Insurance is it worth it?

[pistolpete]

Dogs insurance has gone up to 50 a month she’s a fit healthy six year old Lurcher. I just don’t know what to do. She was rn over as a one year old so reckon she may need pain meds as a teenager which I know can be costly. What is everyone paying for pain meds these days? I know libra is mega expensive. I do have savings but on pensions now so not as flush! Pros and cons please. Thanks for any replies.

 

[MurphysMinder]

This is a very difficult one to answer, and a dilemma many of us are facing. My youngest dog had surgery on a leg as a puppy, has had ongoing physiotherapy ever since, and last week had to have x rays on another leg, all of this has been paid by insurance. They pay out more each month for the physio than I pay in premium so it is a no brainer, I'm just waiting for them to realise and hike the premiums. We were considering cancelling the 13 year olds insurance which had gone up to £85 a month, but just recently he has been diagnosed with Kidney disease, and has an intermittent lameness which needs investigating. We are going to get all necessary tests done before renewal and then decide whether to continue.
I think in your shoes I would keep your lurcher covered given her history, the alternative would be to put the £50 away each month but in all honesty you wouldn't get a huge amount of treatment for £600 nowadays.

 

[blackcob]

I claimed significantly more than I ever paid out in premiums for dogs one and two, but in nearly six years have never made a claim for dog three. It really is swings and roundabouts as to whether you opt for insurance or for a savings pot - with the caveat that the latter needs to be a lot bigger than people often assume, these days.

Full complement of pain meds for elderly dog was costing nearly £300/month and this was a few years ago now.

 

[Landcruiser]

From a vet receptionist perspective, I've always insured my own dogs and I've seen too many heartbreaking cases of people not being able to afford the treatment their uninsured pet needs. You are paying for peace of mind as well as the actual costs of treatment. My old dog costs £££ every month in insurance but is on Librella now (which would be substantially more than his premium). And tomorrow he's being admitted for a GA for a Rhinoscopy for s suspected FB up his nose, which may need a CT scan if they can't find it. Could be looking at a couple of grand I should think.
I'd say that unless you have very deep pockets or self insure to a high level, then keeping up your pet insurance is quite a high priority.

 

[pistolpete]

From a vet receptionist perspective, I've always insured my own dogs and I've seen too many heartbreaking cases of people not being able to afford the treatment their uninsured pet needs. You are paying for peace of mind as well as the actual costs of treatment. My old dog costs £££ every month in insurance but is on Librella now (which would be substantially more than his premium). And tomorrow he's being admitted for a GA for a Rhinoscopy for s suspected FB up his nose, which may need a CT scan if they can't find it. Could be looking at a couple of grand I should think.
I'd say that unless you have very deep pockets or self insure to a high level, then keeping up your pet insurance is quite a high priority.

I hear you. I too worked as a vets receptionist for a while. It’s so sad when it comes to money or pet! Just wish it wasn’t so expensive! My vets also charge £24 to fill in a claim so anything under £200 isn’t worth claiming!

 

[Clodagh]

None of mine are insured. They were when younger. I hope they stay well!

 

[SkylarkAscending]

I’ve never insured any of mine because I had 4 dogs at a time and the premiums were prohibitive. I’m now down to two fit and healthy JRTs - aged 3 and 4 currently - I have no plans to insure, probably because I’m used to managing possible vets bills in other ways.

Its a very personal choice i understand, but even when I had horses I found the benefit of insurance rarely outweighed the cost of the premiums

 

[paddy555]

I don't insure the horses but now I would never not insure a dog. Times have changed and small animal treatment costs are out of this world. You could end up at the vet next week with a bill of 3k perhaps more if the dog got run over say. Could you (or would you want to) afford it? 5k? that seems to buy you little at a vet's nowadays.

Pro's are £24 to fill in a claim plus the excess isn't that expensive and most people could afford it then you can have whatever your dog needs. Cons are if you haven't got sufficient funds for a very large vet's bill you may lose the dog. Then, for me at least, would be the guilt factor of not saving him.
would it matter if your savings were wiped out?

as MM says a very difficult decision with no correct answer and ultimately very much the luck of the draw.

 

[Bellaboo18]

Insurance companies are obviously businesses and therefore make a profit so if you can afford not to insure then don't *but* if you've not got access to significant funds, I think it's a pet owners responsibility to insure.

I don't insure.

 

[pistolpete]

Insurance companies are obviously businesses and therefore make a profit so if you can afford not to insure then don't *but* if you've not got access to significant funds, I think it's a pet owners responsibility to insure.

I don't insure.

Are you in the significant funds camp then? Hope so. . I’ll or ably just keep paying. Just irks me that they put it up every year!

 

[Bellaboo18]

Are you in the significant funds camp then? Hope so. . I’ll or ably just keep paying. Just irks me that they put it up every year!

Luckily we are (due to an inheritance). I added the 'i don't insure' bit so you could do a tally of for and against
Completely understand the annoyance but I just wouldn't risk it x

 

[maya2008]

I would always insure when young, when they’re likely to do silly things and have accidents. I usually stop insuring at the point where I would pts if anything significant occurred. We stopped our dog’s insurance when she was 14. Premiums were something like £120 a month, she was otherwise healthy but old: cataracts, a bit deaf, a bit creaky. She’s on joint supplements and can still jump on and off the sofa (JRT so quite some distance for her!).

 

[wren123]

We cancelled ours when our dog was, I think 11, and the renewal was £125. We discussed it with our vet and he agreed it was sensible as at that age, as a labrador, we wouldn't undergo any big operations and we did have the funds.

Unless you have the funds to cover big bills then I'd insure at your dogs age. A friend cancelled their insurance and the dog did it's ACL the next month.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I insured my current two for their first couple of years. Claimed for Maddie when she had a badly infected paw. She was with 'Bought By Many' and they were brilliant, premium only went up by a tiny amount. Once they got bought out and became 'Many Pets' there was a big hike in the cost and I stopped insuring. As a pensioner I can only fund insurance out of my savings so might as well leave it in my savings and hope for the best. I wouldn't do anything massively invasive anyway so fingers crossed could afford it. Hope I haven't jinxed myself.

 

[Morwenna]

Mine is insured. I hope I never need it but I don’t have access to large sums of money should I need them and it just takes that worry away should anything happen. It was a bit of a shock when my premium went up 26% this year though (never made a claim and have lifetime cover).

 

[teacups]

Dogs insurance has gone up to 50 a month she’s a fit healthy six year old Lurcher. I just don’t know what to do. She was rn over as a one year old so reckon she may need pain meds as a teenager which I know can be costly. What is everyone paying for pain meds these days? I know libra is mega expensive. I do have savings but on pensions now so not as flush! Pros and cons please. Thanks for any replies.

At one vet near me librela is £50 per monthly injection; at another it is £90. Rural Yorkshire.

 

[Dobiegirl]

All mine have been Insured until they reach 13 then I think you suck it up or if its a big op would you really want to put your dog through that when they are so old.

 

[JBM]

I never insure any of mine
I have 6
Just take the bills as they come
Always have savings for emergencies.

 

[Love]

I agree with others in that you will always get a pretty even split between those who do and those who don't insure, both with very good reasons for and against.

Personally, I always would insure - the same with horse insurance. We only have one of each which means it is feasible however - if we had more and the premiums were outweighing the benefit that may be different. I am also quite risk averse when it comes to things like this. My husband works in insurance (not pet/animal) so knows what to look for in terms of good cover, value for money etc so he deals with finding the best cover for us. We made sure to get lifetime cover for purdey too which yes we pay more for but would rather have the peace of mind.

As an aside, my best friend is a small animal vet and advised us to go for the highest vet fee cover we could afford. She has seen how quickly small animal vet fees have risen in the (not overly long) time she has been qualified and how quickly the costs add up, especially after referral etc.

 

[Dobiegirl]

Has anyone else noticed that premiums have gone up but not the cover? I think that is a real con because if you want higher cover then its even more higher premiums.

 

[paisley]

Dogs insurance has gone up to 50 a month she’s a fit healthy six year old Lurcher. I just don’t know what to do. She was rn over as a one year old so reckon she may need pain meds as a teenager which I know can be costly. What is everyone paying for pain meds these days? I know libra is mega expensive. I do have savings but on pensions now so not as flush! Pros and cons please. Thanks for any replies.

Lurchers and other pointy nosed self harming speed devils need insurance above all other dogs!
In all honesty, mine is on pain relief (14.5yrs old), but I started him on full dose, then gradually reduced to a 'maintenance' level, as is best for him. Mostly for possible impact on his liver, but also to be increased if needed. It makes the cost okay and I like to have the option of the extra.
You could look into a 'pet club' at your vets, mine reduce medication by about 20% plus other stuff. And always shop around for insurance and for prescribed medication- for about £24 I got a script that took about £80 off his heart stuff using an online company.

 

[Jenko109]

My insurances have paid out probably close to 25k for my animals I should think?

Whippet broke her leg - specialist referral with metalwork to fix, plus hydro - around £3.5k in total.

Whippet had an undiagnosable neurological condition plus a thyroid tumour. Insurance paid out £8k in total across the two conditions.

Current whippet had SRMA as a puppy. MRI, spinal tap, hospitalisation, drugs etc. Was about £3.5k all in.

Cat got hit by a car. Spinal surgery and stay in hospital for a week or so. Think his was about £4k. He was only about 2 at the time and is still ticking along now at 13.

Current whippet has an enlarged lymph node. Has cost £500 so far, however will need biopsy/possible removal/who knows what so am expecting at least another £1k on top of this. At the very least.

Lurcher had a hystiocytoma as a youngster. Think it was about £400 to remove and test.

My collie x GSD injured herself on a tree branch. Needing stitching up and a drain. Think that was about £600.

My collie x GSD had some cystys tested which again was a few hundred.

Then there have been a few smaller ones which I don't remember the cost. My late collie x had alopecia which was investigated and also had a period of lameness which again was investigated. Insurance paid for all of that too.


I would always personally insure.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I think it’s a very individual choice. I know I could find money if I needed too, however it would be a struggle and involve credit cards etc so I feel more comfortable having my two insured just incase.
They are both young, 3 and 1 so the policies aren’t expensive yet, especially Cecil’s as he’s tiny.
It just gives me peace of mind.