet insurance is far more likely than car insurance so would not want a lesser service for the sake of a tenner each month.
  • sheramber
    sheramber Posts: 18,869
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    Pre exisiting conditions include anything you consulted your vet about, whether medication or treatment was given or not.

    It is not just what you have claimed for.

    New online quotes are reduced by all companies to get the business. After the first year the discount is gone and premiums hike up

    Petplan do not increase premiums if you claim. Most companies do. ANY increase by Petplan is due to increased running costs an d higher vet fees overall. Insurance is a business whose shareholders expect a profit pay put at the end of the year.
  • DD265
    DD265 Posts: 2,202
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    sheramber wrote: »
    Pre exisiting conditions include anything you consulted your vet about, whether medication or treatment was given or not.

    It is not just what you have claimed for.

    Yup, one of our cats had overgroomed the base of his tail and gotten very sore. Not sure whether it started as behavioural or a skin complaint. We had a few steroid shots and some cleaning gel. Didn't claim on insurance (PetPlan). Cue an exclusion at renewal for both behavioural issues and skin complaints.
  • KiKi
    KiKi Posts: 5,377
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    jr1985 wrote: »
    I went from paying £21 to now paying £30 per month for a 4 year old indoor cat with no previous or current health problems. It just seems a bit much to me? Would you suggest switching to someone else? Lifetime cover with “Healthy Pets” is quoting me £4.37...

    That does seem a high increase. I insured my cats (aged 2 and 3) with Petplan last January for £35.97 a month (in total, for both of them). This year, the premium has increased to £37.50, and that's with a claim for nearly £900.

    Very cheap pet insurance is cheap for a reason. Petplan are considered good for a reason. They may not be for everyone, but they pay out most of the time, dep on any exclusions. I certainly wouldn't go with £4.37 a month!

    ETA - sorry, just realised the OP posted in September.
    ' <-- See that? It's called an apostrophe. It does not mean "hey, look out, here comes an S".
  • I will always use Petplan. Yes, their premiums and exclusions go up every year as your pet ages, but I had to put some large claims through and they were so good at paying up. My cat exhausted her £6k per annum amount one year when she was really poorly and they paid up every penny, no quibbles. That and the fact they insure conditions for life (Same cat has medication for arthritis and skin allergies) were the deciding factors for me. My other cat has very little wrong with her but the premiums were the same so I know they don't hike the premium just because you've claimed.

    I now pay about £53 a month for a 16 year old cat, with excesses of £125 and 20%, but it is worth it for the peace of mind. I would not want to be worrying about whether I could afford to pay for treatment if she was seriously ill again.
    What goes around comes around.....I hope!
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