Insurance

[mrsh2010]

Who do you have your dog(s) insurance with? I've just got myself a beautiful Black & White Border Collie puppy and want to get her insured

Thank in advance

 

[Tedley]

Hi, mine are insured with direct line which have been great so far (been with them for 4 years now) and they've always been prompt and paid out. The other good one is petplan, they are a bit more pricey but you get what you pay for the service is fast and they are also reliable at paying out. From working in veterinary practice and seeing issues other people have had I would advise you to avoid Animal Friends and E & L as companies. The main thing is whichever company you go with make sure you get a lifetime policy rather than a time limited policy. With a lifetime one if your girl ever develops a lifelong illness they will pay out forever, whereas with a time limited one once a year from when an illness is diagnosed has passed they won't continue to cover it, hope this makes sense!

 

[RaynerK]

Agree with Tedley, Direct Line have been great for my dogs. I have used them for over 10 years and they have paid out thousands of pounds pretty much every year! Make sure you get a Life Time cover policy.
Avoid E and L at all costs.

 

[mrsh2010]

Thank you

 

[wren123]

Another one with Direct Line, had two claims paid out with no trouble. I opt for just third party liability and vets fees which cuts the cost, but I do have the lifetime cover.

 

[LovesCobs]

I'm with John Lewis. vet claim went through fine a few months ago. i'm currently claiming for death
it took me a month to call them (couldn't speak about it for that long). they refunded that month no problem (I didn't ask them to). so I'll see if they pay (didn't take my dog to the vet so it's self cert) and how long it takes and let you know (they have sent me a councelling (sp?) type number in case I need to talk to someone, good idea for those oldies who live alone with their dog I thought.)

 

[chaps89]

Just something to remember with 'lifetime' insurance. There will be policies that give you a monetary limit (say £3k) and a time limit (normally 12 months) and cover for that condition stops when you reach one or the other. However there are then 2 types of 'lifetime' cover. A) will give you a monetary limit (£7k for example) but no time limit so you can spend that money over say 4 years but when the moneys gone thats it and no more cover. B) will give you a monetary limit (eg £4k) but this is renewed on an annual basis do say you spend £4500 one policy year, £500 will have to come out of your pocket but when the policy renews you get a fresh £4000.
Also check if the policy covers things like dental treatment and alternative therapies such as hydrotherapy

 

[LovesCobs]

Just a little update on John Lewis insurance. They paid out within 3 weeks without my dog having been to the vet so just on my say so really and a letter from my neighbour. They were very good throughout, refunded the rest of the payments on my policy even though I didn't ask and it took me over a month to call them about it. That was no problem either. I'll be using them again.

 

[Mince Pie]

Just something to remember with 'lifetime' insurance. There will be policies that give you a monetary limit (say £3k) and a time limit (normally 12 months) and cover for that condition stops when you reach one or the other. However there are then 2 types of 'lifetime' cover. A) will give you a monetary limit (£7k for example) but no time limit so you can spend that money over say 4 years but when the moneys gone thats it and no more cover. B) will give you a monetary limit (eg £4k) but this is renewed on an annual basis do say you spend £4500 one policy year, £500 will have to come out of your pocket but when the policy renews you get a fresh £4000.
Also check if the policy covers things like dental treatment and alternative therapies such as hydrotherapy

I have option B) with Tescos and I think my limit is now something like £7000. They don't pay out 'per condition' so I could claim for the same thing over and over again as long as I don't go over the yearly 'allowance'. They have been utterly brilliant over the last 7 years with my lad, including one huge, complicated claim - dog saw 3 different vets when he had eaten a wooden kebab skewer (took a month to find), one said it was a virus, one thought an abscess had been caused from running through brambles (skewer came out sideways and was pushed back in by the infection) and the third finally opened him up and found the skewer. Took 10 days from me posting the claim on day 1 and the money arriving in my account on day 10. Also, despite paying out ££££'s my premiums haven't gone up much - £20 pcm at the beginning, 7 years ago, and £27 pcm 7 years later.

 

[satinbaze]

I would NOT recommend tesco. Took 6 weeks and 3 phone calls to pay for Lily's GDV surgery (£3500). Cost has tripled once she reached 7 so my monthly bill is £124 for 2 veteran dogs. I will b cancelling once I can sort out something else for lily. Look at "vets medi cover" tiva is with them it's a lifelong policy similar to pet plan but a little cheaper. A friend who has had a lot of allergy problems with her lab says they have been brilliant even paying the vet directly.

 

[LovesCobs]

A friend of mine was with tescos. I was looking after her dog and he slipped his disc paralysed himself and spent the whole 2 weeks they were away in leahurst!! Tesco paid them direct (including an MRI scan)
They did let me look after him again!

 

[Suec04]

i can't possibly advise without seeing pics!!!

love, love, love collies