Cost of pet insurance

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Cost of pet insurance
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Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 1:26 pm Post subject: Cost of pet insurance
Ive just bought a very expensive cocker spaniel pup, and the vet has advised me to look at lifetime pet insurance. Ive been on money supermarket and go compare, but Im out of my depth - anyone bought pet insurance?

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 1:31 pm Post subject:

If they are a KC registered pup you should have got 4 weeks free insurance from the Kennel Club when you got the papers

I would contact them first to see how much an ongoing insurance policy would be and then use that to compare other products on all the compare sites

I really wish I'd had insurance on my girl - then maybe I wouldn't have delayed taking her to the vets when she was a bit off and been saddled with a �600 vet bill when the emergency surgery didn't work and she died

Nell Merionwen

Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 16300
Location: Beautiful Derbyshire

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 1:34 pm Post subject:
I use sainsburys. It costs around �8 a month and they seem to be average.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 1:46 pm Post subject:
We use pet plan, whole life cover. We also follow another plan from the vets which gives discount on worming, feed, and treatments, and has already saved us the years fees, and still have 4 months to go.

unlacedgecko

Joined: 21 Nov 2009
Posts: 32

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 6:41 pm Post subject:

I would recommend not getting any insurance. It is something vets recommend as they see insured animals as a cash cow, often bullying owners into unnecessary expensive treatments which do not improve quality of life and have a small chance of working.

I had a jack Russell which poked its eye on a stick. Vet wanted �600+ to remove the eye on first inspection. When she found out I had no insurance, treatment was downgraded to a �20 bottle of eye drops.

Another Jack Russell was torn up in a kennel fight, predictably on a Sunday, at the other end of the country from my usual vet. Several local vets wanted to knock the dog out merely to examine him, the. Spoke of muscle repair operations costing �500+. Fortunately I was able to find one who under stod working dogs. I held the dog while he applied local analgesic, anti biotics and staples. �120, �100 of which was the Sunday call out fee.

Boths dogs healed fine.

Mithril

Joined: 22 Jul 2011
Posts: 1755
Location: wessex

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 8:11 pm Post subject:
I have to say since my father took out vet insurance his dog seems to be always having some treatment or the other for apparently minior issues. (I bred the dog and his siblings are very good doers). That said, two of my bitches have totted up nearly �1000 and �2000 in surgery over the years. With hind sight insurance might have been a good idea. Or better still an emergency credit card.

cir3ngirl

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 4846
Location: Cirencester

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 13 8:26 pm Post subject:
Set up a bank account and pay money in monthly you then have a fund to use to pay for any treatment

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 8:23 am Post subject:

Its whole life cover I think Id look at, because if we just insure for a years cover, whilst this will sort a broken leg or op, it will not cover chronic illness such as diabetes or thyroid (such as our older dog has).
On the other hand, Im also thinking just to put money away regularly just in case.

Alison - have you ever had to actually use your insurance? Ive heard stories of suddenly being told that your not covered for whatever or they'll only cover you so much.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 8:26 am Post subject:
I also need to consider this, we've got new kitties coming home on monday hopefully. Am currently thinking that putting a few quid a month by in a separate 'pot' in the bank account might be the way forwards

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 8:55 am Post subject:

Our dog is insured via Direct Line as they covered her before we got her. The policy has paid out a couple of times and even the simplest treatments can cost a huge amount (a simple scan cost �1000).

You also get third party cover for your pet if they cause injury or damage (your house insurance may already provide this).

We do sometimes feel vets take into account your pet insurance when recommending treatment but just be firm and ask them why they are recommending the treatment, is it really necessary etc, etc.

I don't think many policies are whole of life, they tend to go up to a limit, e.g. 11 years. Worth checking between policies.

if the dog is working then many companies will not insure through normal pet insurance. You may get a better deal if you're with BASC or one of the other countryside organisations.

As for not insuring and saving money, if you only have a single pet that is more risky but if you have several then you'll be offsetting the risk.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 12:59 pm Post subject:

Lorrainelovesplants wrote:

I haven't, but only because she is 10 months old. Going on the last dog we did need it.

Nell Merionwen

Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 16300
Location: Beautiful Derbyshire

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 1:24 pm Post subject:
Just realised that the sainsburys insurance was up for renewal and now costs �13 pcm. So I have just changed to co-op for �11 pcm.

Spruengli

Joined: 12 Jul 2006
Posts: 537
Location: Dorking(ish)

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 1:26 pm Post subject:
I don't know if small animal insurance is similar to horse insurance, but beware any clause that says in effect 'once you claim for something we won't let you claim for it again' e.g. a claim for treatment for arthritis means ANY arthritic conditions are excluded forever (and the premium doesn't go down...)

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46239
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 13 3:23 pm Post subject:
when i looked into it a policy that would cover everything for life was about �30 a month for a thorough bred saluki.the fee was based on show dog line risks not proper line risks and seemed unlikely to be a good investment ,so far i aint spent about a grand . with a kc cocker it may be a good investment to get a full policy

snowy747

Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 8

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 13 3:32 pm Post subject:

I would not own a dog without it. Claimed nearly �5k with Axa for our Jr X who has primary lens luxation. Premiums were �9.30 a month and we had her at a year old and had paid 10 premiums........

Scottie had Cushings disease, her premiums were �26 a month and her meds �200 a month plus she had regular blood tests at hundreds of pounds.

Gotta save a whole ton a month to build up a fund of your own to cover those sort of costs!!

Ali

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