Petplan Veteran Insurance

[dianchi]

Hi Guys,

Looking at the Petplan Veteran Insurance, Does anyone have/had this? On the face of it looks pretty good, I wouldn't put her through any surgery so I think the £1k vets fees is fine.
However if struggling on the "illness" term.

They define it as- Sickness, disease and any change(s) to your horse’s normal healthy physical state or appearance.

But then they also say its injury only (they definination Physical damage or trauma caused immediately by an accident. Not any physical
damage or trauma that happens over a period of time.)

What does this really mean in terms of dealing with the horse?!

Presumably if the sickness was caused by an injury ie infection following puncture wound, then im covered?

But if she colics and we put her down, I don't get anything?

TBH I really just want her covered if I lose her

 

[khalswitz]

My pet plan insurance for my veteran horse wasn't the strictly veteran insurance... I took out the horse insurance, which covers vets fees for illness, which lasts up to 25 years old if insured before 20. Think the actual veteran insurance is more designed for pasture puffs. The veteran insurance premium is cheaper, but doesn't include illness.

Yes, an infection as an injury complication would count, but any arthritis, colic, lameness, lamintis, cushings, peritonitis, cataracts, diabetes (usually insipidus in horses) etc etc would be illness therefore not covered. - only something like a kick in the field, barbed wire injury, that sort of thing are.

 

[dianchi]

Thing is we have had
colic in the past- so that wouldn't be covered
High suspensory injury- so that would probably rule out front legs
Bad kick injury to back legs- possible exclusion there.


Granted all of these were about 5/6 yrs ago (yep one year from hell)

So im not sure that horse over Veteran would have any point?

 

[ester]

I've always considered it external injury only... ie very limiting and I have struggled to see it worth it.

I'm another who has my veteran on full cover with them still currently (on the basis that he returned to soundness and business!) it has meant they have paid out for a number of treatments on his willy carcinoma that wouldn't be covered on the veteran policy.

 

[khalswitz]

If you're not worried about illness (which like I said can include cushings, laminitis, kissing spines, diabetes, and various virus/bacterial infections that would still be covered despite your exclusions), then go for the veteran plan - it's much cheaper if you don't need it. Personally, if I had a retired veteran (mine was still being ridden and hadn't really had issues) I would be harsh on myself and say yep, 1k for injury, any major illness/large injury that isn't covered and I can't afford then I'll PTS.

 

[mytwofriends]

My oldie (high mileage 21 year old) is insured with Petplan, although it's not specifically classified as Veteran insurance. He's fundamentally only insured only for injuries sustained in the field and, of course, public liability. In any case, most of his body is excluded anyway (arthritis in hocks and coffin joints, plus he's had a wind op, plus colic etc) but since he is semi-retired and lives out 24/7/365 with only very limited light hacking, I felt it unwise not to insure him at all due to the sod's law element of most injuries occurring in the field. I pay £16 per month, really for piece of mind that if one of his buddies kicks him, or he gets himself in trouble with electric fencing, then hopefully the insurance will kick in.

 

[Elbie]

I think I'm right in saying that if your horse sustained an injury (for example laceration to the fetlock) and this then got infected, the treatment would be covered as it was caused by the original injury.

Best bet would be to call and ask them!