Does anyone out there have a good economic pet insurance company. I was horrified today when the premiums for Happy a healthy 4 year old dog were tripled, and obviously looking for something a bit cheaper.

Thanks Joy

We've recently switched to Animal Friendly Insurance www.animalfriends.org.uk/ Tel 0844 55 70 300.
You can apply on - line but they are also happy to deal with queries etc on the phone. I think they're quite good value.

I don't know though whether they do whelping insurance but DBI (dog breeders insurance) do. Tel 020 8580 8285.

Elise

We've got it with Virgin Pet Insurance, and pay £21 a month. We have only used it once and they paid out straight away, but did read somewhere that they were reluctant to pay out on an animals death if it wasn't an accident But now I am with them, changing usually means higher payments. I have it for injuries or sickness, which is the main thing.

Thanks for those 2 but neither will insure our "oldie" who is a very young 6 and a half years old!!! And as for Sainsburys they apparently don't insure Deerhounds at all. Has anyone ever used E&L who have given us a brillian quote for all three of ours but we have never heard of them before.

Joy

We've used E&L in the past and I'm afraid I wouldn't recommend them. They took a good four - six months to settle my claims in the past. I also got caught out as they change the terms on you when your dog is over nine. Obviously I should have been more with it but I'm afraid I just looked at the renewal price and didn't read further into the schedule to note that the terms e.g. excess and veterinary cover limit had been altered. They are though a genuine company and I think if you read thoroughly what your cover is (which I didn't) you should be OK.

I have just spoken to someone who had horses insured with them Elise and they said they were pretty c**p too. So think I will steer clear.

Elise wrote:


Elise you will be disappointed to hear that Animal Friends ARE E&L!
They hide it well but if you go to the policy wording section on the site map you can see what I mean. I only know as I got caught out a few years ago.
E&L have a truly terrible repetition and I would have stayed well away had I realised. I only found out when Animal Friends refused to pay out for our greyhound who had to have emergency stitches on a Sunday. They said it was a non emergency and could have waited till Monday!
My vet wrote to them but they still held out.
It was a lesson learned. I now ALWAYS check the underwriters and the policy document.

Ours are with Sainsbury's - who are fabulous but now no longer cover Deerhounds - probably due to the amount they have paid out on ours!
Virgin - who seem very good.
And Nias' whelping insurance is with the Kennel club. Our greyhound was with Tesco when he was diagnosed with a osteosarcoma and they were really good as well. The pups are with Pet Plan but they are becoming more awkward.
Hope that helps!

I had my 2 horses insured with E+L- they were not very good at all! I wouldnt go with them again. I have my D/Hounds insured with Tesco and pay 32 quid a month forthe 2. They wont insure somkey or Marti due to their ages

liza wrote:


OH no I don't believe it. It implies though on the animal friendly web site they are Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited (RSL) part of the Hollard Insurance Group. Shows you that I don't look at insurance text that well at all!

When I was was at the vets we would not suggest E & L as they were c... at paying out. Just a suggestion, instead of paying out for insurance, put money into a bank/post office or whatever account and keep it just for the animals. That way the animals are covered, the vets ar happy and insurances do not get rich on doing nothing.

wallace wrote:


Yeah, I know, but. You just know the minute you cancel the insurance and before the bank account's built up, something's going to get expensively ill or have an accident. This just happened to us with a cat, who came home dreadfully injured and couldn't be saved. The bill was the thick end of £300; not grudged in the least, but not easily found at short notice either.

wallace wrote:


Yeah, it's a good theory, but if you've only had your puppy for three weeks and he's run up a vet bill for just over £5,000, your pot would be a bit short!
..... and there speaks the voice of experience - as it was, the insurance also came up short.

Thanks for all the responses but we have decided to take a chance and agree with Chris (Wallace) to put money aside monthly, it doesnt feel right having 2 insured and 1 left out somehow. Just hope they continue to be fit and healthy. What a shame we didnt stop before (last time we thought about it we had £300 of cut foot shortly after!)

Joy

Sods Law indeed, I stopped my insurances early on this year and have had vet bills for £150, £240 and an on going one that is sitting at £400 with another £300 about to be added to it

I don't grudge paying it (well I do, because it's the screw the insurance company vet bills that have forced up premiums in the first place) but to make myself feel better I just think about the thousands of ££££s I've paid insurance companies over the last 20+ years without ever having a claim and console myself that the insurance companies won't get another penny out of me. I didn't have a claim but my premiums still went up and up so I can only assume it's the vets who've had all the dosh, 'no expense spared' vet treatment because an animal is insured.

My savings pot is sitting at about -£80 at the moment and will be -£380 by the end of the week, but hopefully that's 'my bad things come in threes' time over.

Another option if your going down the route of putting money to one side is to buy premium bonds every month.If you insured all 3 dogs it would cost approx £75 per month, so why not put similar amount in bonds, say £50 /month which is the minimum via direct debit, forms available at the Post Office. Then if you win then that could top up the kitty in bonds. Also if needed for vets bills they can be cashed in at any time.

i got all mine insured with healthy pets, and they have been great to deal with and pay the vet direct, and from the 3 claims this year they paid up within a week of the vets putting the form in,

When i changed Layla over in to my name, i took out the 6 weeks free insurance with the KC,
unfortunaly at the amount they wanted every month after the 6 weeks, was just way to much for me, so i rang them up to cancel the policy, when i spoke to them, i found out
that the standered policy isnt the only one they do, they do a number of policys
including one thats the excat same, but a little cheaper at 29 quid,
i was offered an emergency only policy, coverage is a little less and if she becomes ill
i do have to wait for 10 days before i can claim, but if shes in an accident, i can claim stright away, its only costing me just over 16 quid a month, and with what ive saved, i can put that away and know shes covered all round.

I've just deposited the dogs earnings from their movie work in to the VET account and it is now looking well healthy Not something I'd planned to have, but it's come in very handy. It's great when things work out, aint it?

just bumping this - got my renewal quote for Leah - we have been with M+S for a few years now, last year I was paying £31/month, we didn't make any claims - the renewal has gone up to £61/month!!!!
I phoned them up to query the doubled price and they were very off-hand, saying that all premiums have jumped whether you've claimed or not
I told them I wouldn't be renewing as would soon be getting another dog and it was a ridiculous amount (more than my car insurance!).....so I'm now searching for another company. Problem is she's 7 now so that will mean higher premiums anyway

Grrrrrrrr

We have insured our two with Pet Insurance.co.uk. Never had to use till this year but have this year. They seem OK and have paid on the 2 claims submitted.