Retriever Rescue

We have had Toby for nearly a year now and his insurance renewal has just come through.

There is also a thread going through another topic (Lucy) and I was wondering what experiences other members had with their dog insurance and what sort of insurance it was? Is it "whole of life"? A maximum limit per claim, condition etc? Or are you strong enough to put a set amount into a savings account each month to cover vets bills? Does your vet deal with the insurance company directly or do you have to pay it out and claim it back?

Any comments welcome.

We had our much missed goldie Ben with Tesco insurance - we (unfortunately) only had to claim once - he collapsed on Easter Sunday so we took him to the emergency vet where he was operated on and then transferred to Liverpool University, he passed away the next day. Tesco told me that I should have phoned them first to ask permission to call out an emergency vet and also for the university. (As it turned out, I had done but they were closed for the bank holiday). We had to pay the vet first but the university were happy to claim directly from Tesco. They did pay out promptly.

Toby is insured with M & S and thankfully we haven't claimed. The premiums have shot up this year and there seems to be that many exclusions that I am totally bewildered. I notice that in the small print they have sent out, it says quite clearly that you have to seek their permission first for anything costing over £1000 or if you require an emergency vet. If my dog was seriously ill, getting permission off the insurance company wouldn't be the first thing I thought of. Our vet is willing to claim directly off M & S (there are only 2 companies that they will claim directly from, the other being Petplan)

Intresting Carolyn we too are insured with M&S our renewal is in July so we will see, have to say our vets do promote Pet Plan I was with them but the premiums did go up, but now it seems they are all doing that,had a chat with my vet about insurance and she told me of the ones she found difficult to deal with, they always wanted to know the slightest thing before paying out,I did claim 18 months ago for both of mine with M&S in Paddys case although it was a bad case of gastroenteritis they wanted all his records first, they paid out eventually BUT if they do it again I will move!
Our vet did say that she found Pet Plan the best for paying out, we used to be with Pet Protect with our Ben and have to say they were great, also paid half towards the prescription food he was on...look forward to people comments....

M & S have changed underwriters (to Royal Sun Alliance I think) - they have also changed to a 2 tier insurance (max payout per year is either £4000 or £7000) but interestingly they don't quote for the £4000 option!!

Both of my goldens are insured with Sainsbury's. The premiums have, like most things, shot up this year, but they are covered for up to £6500 per condition. Included in the cover is, amongst other things, referral to a behaviourist, clinical diets and complementary treatments all with various payout limits. I have had to claim from them and my vet was happy to be paid directly from them once I had paid the excess.

Well we've started something here...I could be here all night on insurance...

Our first dog Sam we adopted from dogs trust (had been a stray so no history on him) and he came with the free pet plan thing and we kept it. That poor lad (we lost him last year) had soooo many ongoing medical conditons he was subject to a case conference at the vets...he had cushings, arthritus he'd had hepatitus...he was deaf...you name it he had it...never dampened his spirit though and he was a real character...one of those dogs who you swear is human...

His monthly medication bill was £140!!! at the vets!!! (I think the wafer thin boiled ham we bought to disguise the meds in must have cost another £20 each month!!)

Our vets have a pay upfront and claim back policy...but then they deal with their bits of the claim very well, and are helpful.

So when we adopted Amber with Jan we stayed with pet plan as they'd always been OK with claims for Sam. Myself I don't always think cheapest is best...and if I trust them I give them my custom.

Amber went for the usual pre-delivery service at the vets. Then a while later I noticed lumps and the next thing shes back and needing one of these strip operations for mammary tumours...the vet said she'd need both sides doing at £500 a side.

To cut a long story short the op goes ahead and pet plan refused to pay saying it was a pre-existing condtion when we had adopted her...which it wasn't as our vet had given her the once over when we got her...

Our vet supported our case and pet plan still would not pay...despite calls to their vet line and all this malarky...and in addtion put a clause on our insurance to say they wouldn't pay for any lumps in the future either!!! I think the clause annoyed me more than the refusal to pay as all I could think is what will happen in the future?

We also had a few wranglings with pet plan when they said they'd written to tell us things that they hadn't...

Anyway...if you're still awake....

A year after all this and the exclusion/clause was put on, hubby (light of my life) FINALLY!!! (say no more!!) gets round to writing a letter of complaint about our claim...AND...

Pet plan...straight away apologised for what had happened...

Paid out for the op we'd paid for...

Removed the clause from the insurance...

AND...as compensation they gave us some free weeks insurance and reduced the remaining premiums by 10%.

SO...although it didn't start well; it ended well and it didn't put me off using them or recommending them...

We still use pet plan and I think we always will...

When we had our first Golden, Leigh, we went with PET PLAN, our vet's recommendation as we hadn't had one before. In Leighs later life, we needed to claim quite often as she developed mammary tumours 3 times, and I have to say along with our vet who dealt with everything, PET PLAN were excellent.

This time with Ella, we are putting money aside in an account and we are also in our vets PRACTICE PLAN. We pay £12 per month and for that we get a full years supply of worm and flea medication, 2 full check ups, a booster jab, 10% off anything we buy inc' prescriptions and 20% off any 'opps' or treatment she may need. We hope we are doing the right thing as it can be so' swings and roundabouts'.