Insurance when you have multiple dogs

[Laura2408]

At what point have you decided that insurance is just too much?
Or do you insure all animals despite the cost?
If you don’t insure what do you have in place. Savings/credit cards etc
Do you still have 3rd party if not vets bills?

Ive got 3 and my policies are renewing this year at close to £200/month. I have shopped around and managed to get £3000 yearly cover but the yearly premium is still £1000 so technically only £2k cover!

Cancelling seems so risky though, any thoughts?

 

[blackcob]

My monthly premium for three is well over £200 now. I had considered cancelling when the older ones reached 10, on the basis that I wouldn’t consider undertaking anything drastic or heroic at that age and also have a savings pot now, but am very glad I am a terrible procrastinator as both have incurred new ‘routine’ costs since then. In fact despite a generous staff discount I am still just about quids in continuing to pay the premiums instead of the bills and that also gives me the reassurance of another 7k per dog in the pot should I need it, if you see what I mean.

Should that balance tip back in the insurer’s favour after the next renewal I would consider cancelling, but would absolutely take out separate third party cover in that situation.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have three non insured .
Its too expensive it’s better to carry the risk yourself .

 

[Odyssey]

I realised with my last dog that having full insurance cover for the others had basically been a waste of money, particularly when it got a lot more expensive when they were old. Having said that, my oh was comfortably off, so paying vets bills wasn't a problem.

When I got my last dog, I discovered that Tesco, who I've always insured my dogs with, do a basic policy that covers third party, accident and illness but not injury, and this is what I now have. It only costs £10 a month, and gives me peace of mind for a small outlay. I do have back up if he needs treatment for illness, though. I have greyhounds which are generally a healthy breed, and claimed far more for injuries than illness over the years. One of them was extremely accident prone, and they do get injured easily as their bones and skin are more fragile than that of other breeds.

 

[Laura2408]

So far I’ve had 5 dogs (now have 3 othersand have managed all of them into old age without too many issues. Saying that I have never gone down the route of invasive treatments/referal type stuff.

If the amount covered was more than £3k then I would be more than happy to pay, but spending £1k per year to have 2k cover stings a bit!

It feels risky not to have it but I do have access to a credit card if required!

 

[Annette4]

With the sports mine do, I'm not willing to risk not having them insured....I also have the added complication of most insurance not covering flyball so I'm limited on providers.

When they retire I'll reconsider but I'm likely to still have some kind of cover.

 

[Michen]

Have a look at insurance emporium. I have all my animals (2 horses, dog, cat) with them and pay less than 150 a month.

 

[Mynstrel]

Dog trust membership gives 3rd party insurance, we put away into their own bank account and if all else fails credit card. We've not insured for a long time.

 

[cbmcts]

Until recently I've always had multiple animals with some insured, some not mainly depending on breed. Little dogs, usually JRT types didn't get insured and over the years I was quid's in but most them arrived as middle aged, basically healthy dogs who only cost a bit in vets fees in their last years. My big dogs, rotts and rott crosses are insured with reputable companies after one dog cost me over £12k just at referral vets - so not including the day to day stuff, diagnosis and follow ups - over his 8 and half years.

Over the past 4 years, with 3 dogs I have claimed nearly 20K with premiums of totalling less than £2k. I've just had my renewal from BBM which has increased by £22 a month to £73 but there is an ongoing claim of £120 every month for meds so still very worth it. While not broke, I don't have large savings so all those bills would have been on a credit card. I was still paying off the dogs vet bills 3 years after he died in the first example...But I have paid £10 a month for 6 years for the cat without ever claiming. She's an old girl now so still insured but at a lower limit now as I wouldn't put her through any heroic efforts at this point. The insurance company has won there

There are so many expensive options now for animals that weren't there 20 years ago. Even ongoing meds are so much money and of course, a large dogs ups the treatment cost too. Let's not even talk about the inherent health issues in so many breeds but unless I had many thousands spare and in the bank, I wouldn't be comfortable without insurance. Maybe if I didn't have rescues of not fantastically healthy breed I'd feel differently.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We have never insured dogs or cats, except for their first year. I usually think that if they get through that unscathed, they will be ok (barring accidents) for the majority of their lives. We are paying for meds for the Rottweiler atm but although not cheap, they certainly won't cost what insurance would have done for the whole of her life.

 

[meleeka]

My two aren’t insured. I have a credit card with zero balance if needed.

If you pay premiums over the course of a dogs life, you are very unlikely to be getting your money’s worth imo. I appreciate bills rise quickly, but i’ve found my dogs only have necessary investigations/treatment rather than “well you are insured so let’s do that”. For me it would never be about cost, but I like having a choice what I’d put them through.

 

[dogatemysalad]

My two aren’t insured. I have a credit card with zero balance if needed.

If you pay premiums over the course of a dogs life, you are very unlikely to be getting your money’s worth imo. I appreciate bills rise quickly, but i’ve found my dogs only have necessary investigations/treatment rather than “well you are insured so let’s do that”. For me it would never be about cost, but I like having a choice what I’d put them through.

Exactly this. I have more control over my animals than I would if they were insured. Minor ailments are treated without worrying that it will incur unfair exemptions and I talk to the vet about what investigations are in the animals best interests.
Over the years of having multiple dogs, cats, small animals and horses, I've saved hundreds of thousands of pounds and never had a vets bill that was horrendous.
However, I do have a credit card in case of an absolute emergency.

 

[Moobli]

My two GSDs are insured with Bought by Many. The sheepdogs aren’t insured as it’s practically impossible to get insurance for working dogs. If they are injured through work though the Estate will pay part or all the vet fees so that helps. We do have savings set aside just in case though.

 

[DoraShade]

I don't have better experience about a better insurance so far. I would like to choose a new one for my dog. Can you please help me?

 

[L&M]

We have 3 - they all have an 'accident and injury' policy which also includes 3rd party insurance - works out at around £9 pcm per dog. Done through Tesco and never so have no idea how good they are at paying out, but imagine 'accident and injury' is pretty cut and dried.

We have savings to cover vets fees but my fear is one of them being hit by a car, or some other traumatic injury, so at least they are covered for these types of incidents. We can only claim for £3000 per injury but at least gives us some peace of mind.

 

[Odyssey]

I realised with my last dog that having full insurance cover for the others had basically been a waste of money, particularly when it got a lot more expensive when they were old. Having said that, my oh was comfortably off, so paying vets bills wasn't a problem.

When I got my last dog, I discovered that Tesco, who I've always insured my dogs with, do a basic policy that covers third party, accident and illness but not injury, and this is what I now have. It only costs £10 a month, and gives me peace of mind for a small outlay. I do have back up if he needs treatment for illness, though. I have greyhounds which are generally a healthy breed, and claimed far more for injuries than illness over the years. One of them was extremely accident prone, and they do get injured easily as their bones and skin are more fragile than that of other breeds.

Sorry, I've just re-read this and obviously it should have said that it covers accident and injury, but not illness! It's glaringly obvious to me now. ?

 

[Odyssey]

We have 3 - they all have an 'accident and injury' policy which also includes 3rd party insurance - works out at around £9 pcm per dog. Done through Tesco and never so have no idea how good they are at paying out, but imagine 'accident and injury' is pretty cut and dried.

We have savings to cover vets fees but my fear is one of them being hit by a car, or some other traumatic injury, so at least they are covered for these types of incidents. We can only claim for £3000 per injury but at least gives us some peace of mind.

I've insured all my dogs with them, over about 20 years. I have this policy for my current dog, 3 of mine had full cover including illness. I've always found that they're good at paying out, though it was around a 3 week wait, which wasn't a problem. They paid out on the basic accident and injury policy when my last dog ate some dark chocolate, and needed to go to the vets, which I thought was very fair of them. It could have been prevented, if my OH at the time hadn't left the chocolate within the dogs reach!

 

[L&M]

I've insured all my dogs with them, over about 20 years. I have this policy for my current dog, 3 of mine had full cover including illness. I've always found that they're good at paying out, though it was around a 3 week wait, which wasn't a problem. They paid out on the basic accident and injury policy when my last dog ate some dark chocolate, and needed to go to the vets, which I thought was very fair of them. It could have been prevented, if my OH at the time hadn't left the chocolate within the dogs reach!

Thanks, that's good to know!