Pet Insurance

[Sam Vimes]

My daughter wants to get Pet Insurance for her 14mth old Goldendoodle - just in case. She's a single mum so money is limited and we've ruled out the likes of Pet Plan.

Does anyone have any recommendations based upon having made and actual claim? They'll all willingly take your money but how well will they pay out it needed.

On the list at the moment are RSPCA, Equine and Livestock and Petgevity.

Thanks

 

[Mel]

We have been with Pet plan( which became stupidly expensive) and more latterly Animal friends. Not had to claim on either so can’t comment.
My daughter insured her mutt with Petplan and that dog was a vet bill magnet. Ended up with amputed ears and later two separate operations to remove stuff she had eaten as shouldn’t plus a load of treatments for more minor complaints. Petplan paid out without quibble every time and promptly. So, they are expensive but do pay up quickly. But you have to get what you can afford.
Mel

 

[otherclive]

Last May our Sprocker at the age of 18 months had major operation to remove a large obstruction in her stomach. Without it she was on her way out. We had insured her with "insureyourpaws" in July 2023". They accepted the claim for the operation, overnight hosptialsition and post operative care, plus the two weeks of vets investigations prior to the operation were also included. Our vets and the pet hospital were both willing to deal directly with the insurers and progress the claims. All I had to do was start of the claim process and after that it was out of my hands. Cost in the order of £5000+. Yet when the renewal came up in July 2024 hardly any increase.

We went to Insureyour paws as our grandson uses them for his 4 year old Visla, that suffers sensitive skin and epilepsy so has continued medication, and was savaged by a GS and needed surgery. It has also had two skin lesions surgically removed. Again all claims met without quibble via the vets.

Our son uses Petplan for his cats and they are good at claims payment.

Worth having a look. Interesting to see what she chooses.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Thanks both....

She's currently looking at PDSA. Seems reasonable cover similar to the others. The question as always is how good are they at paying out.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks both....

She's currently looking at PDSA. Seems reasonable cover similar to the others. The question as always is how good are they at paying out.

How do the prices map out, as when we insured the dog in July 2023 there was a substantial difference in premiums between the various insurers for similar bands of cover.

 

[Hutch]

We have been with More than pet insurance for our two Mongrels, Rex a Labradoodle, Labrador mum, standard poodle dad, and Harry a Corgi Chiwauwa mix.
Not cheap but extremely well at paying out. Both dogs were insured for £7000 per claim.
When Rex had to be put down due to unknown disease, later suspected to be Canine covid. Xrays blood tests and finally put down and cremation costs were all paid and the previous 6 months insurance costs refunded.
Harry recently had Heart scans etc, all refunded.
We have to pay first £100, and now Harry is over 10 years 20% of the rest of the treatment.
When we told the insurance people what breeds they were the advisor was great.
Rex is NOT a Labradoodle, he is Cross Breed.
Harry, being of unknown heritage, is not Cross breed but a Mixed breed. Cheaper monthly payments. Underwritten by Royal and Sun alliance.

 

[Hutch]

As soon as your dog gets to 10 years old your premiums can double.
Next dog, if it's a pup, have it's teeth insured, we have paid out over £1800 on dental treatment for the small dog, not cover for teeth unless accidents.

 

[otherclive]

Our last two Springers were insured from puppyhood with Sainsbury’s. It cost £25 for the two in year 1. The renewal price doubled to £50 for year two. I asked why the big increase when there had been no claims. I was told “ it’s because of the breed”, no answer when I queried that as the breed had not changed. We stopped insurance then and decided to cover them ourselves for the next 14+ years.

 

[borderbilly]

I use to insure mine, but stopped after receiving just a pittance for a claim. What i do now is put £10 a week by just in case, and if i dont need it , its all mine.

 

[Hutch]

I use to insure mine, but stopped after receiving just a pittance for a claim. What i do now is put £10 a week by just in case, and if i dont need it , its all mine.

With the couple of times my old fellow has gone to the vet for tooth problems , That's about right. We also pay £15 a month to our vet for a vaccination Flea and worming treatment and a 15% discounts on vets fees,

 

[Sam Vimes]

How do the prices map out, as when we insured the dog in July 2023 there was a substantial difference in premiums between the various insurers for similar bands of cover.

Prices are all over the place. Ranging from per month, £13 to £50 for very similar cover.

The idea of putting money away each month was also suggested to her by the breeder.

 

[Beardy]

I am convinced that vet fees more than double if your pet is insured. Have you noticed that when you ask how much an operation or course of treatment is going to cost they ask if your pet is insured before giving you a figure?

My last dog had 9 teeth extracted and the tatar buildup on the rest removed. It cost somewhere around £350 which i didn't think was too bad considering it costs £75 per tooth on the NHS.
(I should add that she was 15 at the time so the vet removed a quite a few that he thought wouldn't last more than a couple of years to prevent her having to go through another anesthetic / operation to remove them at a later date.)

 

[otherclive]

I am convinced that vet fees more than double if your pet is insured. Have you noticed that when you ask how much an operation or course of treatment is going to cost they ask if your pet is insured before giving you a figure?

My last dog had 9 teeth extracted and the tatar buildup on the rest removed. It cost somewhere around £350 which i didn't think was too bad considering it costs £75 per tooth on the NHS.
(I should add that she was 15 at the time so the vet removed a quite a few that he thought wouldn't last more than a couple of years to prevent her having to go through another anesthetic / operation to remove them at a later date.)

Under Band 2 you can have more than one tooth extracted for the single payment of £75.30 as long as they are done within two months of the initial assessment.

 

[Fraseb01]

Hi All, I have our 2 cockers insured with pet plan, yes, it is expensive, and I was just considering looking elsewhere but before I got the chance to move we had a vet appointment regarding her eyes and now we are 8 weeks into treatment and over 3 grand in bills so far but to be fair they have paid out with no issues at all so far.

 

[Beachball]

We also use to insure ours with Asda pet insurance at the start but he coming up to his 12th birthday in June and like someone else he needs his teeth checked but we have been putting some money a side just in case .

 

[Beardy]

Under Band 2 you can have more than one tooth extracted for the single payment of £75.30 as long as they are done within two months of the initial assessment.

Didn't know that,