Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Wendy Q on January 29, 2007, 09:10:26 AM

Title: Pet Insurance
Post by: Wendy Q on January 29, 2007, 09:10:26 AM
Hi everyone, just received my insurance renewal documents from Marks & Spencer for my 2 cats and the premiums have almost doubled! I've rang them up and they advised they have revised their pricing structure and they now charge more for cats under the age of 2 and slightly more for a male cat. Has anyone shopped around recently and found out who's offering a good deal? I'd like there to be cover for the life of an illness provided on the policy. Any advice would be useful. :thanks:
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Marie on January 29, 2007, 12:42:17 PM
Interesting and very sneaky!!! Maisy's will be up for renewal in April and as we are having trouble with a skin condition I will have no choice but to renew with M&S or have an exclusion for this condition with a new company!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on January 29, 2007, 15:13:22 PM
Do you mind saying how much they are now? (I know it differs by postcode) But i was thinking if you first took it out and it was cheap compared to others it may now be more inline with them.
I pay between £5 & £6 a month per cat, my 1 yr male costs more than my 8 yr old!

Petplan are said to be good, the quotes i got tho were quite a bit higher and a bigger excess.

You should get a multi-cat discount with M&S, 5% i think it is.
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Michelle (furbabystar) on January 29, 2007, 15:26:20 PM
You should get a multi-cat discount with M&S, 5% i think it is.

I was with petplan some years ago and i must admit there was never a problem with them paying up.

I cancelled because THEY didnt a payment one month from my bank and they then sent me a letter blaming me and saying they would cancel my policy - after many phonecalls and getting rather fed up with speaking to "thick" people i got the hump and cancelled it !!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Marie on January 29, 2007, 15:27:50 PM
I pay about £5.60 for Maisy (10 months) and about £5.40 for Tommy (8 months) with the second cat discount with M&S
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Leanne on January 29, 2007, 15:43:03 PM
Jess's insurance was £8.09 with direct line I should add Jess is 8 months old
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Wendy Q on January 29, 2007, 15:59:44 PM
Thanks for all the replies. Last year I paid around £120 in total for the 2 of them which was just under £5 per cat per month. The new premium quoted is around £190 in total, about £7.50 per cat per month. It still seems reasonable I suppose compared to others I know of, I just don't like things going up when I haven't claimed! The cover is excellent which is the main thing, £7000 per year and no 12 month limit on illnesses.  I doubt I'll get the same cover for cheaper elsewhere so will probably just renew. Never mind, at least I only have the 2 cats!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on January 29, 2007, 16:27:57 PM
I just don't like things going up when I haven't claimed!
Premiums tend to go up in line with total claims to the company rather than individual claims - at least that's the way it is with petplan. 
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Team Svartalfheims on January 29, 2007, 16:41:48 PM
Bilbo was insured with Petplan who have now written to me to say his policy has expired (nice of them to warn me beforehand lol) and have told me how much it will be to insure him this year and the cost has gone up quite a bit. Having seen that they want to charge around £160 to insure him this year I'm looking at Halifax as they'll insure him for about £55 (up to £1000 vets bills + £50 excess) as he's only being insured in case he gets lost/stolen/dies so the vet bill side isn't an issue for me.

I haven't found anywhere cheaper than Halifax yet so think I'll go with them. My friend has her cats insured with them and they paid out really fast.
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Team Svartalfheims on January 29, 2007, 16:43:12 PM
http://www.halifaxpetinsurance.co.uk/pet/schemes/pb/halifax.asp?source=NETGOOGLPINSPI120001 Link to Halifax online quote. Apparently if you buy online you get a 5% discount.
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Marie on January 29, 2007, 16:51:57 PM
So far I have been waiting over a month for M&S to pay out for Maisy but as her condition may continue we will now have to stay with them!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on January 29, 2007, 17:40:35 PM
I have 4 cats with M&S and I moved there in August /Sep last year cos Sainsburys had put up there prices but not the cover and I get a better deal with M&S . I pay just over £13 a month each for 13 yr old birmans and I thinks is about £6 for moggy Misa age 5yrs and about £8 for moggy Sasa aged 8yrs.
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Ann Clarke (Tabby cat) on January 29, 2007, 17:52:42 PM
I'm with M & S and have found them to be very good. They paid out for Sophie last year and she had only been insured with them for just over two months when she had to be put to sleep. Dylan who is 7 has just had his renewal and it went up from £6.13 a month to about £6.75 so not bad really and I just recently got Hobbes (3 months old) included and his is £5.60 with the 5% discount for multiple cats. I think the cover you get is great for the price and certainly worth it for piece of mind. They also pay towards cremation fees which I think it really good as some policy's don't. The way Hobbes throws himself around the place I'd be surpised if there are no injuries in the next 12 months  :rofl:
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Wendy Q on January 30, 2007, 00:56:40 AM
Thanks everyone, think I will stay with M&S as the cover is really good for the price. Just wanted to check before I buy in case there was anything else about for that cover but cheaper. Thanks everyone  ;)
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on January 30, 2007, 08:01:17 AM
Lyn, your premium shouldn't go up because you have claimed, Pebbles' actually went down despite them paying nearly £500 in the year. I will be sticking with Sainsbury's, mine are £7-£8 each, which I think is really good for a 13 and 14yo.
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Marie on January 30, 2007, 10:46:44 AM
Received my cheque for £250 from M&S today, although they took a month they have paid for everything including prescription food with the exception of the flea treatment (which I was not expecting as I was well aware this was not included on the policy, just trying my luck really)!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Marie on February 01, 2007, 16:39:25 PM
That's very lucky Lyn.  Our vets wont do that we have to pay it out first.
Although I have had my cheque from M&S, Maisy is no better and we now have to go to Langford Vet School to see a specialist.  So that will be more I will have to pay out then claim back so it wont be in my pocket for long!!!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: nataliedowney on February 01, 2007, 18:28:17 PM
Hi Everyone,
I have just insured all 5 of my furry babies with M&S. I was expecting it to be a lot, especially as I have a 10 year old aswell as an Exotic.
My monthly direct debit will be £43.50 with no excess to pay ;D......but it has helped immensly that I get my 10% staff discount and muti-cat discount.
I have heard many praises for M&S pet insurance and I think even if they are a bit slow in paying out they make up for it in other areas.
I hope you and your babies are happy and healthy. :ahh:
From Natalie  xxx
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Rosella moggy on February 02, 2007, 16:04:15 PM
Monthly costs with M&S no excess

Billy Whizz (age 2)£5.07,
Freddie Monster (age 5) £5.35 
Tom the Man (age 17) £10.35
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on February 04, 2007, 11:40:17 AM
I am glad you finally got your money Marie - Sainsbury's are sometimes a bit slow at paying, but at least you get it eventually!! I passed comment at my vets this week as I got more back on my last claim than I remember paying them - they had included the STronghold I bought on the claim accidentally, and I didn't get anything on the letter saying that it was excluded, so it looks like it was included!! I can only assume that as the claim was for eating issues, they must have thought it was prescribed in case it helped her feel better!!
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: rach on February 04, 2007, 13:16:37 PM
has anyone had any experience with petplan and FIV+ cats? Ours has just been diagnosed and we are filling in the claim forms, but i am wondering if they will refuse to insure Manson afterwards?
Title: Re: Pet Insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on February 04, 2007, 14:59:38 PM
Rach, as long as he wasnt diagnosed before you started the insurance they will cover it  :)