Pet Insurance

[WendyC]

My husband works in insurance claims, not pets though, and it is worth remembering insurance companies are profit making companies not charities.

[Tinabalerina]

VVG, then you were lucky. We have used more insurance companies than i can remember and none of them have ever covered euthanasia.

Or maybe its a new thing? Its been about 3 yrs since i've shopped around.

[Mikey]

I don't have an issue about paying for good insurance, I do however hate paying for poor anything!! There is a very good John Ruskin saying which eludes me at the moment. but basically stipulates that its impossible to pay a little and get a lot. For me its about getting the right cover affordably, without leather lining the insurance companies pockets. I've done a quote with M&S, and I'm about to do more than, which someone said underwrite M&S, I've done petplan but thought at first glance they were a little steep. I have a few others to check before making a judgement.

My little boy had his second jab today, and been microchipped, so he only has two more weeks indoors before its playtime. We are going camping on the 19th so that will be an eye opener for him!!

Thank you for all your comments thus far, its the little things about insurance that no matter how well you read the small print you don't realise you have or need until its too late!!

[WendyC]

The little things like no cover for the first two weeks.

[Mikey]

I was quite surprised yesterday after the visit to the vets, as when I looked in the microchipping pack last night there was 4 weeks free cover with petplan included. So much for impartiality!!

[VirginVegGrower]

Breeders reistered with Kennel Club give you six weeks free, hence I had Petplan with my first dog. Just not as good as it professes to be.

[Two_Sheds]

insurance companies are profit making companies not charities.

Yes, and that's why I avoid them if at all possible. I have an ISA for each pet, instead of insurance

[Alison]

Both our cats have moggy insurance with Pet Plan and although one of them has had very little claims over the years the other one (ginger tom, enough said!) claimed loads, a few hundred quid after one payment and we have never had any problems with payment. Recently both of them have been diagnosed with age related kidney failure which, with the right medication can be managed for years. As a result we're claiming more each month than we're paying and the vets are claiming it directly without us having to pay for it first - is totally brilliant and the reason we took it out in the first place. Re the ginger tom, over the years we've claimed for out of hours trips for bee stings, slashed pads, chronic diarrhea, op to remove a chicken bone from his stomach and cutting off part of his tail after a car accident. Would have cost us a fortune but you just never know. Pet Plan have never refused any of our claims.

[Two_Sheds]

op to remove a chicken bone from his stomach

out of interest, why did it need to be removed? Was the cat bleeding?

[out in the cold]

For what it's worth, I tend to be very suspicious of "free" stuff... Especially if the Kennel Club are involved, however this is not the purpose of this thread and I won't get into that here.

Having had experience of M&S with our two, I would use them again. They have been brilliant.

[Alison]

out of interest, why did it need to be removed? Was the cat bleeding?

It was stuck and he couldn't keep anything down, every time he ate or drank he just brought it straight back up. He'd been missing for a few days and was already in a right state when we found him and had to go on a drip straight away as he was dangerously dehydrated. I was very concerned that we'd lose him and fully believe our vet that there was no choice. Not actually 100% convinced it was a chicken bone (can't remember now as it was about 10 years ago) but it was definitely something far bigger than he should have eaten but he's always been a rooter and could have found it anywhere.

[out in the cold]

^^^^^ poor kitty

[Two_Sheds]

Not actually 100% convinced it was a chicken bone

No, that's why I asked. Cats and dogs are designed to eat bones, no problem. It would've just dissolved.
Tinker passes quite large bones in a couple of days: her poos are also white, like old-fashioned dog poo, when she's had bones

[Alison]

No, that's why I asked. Cats and dogs are designed to eat bones, no problem. It would've just dissolved.
Tinker passes quite large bones in a couple of days: her poos are also white, like old-fashioned dog poo, when she's had bones

Oh it was definitely a bone but I'm not too sure about what bird it came from (the vet did tell us at the time what it probably was but I can't remember). I think the main problem was the size of the bone - God knows how he'd managed to swallow it as he's quite a delicate eater but it was totally lodged and by the time it had broken down he'd have been too dehydrated to manage, based on how long he'd been missing and the state he was in we'd judge that it had been a few days already and not shifting - remember seeing the x-ray and it's not surprising he was in pain. Thankfully he seems to have learnt his lesson and hasn't done it since (quickly touches wood, just in case )

[Glutton4...]

Sounds horrific, Alison. Glad you found him!