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General => Pets Corner => Topic started by: Emagggie on October 23, 2006, 09:22:09
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We have always insured our dogs (a good move!)and changed from PetPlan (got too expensive) to Direct Line 2 years ago.I claimed this August for the first time with DL as a result of Mollie-the-Collie eating rat poison.
It has taken all this time and numerous phone calls for them to pay out!! >:( Last week I received notification of the renewal of said policy,which resulted in yet another phone call,in which I pointed out that as they had still not paid out I wouldn't be renewing it.(Their excuse is always that they have a backlog for one reason or another).The very silly young man said if we didn't renew,they would not honour our claim!!! What followed was as you would expect, and I just hope the call was recorded.
Payment has now arrived,and I'm off.
Can anyone recommend an insurance company worth looking at?
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How about the Halifax?
Halifax Pet Insurance (http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=34240&a=975622&g=16159280)
Might be worth a go, and if you take up the insurance via that link, the site gets a little money!
Dan
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Then I will surely look. :) Thanks Dan.
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It's a shame you had a bad time with Direct Line. We've had our cats insured with them for many years & have had no problems even though we claimed several times for one cat, including a fairly large sum. Anyway, I seemed to remember reading something in the Guardian recently, so here is the link to the article which may or may not be of some use to you!
http://money.guardian.co.uk/insurance_/story/0,,1888141,00.html
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We have a 1yr old GSD and we are Insured with Sainsbury, for £10.77 per month --(see their Website).We looked Online, before commencing and Sainsbury, seemed the best Cover, but I admit I havn`t had to Claim yet.
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We have Elsa (King Charles Cavalier) insured with Direct Line since she was 8weeks old (now 7years). We have never had insurance on previous dogs but due to reduced income decided to insure her. Thank goodness we did. She has had many problems and Direct Line has always paid out quickly. The last vets bill was £380, I pad the excess and the vet claimed direct and had no problems in collecting. What a shame you have had such bad service from them.
Lorna.
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I don't want to be critical of what others do, but I don't understand why people take out pet insurance. The only reason I can think of is if the pet owner fears that they may not be able to pay a vet's bill for essential treatment.
Let me expalin why, and use the example of cats.
The insurance company calculates the cost of vets treatment over an average cats life. Say this is £500. On top of this they add the costs of running the insurance company (say £300 per cat insured) plus the profit they wish to make (say £200 per cat). Assuming the pet owner insures the cat for its entire life, the insurance will cost the pet owner £1,000 in total (say the average cat lives to 12 years, this equates to a monthly payment of almost £7 per month).
If you own 'the average' cat, but did not take out pet insurance it would have cost you £500 in vet's bills over its 12 year average life, and this is far less the the premiums you would have had to pay the insurance company. So, you should not take out pet insurenace unless ....
* you think that you have a particular unhealthy cat compared to the average cat, or
* you don't think that you would have any cash to pay for the vets bill (you could of course put £7 a month into a savings account just in case), or
* you are very risk adverse and are willing to contribute to the insurance companies profits in return for 'peace of mind'.
PS - this is a simplfied example of how insurance works, but the principles are the same if it were complicated by factors such as the cats age, the time value of moeny etc etc.
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Rob, the vets fees these days are astronomical. my vet charges £24.68 for a consultation alone!What if your cat or dog has an accident, and with the best will in the world you are unable to treat it yourself? I couldn't watch my much loved pet in great pain and not do anything.1 operation would make short work of £500, indeed, with aftercare and medication you are looking at £1000 upwards.I certainly wouldn't want unexpected bills of that proportion. Also insurance generally covers for third party liability. You may smile at that, but it only needs the cat or dog to cause an accident by whatever means for someone to sue.
Hope this helps to explain why I feel insurance is a must these days. :)
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Our old GSD broke a Leg in 1995 and the cost even then,was £1200.
Luckily the Pet insurance paid for it,I had only been Insured with them for 7 months.
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All I am saying is that if you look at the numbers, pet insurance is not, on average, financially worth it. Emotionally it may be different.
For example I have had my cat 5 years, uninsured and have only had to pay vet's bills for check-ups and vaccinations. I have chosen not to pay monthly premiums (probably saving around £500 to date) and risk that any unforeseen vet's bill will be less than that.
This is the case for insurance generally. Does the average car driver claimed more money on their car insurance they they have paid in premiums? I doubt it. Insurance companies make profits because they charge customers more than they pay out. Ditto holiday insurance, ditto house insurance, ditto life assurance, ditto extended product warranties.
If people want to take out pet insurance because they believe that they get value from it, then good - go ahead and do it. I just want people to understand the the basis of insurance.
Apologies for my rant, but its my financial training kicking in and insurance is my pet ranting subject (pun intended)
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Average is one thing, taking a chance is another!I do understand what you are saying, Rob, but with my luck, if I were to cancel, something darstadly would happen to my dog for sure.!
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My daughter had her GSD insured from an early age (now 9). Due to her moving home and also bank account her pet insurance lapsed (she said she notified the insurance company). Last year her GSD had to have a large cancerous growth removed. The vets bill was £350, which she had to pay. Fortunately Sharn has been well ever since but it could have gone on to having to pay a very hefty bill. OK daughter could afford but I certainly wouldn't be able to pay a very large bill. All down to personal choice and circumstances in my opinion.
Lorna.
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:)
how old does a pet have to be before you cannot insure them anymore?. most I have seen run out at 8 years old :(
my girl (cat) has just turned 17 years,isn't she too old to insure?/shades x
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Surfing around for quotes today,only Direct Line (I rang them to find out how much my policy would have been and to tell them I would not be renewing) quoted an increase because my animals are now over 6, but I read in beejay's link -very informative- that insurers often refuse dogs older than 8 or 9, or cats older than 10.
Halifax is coming out tops at the moment for price and cover.
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Insurance is so hard..... firstly, the principle of self-assurance, as suggested by Rob, will nearly always be more cost effective. On average. The trouble is, life doesn't come along as an average; things happen of their own accord whether or not we're prepared. As much as I love our moggie, I think I'd struggle to shell out £1200 for a broken leg. Maybe I ought to get some insurance!
I work in Financial Services, and because of the rather unscrupulous way so much of the industry has behaved (and many still do), there is such little confidence that many people only buy on the basis of price. If I bought a jumper from M&S ("quality brand"), I'd expect better service & product than if I bought one at, say, Tesco ("cheap brand"). But when I buy Insurance from Direct Line ("cheap brand") I expect the same service as if I bought from Pet Plan ("premium brand" - I think & hope otherwise my argument falls apart).
Personally I hate Direct Line & would never use them having heard of a couple of stories of "customer care" during life assurance claims.
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Changed now to Halifax- hoping for better service ;D
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We had our German shepherd insured through our Mail order catalogue sadly Jenny was taken very ill, the insurance company paid direct to our vets and we had no problem with the fees to a specialist vet,they also paid no problem the fee we had paid for her when she died.
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We never had problems with Pet Plan originally, it just became too expensive. I think the moral of this story is beware of Direct Line. ;)
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Have you tried comparing quotes?
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/petinsurance/?Source=MS
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Yep, did that and Halifax came out tops for price and cover. ;)
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In the past, unfortunately as cannot have the gorgeous creatures where I live at present, also have had large bills. Really appreciate why peeps use pet insurance.
However, Roy does have a point about the maths and, long term, I think I would now open a savings account and contribute a reasonable amount per month in order to cover new pet. After all, when I add a pet to my family, I will ensure that I can afford all the usual injections, etc., before I take it on because it will be totally dependent upon me to take care of all its needs. Insurance these days, is a rip off although, if you haven't the cash, it's a nightmare! ??? :-*
Definitely think when I move, which will be within a couple of years, and home one of the lovelies again, I will just take out a savings account, get the interest, small though it might be, and know that I'm not going to have to wait to get the cash when it's really needed. Also, we are lucky enough to have a very understanding vet close by.
Having said all that, I do appreciate that it's not the ideal situation for everyone.
Glad you are now sorted Emaggie! And, yes, in this day and age, peeps make no concession for accidents! The States should be disintigrated for introducing litigation for nonsense in this country. Perhaps I should sue my employers for having an Elizabethan staircase which is detrimental for my spinal problems? ;D
Take care, glad friends are taken care of too!
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So sorry you can't have your lovelies where you are MB, I'm sure you must miss them so. :'(
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In a block of flats with no pets! However, looks like may have to be rehoused within a year or so, then stop me! ;D