Dog Insurance

Author
Discussion

nice1two

Original Poster:

328 posts

205 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
Having picked up a new puppy on Saturday, am looking at pet insurance for her. Does anyone have any recommendations or firms to definitely avoid!

Pothole

34,367 posts

288 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
I think we're with MoreThan. I went through Topcashback and got £60 back

makaveli144

378 posts

145 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
I'm with animal friends. I have successfully claimed through them too with no problems

louiebaby

10,651 posts

197 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
My friend is a Vet, and recommended PetPlan, citing them as easy to deal with on the Vet side, and less claim problems for owners.

We had no problems with a claim a month into puppy ownership for removing a silicon cupcake case that was gobbled up.

Interesting to read the experiences of others too...

dhutch

15,035 posts

203 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
Watching with interest. We are 'self insuring' for our collie greyhound lurcher, ie dont have insurance.

There are pros and cons, but certainly if I was insuring I would be going with a company known to be painless when paying out, rather than the base lime cheapest.

No point in putting x per month in and then not being able to get it out when you need it!



Daniel

Stedman

7,277 posts

198 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
My parents have used M+S and had one or two big claims and they were ace

Workaholic

5 posts

80 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
We’ve had no issues at all with direct line, our 13 year old retriever has had 3 big claims and an expensive on going condition and they’ve always paid up

FerdiZ28

1,355 posts

140 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
When we had Dr.Mambo (westie) we got a good deal through Morethan.

43 quid a year, fully comprehensive with a courtesy weimaraner and breakdown. Others for a similar price were TPF&T only, which is another worry you don't need.

Would reccomend.

moorx

3,775 posts

120 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
I would always go with Pet Plan. No issues with them paying out for our two whippets. Not the cheapest, but the best as far as I'm concerned.

Whatever you go for, make sure you choose lifetime cover and go for the highest level of cover you can afford.

TheD

3,136 posts

205 months

Monday 3rd December 2018
quotequote all
Great idea at the start. Started at £10 a month and kept going up. I expected that. He turned 8 and it went from £60 a month to £116 with a take it or leave it. Nobody else will take you on at that age and especially if you have had a claim. He turns 12 next month and we have saved a few thousand in the bank for him just in case.

Batleyred

689 posts

125 months

Tuesday 4th December 2018
quotequote all
Animal friends id suggest. Claimed twice and was over 5k plus both times and payed with no quibble.

CardinalFang

657 posts

174 months

Wednesday 5th December 2018
quotequote all
Animal Friends for us too. 100% recommended.

Only issue we've ever had was them refusing to cover our old dog for any issues relating to her digestion, but to be fair to them, that was after around 6 years of problems (recurring pancreatitis, gastro enteritis & more), by which time our claims were well into 5 figures. (I'd guess around £15k by the end). Fair enough I thought - it wouldve been impossible for us to transfer cover even halfway through that period. In that time, they never quibbled any other claims & were very generous in terms of the specialist/experimental care & treatments they funded for her rmultitude of other problems (mast tumours, arthritis, heart murmur, blindness..the list goes on!) & regular wear & tear.

CF

Equus

16,980 posts

107 months

Wednesday 5th December 2018
quotequote all
Out of interest, does anyone have any experience of getting insurance where the dog's age is unknown?

One of my Pointers is a rescue, from Spain, and we're not entirely sure of her age... vet has said she is very difficult to put an age to, and could be anything between two or three and a fit 7 or 8.

She has a mental age of about 9 months, but I'm not sure that makes any difference...

dhutch

15,035 posts

203 months

Wednesday 5th December 2018
quotequote all
Equus said:
Out of interest, does anyone have any experience of getting insurance where the dog's age is unknown?

One of my Pointers is a rescue, from Spain...
Cant say I have, I guess you can just ring round and try? Vets recommendations?

Our rescue is from the UK can came with a medical record card which has a year of birth on it which we have the understand to be true, and puts him an year younger than we belied which is nice, however its wont always be like that.

On the other side, has anyone got any brand to avoid? Claims no paid, nightmare to get through to, etc?


Daniel

P700DEE

1,137 posts

236 months

Wednesday 5th December 2018
quotequote all
Go with a lifetime policy, avoid cheaper annual policies which only cover you once. Many issues can re-occur and you don't want to be trying to prove that a problem is on going and not a new event and if for example your dog swallows balls, the second time they have to operate you are not covered.

moorx

3,775 posts

120 months

Wednesday 5th December 2018
quotequote all
Equus said:
Out of interest, does anyone have any experience of getting insurance where the dog's age is unknown?

One of my Pointers is a rescue, from Spain, and we're not entirely sure of her age... vet has said she is very difficult to put an age to, and could be anything between two or three and a fit 7 or 8.

She has a mental age of about 9 months, but I'm not sure that makes any difference...
Yes, I've insured several dogs where their age was unknown (and in some cases their medical history was unknown). I just went with whatever the rescue/vet estimated their age to be and was upfront with the insurance company that they were a rescue with unknown background. Never had an issue.

PAULJ5555

3,554 posts

182 months

Thursday 3rd January 2019
quotequote all
Stedman said:
My parents have used M+S and had one or two big claims and they were ace
Was with M&S 10 years ago paying £10 a month, dog had a bald patch and a few trips to the vets and treatment sorted it out. Over the next 6 years the monthly fee rose to £45 a month. We felt trapped because if you change insurer they dont cover pre existing conditions.