Insuring an older dog

[LadyGascoyne]

Does anyone have any recommendations for insuring a 9 year old border collie?

We've just had his first ever medical emergency (stomach issue, cause still unknown) and the insurance company who have insured him for the last five years won't cover him for medical due to his age.

Apparently it's a common clause that most insurance companies have at this age. We've always had him fully insured so we'd like to find some way of continuing that.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

FYI, he's 10 in October, and we're in Oxfordshire.

 

[Clodagh]

I am sure you will be able to find cover but it might cost so much that you will have to decide if it is cost effective. I am with Agria, it may be worth trying them. If you phone them, rather than online you may stand a better chance.
Trouble is, an unknown stomach issue probably does mean they will exclude all internal organs and bloods.

 

[TheresaW]

Aled is insured with Tesco. He’s 12 now, and the premiums went up a lot at last renewal. We made the decision with OH’s cousins (Aled was their late Dads dog), to just insure for accident/injury now, as unlikely we’d put him through anything major treatment wise. It also keeps up liability cover.

 

[cbmcts]

I'm a huge fan of insurance having learnt the hard way to the extent of £12k with one uninsured dog and having claimed nearly £4k since December with current dog but having looked into insuring an 8yo rescue I'm not sure I would bother. Affordable premiums (under £50 pm for a JRT) meant that there was minimal cover with a 20% copay and even when the premium nearly doubled the cover was still very limited. Remember also that you will not be covered for anything that the dog has seen a vet for in the past ie even if you get a diagnosis for this stomach issue, all gastric issues will be excluded.

I decided in the end that even though 8 was 'young' for a terrier to not to insure. He was unlikely to need the scarily expensive orthopedic surgery if he had got to his age sound and with what I saved on premiums I could afford a few smaller vet bills. I lost him to liver cancer at 14. At that point he was at an age where I wouldn't have put him through invasive treatment so the palliative care in his last year probably added up to about £1k...a lot less than insuring him would have cost and any other vet bills in the previous years were minor.

Current dog, younger and a giant breed was insured the day I agreed to take him with the Co Op - same underwriter as Pet Plan but literally 25% of the price! A couple of small claims in the first year and the premium rose by £5 pm ( basically the 20% discount I got for buying online) on renewal. This year with no problems I have claimed for Xrays, ten ton of meds, a MRI, countless consultations for hip pain that now is looking like auto immune disease so it will be interesting to see what the renewal will be in November but I will have to pay whatever it costs as if I move insurer he will not be covered for hips, ears, respiratory and now auto immune disease...

 

[dingle12]

The only insurance I’ve found for an old dog is animal friends, they insured my older dog he was 15 when I took it out and they payed when he died. My terrier is now 8and I’ve always been with more than but the prices got silly I’ve rang everywhere and again silly prices. I’ve now gone back to animal friends x

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Tesco would probably take him on but tbh, personally at that age I only insure for accident and liability. They will want to exclude anything he's had treatment for (sometimes, depending on what it is they may only exclude for a year or two but thats unlikely in this case). And they may well have very reasonable premiums until you renew next year-even if you don't claim.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

He's only ever had treatment for this, and the vet suspects that its a bug that he's picked up. Would something like that be able to incur exclusions?

It's the first time I've had to think of him as an "older dog" so that's been quite a strange realisation. He's so fit and energetic, and very puppy-ish.

He's home now and very subdued. Just so glad to have him back, the house is awfully empty without him.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

He's only ever had treatment for this, and the vet suspects that its a bug that he's picked up. Would something like that be able to incur exclusions?

well, when I wanted to swap Quarrie from his insurers to Pet Plan when he was 12 months, they wanted to exclude GI problems for a year (after treatment) because he'd had a bout of diarrhoea as a pup and anal glands for two years. so its likely, yes. he is an old dog in dog terms so even if you do successfully swap, be prepared for premiums to go up sharply next year-its the same for all of them once they reach a certain age, used to be 7/8yo but often seems to be 10 or 12 now.

 

[satinbaze]

LOok at “lifetime pet cover” they will insure oldies. Lily is nearly 12 and I pay £44 per month for a £10 000 lifetime policy. The excess is £90 and because of her age I pay the first 10%. They are very prompt at paying out and no quibbles. Last year Lily had a pyo and my bill was paid within 5 days of the claim.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Thanks everyone, lots of research to keep me busy this week.

Our last collie was 17 when he went so I'm hoping we have a lot more time with our boy, and being potentially uninsured for medical for what could be nearly half his life is quite concerning. Good to know that others have found options.