Best pet insurance?

[Seahorse]

I've done all the compare sites, so I know the general options. I'd really like some personal recommendations (or warnings!) though. I'm looking for as comprehensive insurance as I can afford for a middle aged dog. Any advice gratefully recieved.

[Hazel at the Hill]

I can certainly recommend the customer service that you get when making a claim on Tesco pet insurance. They are lovely on the phone, and prompt with payment. A couple of years ago, however the price hike in premiums was such that I changed to Petplan, who seem to have a very good reputation.

I sometimes wonder if I'd be better off putting the monthly premium aside in a savings account instead. My two cats have cost me best part of £3k in the past decade (although I've claimed about £800). If either of them had to have any ongoing treatment, though (like next door's cat who has being diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and will be on treatment for life), I know that I will be grateful for it.

You could have a look at the Which? report - they generally compare on other things as well as cost.

PS I had to have a little sit down when I'd worked out that premium!

[Plot10]

I agree with Hazel that you might be better saving the premiums, assuming that you're likely to be able to cover anything that might happen in the short-term.

I've had one or more dogs for the last 20 years and only the first couple of years did I have insurance, which I never used and cancelled as the premiums rose dramatically each year. As far as I remember, routine jabs etc , flea/tick/worm prevention, neutering/spaying isn't covered and neither was the cost of "morning-after" contraception when I stupidly left the dog outside the shop for 2 minutes when she was in season (first and last time I made that mistake). I'm also pretty sure that when "The End" comes you don't get much help with that either (sorry)

Dog no 1 started having fits which became more and more regular, the vet tried various medication but eventually diagnosed a brain tumour. Now we could have opted for further treatment and an operation but she was already 10 years old and even if we'd had insurance we wouldn't have wanted to put her through any more suffering.

Dog no 2 - Dislocated hip age 7 - cost about £250 to put right all told - about the same as a year's premiums but she didn't cost us anymore (apart from the routine check-ups/jabs) until she was 12 when she developed heart and lung problems, again the vet tried various medication but here was nothing further he could do for her so we had her put down.

Dog 3 (Current) - Has recurrent skin problems requiring steroid treatment, special shampoo and occasional anti-biotics. Even then the most it has cost at one time has been £95 and that included the consultation and all of the above. The steroids cost around £4 per month and the shampoo £10 every 3+ months, the anti-biotics are about £50 but they're only required if the condition gets out of hand which we're careful not to let it.

On the whole I would have spent many times more on insurance than on I have on treatment but you have to weigh the pro's and con's and decide for yourself what you'd do if your dog had a bad accident or serious condition.

[veggiechicken]

I adopted 2 middleaged dogs - about 4 and 6. I had no idea of any pre-existing conditions and, I decided not to insure them but accept the consequences. Last year's eye surgery on one dog cost about £2500, and both dogs have to have regular eye drops that cost about £100 a month for the rest of their days.
The crunch is that my vet told me that eyes are not covered by insurance. I haven't checked that out but, if you have a breed that is predisposed to certain conditions, it would be wise to look for an insurance that covers it.

[Seahorse]

Yes, putting money by instead is a option I'm considering. I think in the long term it's very likely to be better value. The thing with that of course is that you have to be very disciplined and not just dip into it if other emergencies occur. I'd also have to rely on it building up before my wee girl needed it. Routine costs (i.e. stuff in the low hundreds) wouldn't be a huge issue but I simply don't have thousands in the bank should a major concern arise. I would like the security of insurance but so many deals seem to come with caveats :/ Tricky.

[Veggielot]

Are your dogs at particular risks of any illness, if so could be worth having. Have you asked your vet their opinion, they may not want to say but no harm asking, they will deal with most of them so will probably have a good idea.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Are your dogs at particular risks of any illness, if so could be worth having. Have you asked your vet their opinion, they may not want to say but no harm asking, they will deal with most of them so will probably have a good idea.

They can't make a recommendation as that would be tantamount to offering financial advice (insurance is regulated under the FSA, I believe) which they are not qualified to do.

However, there's no harm in asking who they insure their pets with!

[out in the cold]

We have both of our rescued dogs with Marks and Sparks Platinum.

We are so glad that we have insured them, as Maisie (who we think is 8 to 10 yrs old) has epilepsy, non viral meningitis and a multitude of skin conditions. They have paid out a fortune on her, pretty much without question, and even having had her with us for around 5 to 6 years now, the payments are still less than her monthly medical bills. Yes the price has gone up a lot (currently at around 70 odd quid per month, but they have coughed up around 55 to 60 grand on her during her lifetime)

The cover is 7 grand per condition per year and excess is 70 quid per condition.
One point to note is your local vet. If they are onside, most companies work well with the vet, but some, like our new vet can't tell their a*se from their elbow when it comes to admin, so make sure if you have a regular claim for medication or something that they claim the same thing every time. (I had to have a meeting with the vet and threaten not to pay my bills for them to get it sorted. Don't get me wrong, they are excellent at the animal care side, but when it comes to admin, couldn't organise a party at a brewery! And breathe.... )

[VirginVegGrower]

Another one for M and S. They don't make a song and dance like some people, they just shut up and pay up. Great service.

[out in the cold]

Of course the other thing to consider re insurances vs saving some cash is that the animal has liability cover too, so if the dog hets off his lead, chases a cat into the road and causes a bus crash, you would be covered, whereas saving up you arent.

Most also cover any damage done e.g. chewing the sofa etc

[Alison]

Both our cats have moggy insurance with Petplan and they have never refused any of our claims. However we insured them when young so no restrictions. Until recently we hadn't claimed on one pf them but had paid out a lot. Our other cat was accident prone and we even claimed a few hundred quid after one payment. However now they're in their teens they both have kidney problems and the insurance claims greatly exceed the monthly payments.

[Seahorse]

Thankyou all for your advice. M&S have given me a very reasonable quote, as have Petplan. Just need to read all the fine print and make a final decision now

I don't think I've ever seen a question on the Vine that no-one was able to help with. What a good place to belong to

[Two_Sheds]

I read lots of advice, browsed all the pet forums.

I had the parrot insured at £70 a year, never used it, so when we got the dog I decided to open an ISA for them (or Reg. Saver, whatever gives the best interest, and I move it every year).

I put in a lump sum to start with, what I thought we could afford (say, £500). Then we put in what PetPlan would charge us, every month.

All we've had in vet bills has been a spay (which insurance wouldn't cover); boosters (ditto); and antibiotics (£50, which we'd have had to pay anyway as an excess).

We did have an emergency one night, which cost me £190, and which would not have been covered by insurance, because it was a thing that had occurred previously (respiratory infection).


So, insurance would have been absolutely useless for us, and we still have that money in Tinker's bank account (£3,000). If we don't use it at the vet, it's ours to keep.

[VirginVegGrower]

But if you have a dog with cancer and microsurgery is carried out with scans, xrays, meds, overnight stays etc. your £3000 is gone and some. M and S paid out all except my premium.

[Two_Sheds]

yes, that's the gamble you take, but the money is "gone" anyway, in that I have put it away, out of sight, for vet bills. It's not something I can dip into for anything else