Insurance help

A

alex_mac30

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 May 2008
Messages
358
Location
Kent
Visit site
We are getting a puppy in a couple of weeks and I have no idea about dog insurance. Can anyone suggest a good company and also are there different levels of cover like horse insurance. Is it worth getting dog insurance, is it like horse insurance where you might be better off putting the money aside instead, do you get/need public liability?
Thanks
M
 
I've always insured my dog with Tesco. I got him as a rescue at a year old and for the first few years he cost me less than £10 a month (he's a small crossbreed). That was with Tesco's premium policy that insures per condition for life. As time went on, the premiums went up to almost double so I dropped down to their standard policy which only covers a condition for a year. I cant remember what the limit is on vet bills but so far it's been more than sufficient for what I've needed. In the 6years I've had him, he's had surgery for luxating patella, xrays and treatment for what they thought was an internal obstruction, and surgery to remove a lump. So from my point of view, I have claimed back far more than I have paid out and I'm very grateful for his insurance.

Tesco's have always been excellent - they've paid me promptly, they've got very good communication (they text to acknowledge receipt of a claim, text to give you an update and then text again when it's paid).

There are loads of different types of insurance so it's really hard to compare. I just looked for a low excess, a decent cover of vet bills and good reviews of the company as I think there are several out there that just aren't worth wasting money with.

Good luck with the puppy!
 
It really depends on what you need.
There are 3 main types of insurance;
Life Cover - that will continue to pay out as long as you pay the premiums. Usually has a limit per year ie 4k/7k/12k but resets to the full amount every new policy year. The absolute gold standard insurance and obviously the most expensive!
Per condition cover - that will pay out for each condition up to a £££ limit. This could be within one policy year or over many years. However, when you hit the limit for that condition (or anything related to it) you will no longer have cover for it but will still be covered for other ailments or accidents. Not especially cheap and while it will cover the animal well for one off ops or accidents, the cover doesn't last long for chronic conditions like diabetes or arthritis for instance.
Year cover - like horse insurance. Each illness/claim is covered for 12 months from inception. That's it. Most horse people are quite used to this type of insurance and it is a lot cheaper than life cover so quite a good option as long as you are aware of how it works.

You can get things like accident only insurance but for the money, it's not much IMO.

Obviously, you need to chose carefully now as you can't move every year like car or house insurance. Well you can until you make your first claim :) but remember that, just like any insurers that they will go over your pets vet history with a fine tooth comb to avoid paying a claim if they can link it to something that occurred before you took out a policy with them - I've heard of claims for respiratory problems being refused 5 years after an animal had treatment for a cough that was probably caused by a grass seed and TPLO surgery not paid for because the dog was seen by a vet lame in the distant past.

There are loads of companies about. Many of the high street 'brands' like Tesco, Argos etc have underwriters that can and do change with the resultant change in T&Cs which could cause issues in the future. They also tend to hike premiums once you make a claim and are then trapped with them as you won't get cover for pre existing conditions elsewhere. A few like Animal Friends and whatever E&L call their pet insurance arm these days have really bad reviews. PetPlan are the gold standard and underwrite themselves, not the cheapest to start off but don't seem to hike premiums along with claims and have a fabulous reputation for customer service.

One of the best ways to find out about insurers current practices is to ask a few vet practices which insurers they are happy to do direct claims with. Vets are not allowed to recommend insurers directly but the answer to that question will tell you who to avoid at least! Then get some quotes and google potential *insurers name* reviews...

What breed is your puppy? If it's one that is prone to joint or congenital conditions I think I'd go straight to PetPlan and pay whatever they wanted just for peace of mind. I wish I had done that for my frighteningly expensive Rottie!
 
Thanks for the replies, we are getting a husky. Its such a mine field, i was hoping it would be easier than horse insurance but it seems not. I will start looking around
M
 
Pup should come with 4 or 5 weeks insurance to give you chance to shop around.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top