Pet Insurance - omg!!

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Vicky RVN — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:57:59 GMT

Jack has been with Petplan since I got him in 2008. It hasn't gone up much, i've had a couple of small claims.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Dippy — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:41:46 GMT

My dog is with Pet Plan and is now in his second year with them. I never claimed a penny during the first year yet my premium went up by 25% when the renewal came through, which i thought was steep. I'm still with them and wouldn't use anyone else as I know they always pay up when you need them to but 25% seems a big jump to me and when I queried it, I was told that's just normal inflation - strange, as my salary has never gone up by 25% in a year (or even 1% now I come to think about it!)

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Susan Jackson — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:23:01 GMT

I have been with pet plan for nearly 10 years with 1 cat, and have 2 others on pet plan. I think with VN discount and multipet discout I do well. When I first took it out I think it was about £7 and now my cat elderly it's still only £12 for him. The others have changed by about £2 but they are younger cats and my monthly premium for them all is about £28. I've claimed on all three, elderly cat is arthritic so his claims are on going and have been for 2 yrs now (plus about £2000 for all his abcesses and x-rays over the years). one of my cats has skin allergies so I've claimed about £1500 so far and now on expensive immunotherapy - so far no hike! I am expecting it to go up next year as she goes over 8yrs.

So far I'm very happy with them and never seen hikes in premiums. I don't know of any company (other than Pet plan so far) that I would say has an ethical balance when dealing with claims and being fair about what it covers and not covers.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

lolly — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:36:51 GMT

I agree with Mrs Dot Dot. I did read the T&C when I took out my policies (years ago) and they were up there with Pet Plan in the cover they offered, and at the time cheaper than Pet Plan. Nowhere did it say that once you made a claim they would put the premium up so much. The cat I haven't claimed for went up by £60.

I have now changed both cats to Pet Plan. I was pleasantly surprised that they would cover my older one, just not for Renal Failure.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Phrin Vernon RVN — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:54:01 GMT

I remember the 'good old days' when I had BC pooch & DSH insured with PP for about £14 a month for both - PP paid out over a grand one year for pooch, and premium only went up by a couple of quid - Oh and they used to cover for dentals, behaviour etc - no questions asked.......

Yep I can understand exactly why its changed, and premiums are hiked, but I still miss my cheap as chips PP cover from 10 yrs ago

Not much help really am I - sorry!

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Mrs Dot Dot — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 22:08:28 GMT

[quote user="heather thorne"]

It is alsways good advice to read the T+C's (small print) of anything your signing up to and paying for. Granted no-one expects to pay mega premiums after claiming but this is something you should check with the insurance company before signing up, you can guess if you claim it'll go up but how much?

[/quote]

The thing with the M&S policy is that it didn't used to be that way..... I had my dog insured with them since she was 8 wks old and had only claimed once previously for vomiting and IV fluids when she was under a year, for about £150...... I deliberately chose a reasonable xs of £70 (not the xs free policy that they were doing then) ... each year they've changed the terms and conditions but I stuck with them till this year..... I too cannot afford to keep insuring her if the premiums go up rediculously if you make a claim.......... I do understand the ways of the insurance world but to me it just looks like M&S do not want to continue doing pet insurance (since they've changed their underwiters) and that this is their way of getting rid of their policy holders...... Anyone on here work or know anyone that works for M&S insurance??

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Heather Thorne — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:35:18 GMT

If any client asks about insurance my practice always mentions petplan.

They are the easiest company to work with, granted they have downfalls such as different policies for different age pets, the older they are the less likely insurance will cover or it'll be so much you need to be loaded to cover the costs, but i believe this applies to alot of different insurance companies.

When my ins went up for my dog i rang them and said this was way too much for me to afford and ive only ever claimed once in the 7years i'd had the dog, then they did reduce the costs by a few pounds.

If you tell the insurance company that your a vet nurse they may even consider a reduction in fees like petplan do.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

lolly — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:18:53 GMT

It is the dreaded M&S! Just wasn't sure whether I could mention the company or not.

I want to change to Pet Plan as my dog is with them, but they will only take one cat on the pet value policy which is only per condition per year, which ideally I wouldn't choose. However, if they are going to hike up the insurance when I make a claim and I will therefore only get a year anyway because I can't afford to renew, then will I lose anything? (if you understand what I mean as I think I could have made that clearer).

I have experienced this with clients as you say, but not going up by this much. I forsee a nightmare next year when clients can't afford insurance and therefore can't afford the vet bills!

I know with my older cat I will be canx the policy and putting the amount I pay now into another account. At 13 and with renal failure, there is a limit to what I would put him through anyway

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

BengalcatRVN — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:09:48 GMT

Someone I know moved ins co, to get cheeper premiums. Wish they'd read the small print - cover for accidents only *slaps head* proof the cheapest isn't always the best, and ALWAYS read the small print.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Sal the 1st — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:48:52 GMT

mine have their own account - looking a lot healthier than mine at the moment I have to say !

On the subject of insurance was asked this the other week by a client - which is the insurance policy that offers a discount if the cats are indoor only because I have never heard of it

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Steph Phillips — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:31:48 GMT

[quote user="lolly"]they want £636.00 for the year!!![/quote]

WOW!! thats more than my car insurance!!

A few clients of ours have had problems like you describe - as much as we recc insurance, some companies can be a pain in the rectum!! Two clients that I know of have cancelled their insurance, and have opened up a bank acct that they pay money into each month that pays for their vet bills. - I suppose it's ok doing that if you got enough money to pay out for medication etc.. but not everyone has access to a few grand if an animal needed an expensive surgery!

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Katie Drew — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:48:38 GMT

I agree, would only go with Petplan, but just had my renewal through on my 3 dogs and each of them has gone up by £4-£5 per month! I haven't claimed and they did that last year.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Sally Howe — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:28:12 GMT

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]

[quote user="Mrs Dot Dot"]

. I love Pet Plan... you do pay for what you get and they really are the best pet insurance company for all sorts of reasons, whatever people say..................

[/quote]

Agreed, i would never use anyone else

[/quote]

Same here, even my puppies go out to their new homes with Pet Plan insurance. Wouldn't use anyone else

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

chanel clydesdale — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 02:21:16 GMT

My cat is insured with M&S and i must say that at the moment (touch wood) i havent had any probs.....she has a heart murmur which i have cliamed for and so far so good but my dog is insured with pet plan on the suprmene and i wouldnt have had it any other way. So far the insurance has paid out almost 8000pounds for him in the space of two years and my premiums have only risen by 4pounds a month whihc i was truly surprised at. I htink they're are way way worse out there and people have to be EXTREMELY careful....had a few bad experiences

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Fuzzyduck — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:35:55 GMT

[quote user="Mrs Dot Dot"]

. I love Pet Plan... you do pay for what you get and they really are the best pet insurance company for all sorts of reasons, whatever people say..................

[/quote]

Agreed, i would never use anyone else

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Mrs Dot Dot — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:26:46 GMT

I asked which company because I have just changed my dog from M&S to Pet Plan ( who I should have gone with in the 1st place) because M&S have recently changed underwriters and I put in a claim this year for a skin condition and her premium went up by over 40% ... if you google M&S pet insurance there are alot of similar stories... it looks like they don't want to do pet insurance anymore... when I phoned up to cancel the 1st thing she said was because of the premium hike. They said that if another claim goes in, the premium will rise again significantly and my dog is only 4!

Have my cats insured with PP... and they have been really good about insuring my dog with on-going problems.... I love Pet Plan... you do pay for what you get and they really are the best pet insurance company for all sorts of reasons, whatever people say..................

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

lorraine wiggins — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:18:49 GMT

wow! my dogs insurance is not even that for the year! and i have the supreme with pet plan. i thought pet plan were one of the good ones but supose they all sneek their prices up just to make more money. i think you should get onto the company and get them to explain exactly why they want this much money for your cat. its well stupid!! its bad enough that vet bills keep going up let alone the insurance. people just are not going to be able to afford treatment for their animals soon. specially like u say these elderly people and they find it hard enough to get their heads around it as there is so many to choose from.

this could be another reason coz their are so many compaines offering insurance some of them are prob not making as much money as they used to. (if that makes sense)

but i would def get on the phone and have it out with them, but they prob no they have a hold on u as u cant change companies otherwise the new one wont cover the illness.

hope u get it sorted

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Nicola Smith — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:48:14 GMT

This is what is kown as premim loading. Pet Plan promise not to do it, but a lot of other companies do - they lure you in with what seems like a cheap premium then hike it when you claim. You can be upfront and ask the question of whether they will do this when taking the policy out. Mo st high street store name policies do this amongst others. We had 1 client had her renewal sent through of £90 per month after she claimed on her policy. We are always sure clients know about this when shopping around for policies.

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Fuzzyduck — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:13:02 GMT

I was going to ask what company too, i have heard of this happening to people before but i have never used another company other than petplan and my premiums have never jumped up in this way, despite multiple claims.

I usually advise people you get what you pay for and paying a higher premium initailly usually means a better company and less likely to have huge jumps in premiums

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Mrs Dot Dot — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:25:31 GMT

[quote user="lolly"]

Just had the renewal through for my cat insurance.

One cat is 12years and no claims so gone up £60 for the year - not 'happy' about that, but not surprised. The other cat is 13years and was diagnoised with Renal Failure last year and is Fortekor (not the most expensive of drugs comparatively) and they want to up it by £200!!! So they want £636.00 for the year!!!

I have always had my animals insured, but this just takes the micky and there is no way I can pay this and obviously no other insurance company will touch him with a barge pole. Also, want to change my other cat to pet plan whom I have my dog with as am now worried they will do this with her when I have to claim, but they will only do a value policy because of her age and only cover her upto £3000 per condition and only for 12 months which is not the cover I want. Not sure what to do - apart from screaming

[/quote]

Which insurance company?

Re: Pet Insurance - omg!!

Gemma Preston — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:07:42 GMT

I get so frustrated by pet insurance when dealing with clients.. The fact that they bump premiums up by so much means that they are pricing a lot of people out. How can we as Veterinary Nurses justify to a client paying 636 for a policy, especially since many of the clients who own elderley pets are themselves elderly. I think so many more people would consider pet insurance if it weren't so expensive. I can understand why it goes up every year but that is stupid. I currently pay 17.99 for Millie Westie (4y6m) and 21.19 Holly Westie (2y9m), holly has hip dysplasia and this year was started on Synoquin so her premium next year will be rediculous. My 5 year old cat is currently 11.99 for Moggy with petplan. They include multi pet and vet nurse discounts.