Thoughts on lifetime insurance cover?

[BoggyGirl]

Sorry for two posts today. Just about to insure my lab and cocker. Both are young dogs it doubles the premiums. I am used to with horses the whole 12 months then that is it. Is there value in these plans? Neither have any issues to date at all. Normally I wouldn't insure dogs but my friend has had a run of bad luck which got me thinking.

 

[Landcruiser]

if you can do it, do it. Unless you are in a position when paying out for expensive longterm meds, or recurring issues are affordable. I work at a small animal vet - I have never, ever heard someone say they were glad they only had a 12 month policy. So many clients find themselves with exclusions for one or several conditions which cost them a fortune. Remember, if dog gets a tummy issue, that will write off all GI issues for several years if not for ever. Ditto a skin allergy, or gunky ears or eyes...ad infinitum - all very common things.
I have all 3 of my dogs covered for life - even if we end up out of pocket, which is debatable for the two older ones who have both had big claims and ongoing meds, it's worth it for peace of mind and easy decision making when treatment is offered.

 

[BoggyGirl]

Thank you. I have two older ones that cost me a fortune but breeds that tend to. Just because these two haven't I guess it doesn't mean they wont.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

So worth it if you can! My parents have a 9yo springer who had no problems at all since she was a year old, but started having seizures about 18mo ago. Insurance have paid out several thousand in investigation, and will continue to pay over £100 a month for meds and then for blood tests every few months for the rest of her life (which thankfully should be many more years!). They’re definitely grateful they’ve been paying the premiums up to now!

 

[{97702}]

I got some quotes and thought ‘you must be joking’ I’m afraid - over £2k per year in premiums to insure a greyhound & 2 terriers (mongrels). There is no way I have ever got to that much in vets bills per annum in 30+ years of owning dogs, so not for me personally - I realise others will make different choices ?

 

[Red-1]

I wish horse policies were the same as my GSD's lifetime one. He had a leg issue and, if he had been on a 12 month clock, we would have had to operate quickly. As it was, we had the luxury of treating conservatively, and his back leg recovered with rest and controlled exercise.

However, when he needed keyhole surgery on his shoulder, it was there, £2,500 paid up and the knowledge that if he had arthritis later in life, it was still covered.

TBH, I think the horse insurers are missing a trick. How many horses have all the treatment options thrown at them at once, maxing out the insurance, before the 12 month deadline? I would be happy with the same level of overall £ to spend, but no time limit. That way, I could try rest first and the horse may never need all the expensive treatments!

 

[SOS]

Very much worth it and it’s not something you can ‘upgrade too’ once a condition starts so you may have years of paying extra but it could really pay off. Many ongoing conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy and cushings cost ££££ in monitoring and treatment alone every year. One of our diabetic patients we submit quarterly claims for £400~ ;blood testing, medication, syringes and urine testing all add up.

As with everything you may work out better off if you can save the equivalent amount monthly and pay as and when/IF something happens. But if anything I think these long term conditions, which animals can cope very well/live a normal life with medication and monitoring, are worth covering even more than accident and emergency. An emergency you may be able to pull together a few thousand from credit/friends and family but you can’t be doing that yearly. And to put an animal down for a treatable condition as funds are an issue is a very hard decision to make.

This is just my opinion from a small animal vet practice. Obviously we see the pets that actually use their insurance mostly but as above I’ve never had someone complain about their lifetime cover (unless a very shoddy insurance with odd exclusions *cough* E&L). Some people may have never had problems in X years of owning dogs but those 5...10...15 dogs they have owned is one vets consults for a day here!

 

[MurphysMinder]

We were actually having a discussion last night about insurance. Two younger dogs are insured (using the term young loosely, they are 8 and 9) with lifetime cover. The premiums and excess are sneaking up each year, okay maybe acceptable with the heeler who has had a couple of claims but I have never claimed for the GSD, who is the 8 year old, yet her premium and excess are higher! The horses are no longer insured due to their age, and the fact they wouldn't be put through stuff like colic surgery, I suspect the time may come when the same decision is made for the dogs.

 

[On the Hoof]

I had lifetime insurance for my puppy which i only intended to pay for for a couple of years while she went through the puppy accident phase (eating socks etc) as it happened we ended up needing for physio and behavioral issues, I was pleasantly surprised when my premium only went up by £25 this year after they have paid out a lot on a monthly basis for the past 6 months. Also very pleased with the efficiency of the insurance company .

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I also had lifetime insurance on my puppy and only intended to insure for the first couple of years but kept it going for her 3rd year and actually had to claim when she got an infected foot. Got all my premiums back in that one claim. Very easy company to deal with as well. The premium didn't go up as much as I thought it would either.

 

[wren123]

Absolutely go for life time cover. We did cancel it when the dog got to 11 as it went up to £125 and we thought we'd take a chance, with the knowledge we had the money to pay for the best treatment at her age in the worst case.

What companies are people using they'd recommend for paying claims and price. I know pet plan are good but my friend was paying a fortune with them as her dogs got older.

 

[nellietinker]

Thankfully my Whippet has lifetime insurance. He had pancreatitis a couple of years ago and has a couple of flare ups since (blood test every six month £148 each time), he also has two heart conditions (tablets for one are £48 per month) plus heart scans twice a year (£100 +each time) and has had to have several teeth out (£500+ each time). Premium is more than the car and pony combined but at least i know he is covered. Petplan have been brilliant.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I am with Bought By Many. Started out with More Than but changed when they put my premium up after spaying. Very impressed so far with BBM.

 

[{97702}]

I got some quotes and thought ‘you must be joking’ I’m afraid - over £2k per year in premiums to insure a greyhound & 2 terriers (mongrels). There is no way I have ever got to that much in vets bills per annum in 30+ years of owning dogs, so not for me personally - I realise others will make different choices ?

Oh and for the benefit of vets making pointed comments - try several hundred dogs in that time, the joys of having a mother who was a dog breeder ? I’m not basing it on the experiences of an average pet owner.

 

[blackcob]

I had planned to cancel lifetime policies when my oldies reached 10 on the basis that they have a fairly low risk lifestyle in retirement, that I wouldn't be undertaking any drastic orthopaedic work or similar and that I had staff discount on the long term meds they were already on, which the premiums were just starting to overtake in cost.

I am very glad that I am a serial procrastinator and never got around to doing it as in the following year they were diagnosed with a new chronic condition each, one of which requires possibly the single most expensive sodding drug available in your average first opinion practice. ? So although my premiums for three dogs are not far shy of 2k a year I am still claiming more than I'm paying out, for now at least.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Sorry to be blunt, not many old pet dogs die instantly out of nowhere. The older they get, the more likely it is that they will have some health related hiccups. There is always exceptions, and maybe you'll hear about a dog who never saw a veterinarian in their whole life, and died of old age at home in their sleep, but usually, when a dog gets old, that is when having lifetime insurance pays off.

The whole point as I see it with having my bitches insured, is the lifetime part of it, so that nothing gets excluded. But price shopping, and switching to someone offering a better annual premium is not possible, unless I want to risk that the new company adds exclusions.

And sometimes things can happen on the way as well, for example Blomma managed to rip off a claw out in the garden several years ago. Not to mention when Beata ate something out on a walk, and had to have her stomach opened, and the intestines on two places, and it was on a weekend...


It is when they get old, that I get really happy over having lifetime insurance, and not having to worry about if I can afford the is it 6 or 7 visits I've done with Blomma since September, to find, and try to figure out her Diabetes Insipidus.
On the other hand the annual cost of the insurance for my three bitches is the only reason for why I don't have a fourth bitch, I can't afford the insurance cost. I have thought about instead putting a certain sum of money annually on a savings account, but I haven't switched to that, yet.

ETA Or I might lower the maximum amount they pay out per year, since I currently have the highest option. I've never been close to it, and lowering that should lower my premium a little. If I did that, I would put the money I saved on the premium on a savings account, for pet related expenses.

 

[splashgirl45]

my terrier is with pet plan lifetime insurance and they put it up on renewal in may. as he was 3 and never had a problem i was going to cancel it...luckily i didnt get round to it and it ran on ,, he ruptured his cruciate ligament in september and the bill came to £3,266. he is now fine and ins has paid out with no problems

 

[BoggyGirl]

Thank you all. Both my oldies are on meds of over £100 a month I should really know from experience. I guess I was thinking that it would end before they got really old like my horse cover reduced to being worthless. For something that really is the whole life then yes the value is much more. I haven't insured dogs before but my horses had about 6k paid out last year so I know it can all come at once. Anyone recommend anyone in particular? The vets like Petplan?

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I have Agria, but I'm in Sweden, don't know if they're available in the UK. If you trust your veterinarian, hopefully their recommendation means Petplan is easy to work with, and pays out reasonably.

 

[planete]

I have had four dogs for many years and now two horses. We have had a cruciate repair, an out of hour emergency surgery, various accidents, one chronic condition and, doing the sums over ten years, the thousands i have spent have not come anywhere near the amount lifetime covers would have cost me. I do have a pot to cover these expenses though, otherwise I would have only one dog and one horse and they would be insured. i think that the odds change as the number of animals you own increases, it comes down to risk assessment over an extended period for me.

 

[Supertrooper]

A hundred percent recommend. Have known so many clients that have regretted not having it when they’ve taken out 12 month cover

 

[paddy555]

Anyone recommend anyone in particular? The vets like Petplan?

my GSD is on petplan lifetime and he is insured because he is a GSD so lots can do wrong. He is my first dog to be insured. My horses are not insured. I never insured previous GSD's or collies.


I had 2 problems recently, both turned out to be nothing of any consequence but could have been very serious. When thinking ahead and booking an appointment I asked vet how I would pay if he needed an operation. They said just to download Pet plan form, fill policy no etc in and they would sort the rest. There was the excess of £85 I would have to pay and a £35 admin charge for them to sort it. It seemed very simple and they clearly were happy to deal with PP and leave me out of it. When I got my pup and my vet, who is a friend, vetted him initially he was pleased I had chosen PP as they could easily deal direct with them.

I haven't had to claim so I can only hope they would be good if I had to.

 

[SusieT]

Yes absoloutely, if something goes wrong then you are covered

 

[splashgirl45]

petplan have paid my vet direct with no problems so i am happy i stayed with them. the whole process was really easy.

 

[Odyssey]

I think a lot of it depends on the general health of the breed you're insuring. If they're prone to health problems, lifetime cover might be worth taking out. I fully insured 3 of my greyhounds all their lives, and they were very rarely ill, but they are usually a very healthy breed who aren't predisposed to anything other than bone cancer. If I had an "unhealthy" breed such as a Cavalier King Charles spaniel though, I would definitely take out lifetime cover. My current greyhound has third party, accident and illness cover, which is a lot better than no cover, and an awful lot cheaper than full cover (under £10 a month).