Self insuring

[Brownmare]

It's been a long time since I insured a dog after working out the premiums over the years versus the amount actually spent at the vets (despite an accident prone lurcher) and now with 3 dogs it's definitely not worth while

Instead I put the equivalent of the monthly premiums into a regular saver account where it can stack up until it's needed. The question is, how much really is needed to be sensible about it £1k, 2, 6?? I want to be able to cover the cost of any likely major procedures but not mad stuff like prosthetic limbs or chemo etc. Basically anything that a dog could recover from fully to lead a normal life after proper treatment IYSWIM

The dogs in question are a 9 year old lurcher, a 2 year old whippet and a 7 year old JRT. Previous vets bills include torn ligament, fractured shoulder, skin rash that turned out to be grass allergy, various skin tears & stitchings up, arthritis meds, vaccs and spays. I'm sure theres more.......

Obs I don't want to put too much away because I actually need to spend money on myself, the OH and the child occasionally (plus I've just discovered a lovely holiday cottage that's more than our holiday budget )

 

[Spudlet]

When Henry had his little bin emptying experience it cost £1500

 

[Bearsmum]

Mmm... that's a difficult one, I don't insure LB despite working for an insurance company (please don't tell anyone).

Our friends little springer decided to eliminate the stairs and jumped through the railings onto the tiled floor below when she was six months old. Nasty fractured elbow, but nothing life threatening. A trip to Newmarket, screws in the joint and follow up treatment came to £3.5K.

My Lab had a malignant tumour removed from his leg and that cost me £500. It was worth doing as we didn't know at the time he had them elsewhere and did't have long left.

Just to give you an idea of a couple of recent treatments.

I think if we had a young dog again I would seriously consider insuring it, LB is 8 so probably too expensive now.

JDx

 

[amage]

Boots' ratbite/kidney failure experience cost us about €2K and that was after the vets giving a discount. He wasn't insured but I do think I will insure next dog as if god forbid I ever got that unlucky again I would rather be covered. Only for my parents I don't know how I'd have paid for it...that being said we all agreed that even with no insurance we would pay whatever it took if we thought we could have saved him.

 

[Brownmare]

Thanks These comments are giving me a better idea of what to expect

 

[shadowboy]

give yourself the same amount of bog standard cover- i.e. £3000 per incident. Tassy is on £4000 per incident.