Insurance renewal pain

L

LHIS

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 April 2015
Messages
1,784
Location
East Lancashire
Visit site
My pet insurance is due for renewal, we made a claim 2/3 years ago to over a knee op my pooch required (luxating patella) and they paid up. I knew this would have an impact on my insurance, but my premiums are inching up and up.
I received my renewal letter yesterday - £50/month now! (Previously £35)

Pooch is a Patterdale terrier, nearly 7 years old, we're with Direct Line. Hardy little dog, not much goes wrong with her (mostly self-inflicted).

I've not made a claim since the knee op. I'm aware if I don't renew she is then not covered for that 'pre-existing' condition. There is a good chance she will develop arthritis in the leg in time.

I'd like to know what others would do - renew or cancel and risk it? We have the money at the moment to stump any vets bills that could arise, but I can't predict if the same would be true further down the line.

Advice please..x
 
I fyou can lay your hands on a couple of thousand reliably if anything untoward should happen, don't insure. If you can't then do.
 
I've just changed Lily's insurance from tesco to "lifetime pet cover" tesco wanted £94 per month for only £4000 cover, not good value if you ask me. So lifetime pet cover is £35 per month for £10000 per annum cover. They also have no problem with lily being 9 years old. Reading their Ts&Cs they will cover pre existing conditions provided there have been no claims for it in the past 2 years.
Worth a look
 
I have an old dog which has three ongoing conditions my yearly amount is £1,400 but each year they have paid out over £3,000 on drugs and treatments.

I know have a 3 year old very healthy dog and the same insurance company wanted £92 per month for £4,000 cover on a for life policy. I also had to have the dogs eyes tested that cost me £101.

I have my Land Rover and my horses with this insurance company NFU.

Due to the large premium quoted by the NFU I have decided to insure my new dog with Pet Plan. £35 a month on a £4,000 cover for life.
 
My dog had the same op when he was about 2. He's 8 now. He's a small crossbreed and his insurance gradually crept up from under £10 a month to over £15. I was insured with Tesco at the time and to save money I dropped from premium to standard cover, and they still covered the leg as the first policy had been lifetime cover. Last year the price shot up again and in the end I decided to cancel and start a new policy. And I've just done the same again this year.

The original op cost around £1000, there was always a chance he might need the other leg doing, so I work on the basis that both legs are likely to be seen as pre existing and excluded from cover.

If I'd stayed with the original policy then I reckon I'd have been paying around £300 a year more than I am now. I'm comfortable in the knowledge that I have cover for any new conditions or injuries that may arise, and what I've saved by not automatically renewing over the last few years would cover the cost of the op again.

Maybe have a chat with your vet to see 'if' she developed arthritis in the leg, what the treatment and cost would be if this is your biggest consideration?
 
Thank you - I hadn't considered asking our vet. We've actually just switched following moving so I think I might ask our old vet who did the leg what the implications of arthritis would be. Might also ask current vet to X-ray the leg (if that shows arthritic nodules? I believe it presents as a bumpy looking end to the joints?) as she can get a bit of a limp if she has a long walk or really good run.
 
My absolute priority is her well being though, and if that's sticking with the expensive policy then so be it. I hope she will have a good 7/8 more years yet (get upset just thinking about it!) so I want her fit and well :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top