Pet insurance

[Buckman]

OH has seen the normal "scare you to death" adverts regarding ill pets and buying insurance to avoid the costs and has asked me to check up on pet insurance for our 5 month old boy. Quotes seem to vary quite bit starting from about £12 for £2000 annual cover to over £40 for £3000 annual cover, but if you have a claim the excess can vary from £75 to £250!

With our current and older dog and previous dogs I doubt very much if we even spent £1000 on any vet procedures over their life time. Most we spent was on our cat which was about £500 and then 2 weeks later had to have her put to sleep anyway!

Reading up on numerous reviews across a number of policies, they all seem to have one thing in common, as the pet gets older especially over 10 years, the cost of the annual premium increases quite dramatically and this is probably when you need the insurance the most. Even if you have been paying on time for the past 10 years, you are still penalised with a high annual premium effectively almost covering the cost of minor surgery anyway!

Do you have pet insurance for an older pet that you have been paying for 10 or more years and has the premium significantly increased since starting the police many years ago?

 

[otherclive]

Never had pet insurance on any dog prior to this young Sprocker. The most we had to pay out was £3500 on a 12 year old Springer who had a major operation due to a cruciate ligament rupture. There was around £1000 aftercare, hydrotherapy, etc Her buddy cost us £2000 for severe meningitis.

We insure her with Insureyourpaws with Lifetime cover at £27pm. Our grandson has used them for his 3 year old Visla that is a walking claimant; allergies, dog attack, fits. They have been excellent in meeting claims.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Looking back at past experience with your pet in terms of the costs and number of visits you may have made is no indication of what might happen in the future. Couple that with the fact veterinary costs have risen very steeply, even non invasive procedures now cost an arm and a leg.

Our cat had a problem last year which first of all needed an out of hours appointment, which our practice simply redirects to a referral centre 25miles away.

The cat had a urinary tract infection and needed to be monitored for 24 hours and have some medication. Total costs about £1900. Insurance only covered about £1400.

I think the policy I had was good value.

 

[Buckman]

Never had pet insurance on any dog prior to this young Sprocker. The most we had to pay out was £3500 on a 12 year old Springer who had a major operation due to a cruciate ligament rupture. There was around £1000 aftercare, hydrotherapy, etc Her buddy cost us £2000 for severe meningitis.

We insure her with Insureyourpaws with Lifetime cover at £27pm. Our grandson has used them for his 3 year old Visla that is a walking claimant; allergies, dog attack, fits. They have been excellent in meeting claims.

Everypaw is underwritten by Pinnacle who are the same underwriters for Sainsburys who offer you 7000 Nectar points if you subscribe via Sainsburys. It was the Nectar offer that kick all this off!

 

[Beachball]

We have use Tesco pet insurance for our two dogs
there cover level £4,000
and vet excess £60
So far they both had there teeth cleaned and some had to come out .
The older dog has now a problem with arthritis in her spine

 

[Buckman]

We have use Tesco pet insurance for our two dogs
there cover level £4,000
and vet excess £60
So far they both had there teeth cleaned and some had to come out .
The older dog has now a problem with arthritis in her spine

I have not yet come across any policy that will pay out for teeth cleaning or extraction unless illness so will look at Tesco.

At the moment it seems a toss up between Sainsburys and LV.

 

[otherclive]

Everypaw is underwritten by Pinnacle who are the same underwriters for Sainsburys who offer you 7000 Nectar points if you subscribe via Sainsburys. It was the Nectar offer that kick all this off!

Every time we use Sainsbury’s we get vouchers for pet insurance. What’s 7000 points worth? There’s no free lunches in the insurance world.

PS our insurance limit is £10000.

 

[otherclive]

We have use Tesco pet insurance for our two dogs
there cover level £4,000
and vet excess £60
So far they both had there teeth cleaned and some had to come out .
The older dog has now a problem with arthritis in her spine

Cost per month for the two is?

 

[Beachball]

I have not yet come across any policy that will pay out for teeth cleaning or extraction unless illness so will look at Tesco.

At the moment it seems a toss up between Sainsburys and LV.

We have been with them for five years up to now very happy with there service

 

[otherclive]

Tesco Premier covers dental Illness and injury. But I’d be surprised if that included descaling, although a vet may consider it a health issue if the teeth are badly plaqued. Need to read the T&C plus definitions for the policy.

 

[Buckman]

Every time we use Sainsbury’s we get vouchers for pet insurance. What’s 7000 points worth? There’s no free lunches in the insurance world.

PS our insurance limit is £10000.

The points are worth £32. For £5k cover cost is £21.64 monthly. LV are £23.50 for same cover and Tesco £22 per month, but for £4k cover. All seem to have a good claims record paying out of 955 of claims. None of them cover any dental unless illness if dog is over 16 weeks old.

We are leaning towards Sainsburys thank to OC's input as it is underwritten by Pinnacle. Also if you use 300 points when filling up, you can get 5p discount per litre which is very handy when filling up the Jeep.

 

[Buckman]

Tesco Premier covers dental Illness and injury. But I’d be surprised if that included descaling, although a vet may consider it a health issue if the teeth are badly plaqued. Need to read the T&C plus definitions for the policy.

Came across this and it is not in any other quotes I got in

How your excess will work when your pet turns 8​

Example of an average £800 claim
Fixed excess of £60 plus 20% contribution of £148

---

You would pay £208
Example of a large £4,000 claim
Fixed excess of £60 plus 20% contribution of £788

---

You would pay £848

 

[Dustydog]

All our dogs have been with Pet Plan. At age 9 the premiums increased substantially, the excess doubled and a 35% coinsurance clause added. The last two springers got to 14. One had six big claims for stone removal , the other no claims.
If we have dogs again we will insure for one year and review their health. If all ok we will then self insure.
Without question I can say every claim we made was superbly handled and paid quickly by Pet Plan.
Im surprised Beachball‘s policy paid for teeth cleaning, most exclude it🤔

 

[otherclive]

Came across this and it is not in any other quotes I got in

How your excess will work when your pet turns 8​

Example of an average £800 claim
Fixed excess of £60 plus 20% contribution of £148

---

You would pay £208
Example of a large £4,000 claim
Fixed excess of £60 plus 20% contribution of £788

---

You would pay £848

Does that relate to dental cover with descaling?

 

[Buckman]

LV state;

• When your pet gets older – a 20% ‘Veterinary fees’ excess is added at the renewal after a dogs 8th birthday or a cats 10th birthday. This is on top of any ‘Veterinary fees’ excesses already on your policy. We’ll remind you of this at
least a year before it happens.

I have read the Sainsbury/Pinnacle booklet and no mention of the above? Yorkies normally live up to 15 years of age.

 

[Beachball]

I have not yet come across any policy that will pay out for teeth cleaning or extraction unless illness so will look at Tesco.

At the moment it seems a toss up between Sainsburys and LV.

Putting down the backstory to our insurance shows the amounts you can claim [with excess of £60] for accidents and emergencies, BUT paying for such things as work on teeth can be expensive but necessary for our older dogs, We understood this when we took out the policy........

 

[Beachball]

Cost per month for the two is?

Cost per month is £31.20 so far it due for a renewal

 

[Buckman]

Does that relate to dental cover with descaling?

No just general as dental stuff like descaling is not covered by any policy. Another obstacle I am coming across is that some do not recognise the Biewer Terrier as a breed although the Biewer Terrier was the result of a recessive piebald gene in two Yorkshire Terriers. Only difference is colouring.

#Very wary about this in case I select Yorkshire Terrier and when it comes to a claim, it is rejected. Sainsburys does not recognise the Biewer, but LV do. Tesco state that they cannot list every variation of the breed even is it is pedigree?

 

[Hutch]

I have not yet come across any policy that will pay out for teeth cleaning or extraction unless illness so will look at Tesco.

At the moment it seems a toss up between Sainsburys and LV.

Several pet insurance providers will give dental cover but only if you start from a pup or kitten and had 6 monthly inspections on the teeth. The policy does not cover descaling.
We are now with Aviva again for our dog who will be 10 this Christmas. £39 per month. He has had three lots of extractions ( at our expense) £300, £550 and the last time £750. And we get a 10% discount due to the pet plan with the vet at £15 per month.
Harry has now 20 teeth left. Mostly rear molars, and one single canine. So he can break up Bonito biscuits and perforate the letters as they come through the letterbox.
Overall he is our most expensive outlay per month.

 

[Dustydog]

Bonito biscuits,
Tuna flavour🤪

 

[Hutch]

No just general as dental stuff like descaling is not covered by any policy. Another obstacle I am coming across is that some do not recognise the Biewer Terrier as a breed although the Biewer Terrier was the result of a recessive piebald gene in two Yorkshire Terriers. Only difference is colouring.

#Very wary about this in case I select Yorkshire Terrier and when it comes to a claim, it is rejected. Sainsburys does not recognise the Biewer, but LV do. Tesco state that they cannot list every variation of the breed even is it is pedigree?

Our insurer told us to insure our Labradoodle, as a cross breed, Labrador mum , poodle dad. And the small dog as a mixed breed as he was truly a Mongrel.
Cheaper to insure.

 

[Buckman]

Putting down the backstory to our insurance shows the amounts you can claim [with excess of £60] for accidents and emergencies, BUT paying for such things as work on teeth can be expensive but necessary for our older dogs, We understood this when we took out the policy........

Your first post came across as if normal dental work was included in the premium?

 

[Hutch]

Apparently, according to our vet , smaller dogs are more prone to have teeth removed due to bad Hygiene. Our Labradoodle before we had to put him down three years ago, today had perfect teeth.

 

[Buckman]

Apparently, according to our vet , smaller dogs are more prone to have teeth removed due to bad Hygiene. Our Labradoodle before we had to put him down three years ago, today had perfect teeth.

That is correct and also where we have spent the most on our Yorkies no matter whether we brushed their teeth or not. Most small dogs do not seem to like having their teeth brushed.

If we do registered him as a mongrel OH will probably give me and earful plus of course any claim could be rejected due to fraudulently registering the dog as a mongrel. In the EU and US the Biewer is a recognised breed, but not in the UK as Kennel Club sitting on their hands! Both his parents have pedigree papers with Poland kennel club!

 

[Buckman]

All our dogs have been with Pet Plan. At age 9 the premiums increased substantially, the excess doubled and a 35% coinsurance clause added. The last two springers got to 14. One had six big claims for stone removal , the other no claims.
If we have dogs again we will insure for one year and review their health. If all ok we will then self insure.
Without question I can say every claim we made was superbly handled and paid quickly by Pet Plan.
Im surprised Beachball‘s policy paid for teeth cleaning, most exclude it🤔

Have to admit I did not realise the size of the minefield I was walking into looking at pet insurance and that is also checking reviews on Which and other sources. LOL!