|
||||||||
Dog insurance recommendations |
![]() |
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: I'm an oik!
Posts: 9,572
|
Dog insurance recommendations
We'll be getting a puppy in a couple of weeks (hurrah!) and am wanting a good, comprehensive insurance. I've been recommended the KC insurance by a friend, who said it's expensive but will last for the pet's lifetime instead of running out once it reaches a certain age, which sounds good to me! I have a quote from them of £55.15 PCM.
Does anyone else have any other recommendations/warnings? Thanks in advance.
|
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lat: 52.666; Long: -1.2833
Posts: 6,501
|
That does sound very expensive (bear in mind you could be paying for 15+ years). The cost should start low and then increases with age / condition.
My main recommendation would be go for one where the insurance company settles the bill directly with the vet, rather than you paying and re-claiming. Otherwise you can be £000s out of pocket and waiting months for the insurer to pay you back. Also some (if not most) vets will charge you for completing insurance claim forms. My advice would be to open a savings account and pay your £55 per month into there to cover any unexpected bills. |
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 6,867
|
Yeah I'd stick the £55 a month into a savings account.
You'd have to be pretty unlucky to have to spend over £600 a year on vets bills during your dog's life. Then if nothing serious happens (which hopefully it won't!), then you have around £7k in the bank when your dog eventually passes away from old age. |
|
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: I'm an oik!
Posts: 9,572
|
Not a bad idea - I might go with the savings account idea instead, that does sound like a more practical option!
Thanks you two.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 626
|
Saving the premium only works if you can afford to cover a big bill should the worst happen in the early years before you've built much up, which might not be illness it could be if your dog were to escape or slip its lead and get hit by a car.
I'm a fan of insurance and have been so glad of it many times. My whippet developed epilepsy then almost died from a rare liver reaction to the epilepsy meds. It's cost around £4000 and PetPlan have been absolutely brilliant. It meant he could have a head MRI so we knew what we were dealing with. It's been a horrible year but he's doing well and is happy and hopefully he'll be with us for some time to come. When your dog is so ill it really takes a weight off to know you don't have to worry about the cost but it doesn't mean you have to overtreat, at one point we thought long and hard about a liver biopsy but decided against it as being too invasive and we made the right choice. In future I'll stick with PetPlan for any other dogs we may adopt. It is more expensive than some initially but it has only gone up by around £2 a month at every renewal and they don't increase it if you claim unlike other insurers who hike it up. Once they get to 10 you do have to pay 20% of the bill + the excess but I'm ok with that. |
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,163
|
Quote:
Saving the premium only works if you can afford to cover a big bill should the worst happen in the early years before you've built much up, which might not be illness it could be if your dog were to escape or slip its lead and get hit by a car.
Definitely get your vet chosen and check if they have any relationship with particular insurers. That clinched me going with PetPlan because my vet can deal with them directly in event of a claim, rather than me having to pay out first then claim it back. Also make sure it is a "covered for life" policy, otherwise your allowed to claim once for one condition only, leaving you stranded for recurring ailments that require ongoing treatment from year to year. I've been paying around £35/month with Petplan for the last three years, starting from a pup. It creeps up a few % each yeah. And yes Petplan have a decent reputation for not hiking premiums through the roof after a claim. Think wise and try it get it right from the start. It's not easy to change insurers after a claim, a new one will usually exclude any pre-existing conditions, e.g. anything you've claimed for previously. This is avoided by picking a decent insurer from the go that you can stick with, and with covered for life policy. I'll finish on a personal grudge, so take with a big pinch of salt by all means. But I could not bring myself to financially support the Kennel Club anyway - it seems to be kerching first, dog welfare second. Their assured breeder scheme mandates only the bare minimum of health screening for my breed that's about ten years out of date, their breeder inspections are infrequent or never, and I find the whole dog-show industry despicable, encouraging breeding for looks and exaggerated features above health, form, fitness and function. And the KC allowed inbreeding between first generation relatives only until media pressure was placed on them through a BBC documentary called Pedigree Dogs Exposed - it was the revelations in that which caused the BBC to drop their coverage of Crufts. It's on Youtube and it's a real eye opener! |
|
|
|
|
|
#7 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 777
|
Deb, if you're getting a female dog you will save yourself a fortune if you get it neutered as soon as possible, as even delaying for a year can increase the likelihood of them getting mammary tumours or worse in later years. Also, be careful what you feed it, give it plenty of exercise and keep it at a healthy weight and that too will give it a good chance of avoiding costly health complications as it matures. Finally, go for a mongrel, as they are generally more robust with less in-breeding complications. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,523
|
Quote:
Yeah I'd stick the £55 a month into a savings account.
You'd have to be pretty unlucky to have to spend over £600 a year on vets bills during your dog's life. Then if nothing serious happens (which hopefully it won't!), then you have around £7k in the bank when your dog eventually passes away from old age. |
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: I'm an oik!
Posts: 9,572
|
Quote:
Deb, if you're getting a female dog you will save yourself a fortune if you get it neutered as soon as possible, as even delaying for a year can increase the likelihood of them getting mammary tumours or worse in later years. Also, be careful what you feed it, give it plenty of exercise and keep it at a healthy weight and that too will give it a good chance of avoiding costly health complications as it matures. Finally, go for a mongrel, as they are generally more robust with less in-breeding complications. Good luck.
We've decided to go with MoreThan - when I checked the small print on the KC insurance, you have to pay 10% of all vet fees. The MoreThan insurance, for the same cover, is £20 less pcm, a lower excess and no percentage of vet bills - and it gets good reviews on t'internet. Just need to find a puppy now! |
|
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 626
|
Just do be aware with More Than that if your dog needs to go to see a specialist they have a list and if you don't use one off it you have to pay £200 plus the excess if applicable. It can mean having to travel some distance and in my case I know and trust the one nearest to us and wouldn't like to be told where to go as my vet refer his clients to the place he feels they'll get the best treatment. Also I have friends with them who have seen huge increases in the premium whether they have claimed or not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#11 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 626
|
Quote:
Indeed! Also, third party liability is another important aspect. My PetPlan policy includes £2million of cover should my Labrador cause damage to property or person.
Definitely get your vet chosen and check if they have any relationship with particular insurers. That clinched me going with PetPlan because my vet can deal with them directly in event of a claim, rather than me having to pay out first then claim it back. Also make sure it is a "covered for life" policy, otherwise your allowed to claim once for one condition only, leaving you stranded for recurring ailments that require ongoing treatment from year to year. Think wise and try it get it right from the start. It's not easy to change insurers after a claim, a new one will usually exclude any pre-existing conditions, e.g. anything you've claimed for previously. This is avoided by picking a decent insurer from the go that you can stick with, and with covered for life policy. ! Our vet always does direct claims with PetPlan so I waft out dropping a claim form on reception once I've reached the excess - it's great! ![]() It's not just anything you've claimed for that a new insurer will exclude, they always ask for a full history from the vet before the first claim and they will exclude ANYTHING you've seen the vet for so a one off dodgy tummy, all digestive problems will almost certainly be excluded, it seems so unfair as it traps you once your dog has had something simple like that. |
|
|
|
|
|
#12 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: I'm an oik!
Posts: 9,572
|
Quote:
Just do be aware with More Than that if your dog needs to go to see a specialist they have a list and if you don't use one off it you have to pay £200 plus the excess if applicable. It can mean having to travel some distance and in my case I know and trust the one nearest to us and wouldn't like to be told where to go as my vet refer his clients to the place he feels they'll get the best treatment. Also I have friends with them who have seen huge increases in the premium whether they have claimed or not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#13 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,679
|
I personally think pet insurance is all a rip off. You pay hundreds a year when your pet may never have to visit the vet apart from for jabs and anal glands which aren't included anyway afaik. Just save the money from the early years for if your pet gets ill when it's older.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#14 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 626
|
Quote:
I personally think pet insurance is all a rip off. You pay hundreds a year when your pet may never have to visit the vet apart from for jabs and anal glands which aren't included anyway afaik. Just save the money from the early years for if your pet gets ill when it's older.
Also it's ok to say save it but unless you know you won't dip into it for other things its risky. |
|
|
|
|
|
#15 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Carluke, Scotland,
Posts: 1,321
|
PTS would really be last resort, most decent vets will work with you on a payment plan.
Mine did anyway, Tanna had a few dormant lumps, suddenly become active. She needed seen quickly, Disagreement with multi vets over what to do, I said "Is she in pain" rather sharply, , Yeah we think so "That's reason enough," I'd signed the form for consent to operate and scans and other stuff. I said Oh by the way , how much does this cost, after I'd signed I said I cant do that amount in one hit, What can we do. We agreed on a monthly amount, Surgery was 2 days later. The biggest problem was my lasses reaction after "What have you done to me you bast*****d I was fine until I got butchered thanks to you" |
|
|
|
|
|
#16 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 626
|
Quote:
PTS would really be last resort, most decent vets will work with you on a payment plan.
Mine did anyway, Tanna had a few dormant lumps, suddenly become active. She needed seen quickly, Disagreement with multi vets over what to do, I said "Is she in pain" rather sharply, , Yeah we think so "That's reason enough," I'd signed the form for consent to operate and scans and other stuff. I said Oh by the way , how much does this cost, after I'd signed I said I cant do that amount in one hit, What can we do. We agreed on a monthly amount, Surgery was 2 days later. The biggest problem was my lasses reaction after "What have you done to me you bast*****d I was fine until I got butchered thanks to you" If you are unfortunate enough to have to use VetNow for out of hours you need to pay a % up front before the vet will see you, they don't help at all. I remember being there and a poor couple being told their dog would die if not operated on immediately so they were ringing round friends and relatives to raise the thousand pounds needed. It was pyometra, something that the dog would recover from and have no long term effects from as long as surgery was done immediately - but at at least twice the price a regular vet would charge but they said she wouldn't make it to the morning. |
|
|
|
|
|
#17 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Carluke, Scotland,
Posts: 1,321
|
Quote:
Not all will sadly. The rise of big business chains with shareholders has led to some who won't help financially. Our old privately owned vets was taken over by CVS group and they are terrible. They want payment even before they'll PTS, our old vet was horrified and said how am I supposed to tell someone that when they're so upset? I changed vets I was so disgusted by their money money money policy now. Our new vets, again privately owned are brilliant and do their very best to be flexible to help people.
If you are unfortunate enough to have to use VetNow for out of hours you need to pay a % up front before the vet will see you, they don't help at all. I remember being there and a poor couple being told their dog would die if not operated on immediately so they were ringing round friends and relatives to raise the thousand pounds needed. It was pyometra, something that the dog would recover from and have no long term effects from as long as surgery was done immediately - but at at least twice the price a regular vet would charge but they said she wouldn't make it to the morning. That's a truly horrific story, I totally understand its a business but there in the business of animal welfare and how ever that's achieved should be key. How many has vast amounts of money available for emergency surgery. I went through the most sudden horrible death of my beautiful girl from a stroke. I had no sense until the very last minute she wasn`t ever coming home. Her vet dealt with me just as respectfully as they dealt with my girl. My world went into a tail spin They even rang the day after to see how I was. Vets that behave as you describe has my opinion has no business, being in the care business. Perhaps I'm naïve but your dealing with people too that are often traumatised by such an event |
|
|
|
|
|
#18 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 626
|
Quote:
That's a truly horrific story, I totally understand its a business but there in the business of animal welfare and how ever that's achieved should be key. How many has vast amounts of money available for emergency surgery.
I went through the most sudden horrible death of my beautiful girl from a stroke. I had no sense until the very last minute she wasn`t ever coming home. Her vet dealt with me just as respectfully as they dealt with my girl. My world went into a tail spin They even rang the day after to see how I was. Vets that behave as you describe has my opinion has no business, being in the care business. Perhaps I'm naïve but your dealing with people too that are often traumatised by such an event Out of hours cost are awful, I keep an empty credit card just in case the worst happens. Sadly responsible pet ownership is getting very expensive, we've lost 2 of our 4 dogs this last year and will be sticking with 2 now which is a shame as we only ever have rescue dogs. |
|
|
|
![]() |
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 10:50.


