Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Christina on June 01, 2007, 19:33:58 PM

Title: pet insurance
Post by: Christina on June 01, 2007, 19:33:58 PM
hello everyone.

Just wondering if anyone has any recomendations when it comes to pet insurance. Im going to insure my little one now that she has started to go out.
Theres so many different ones out there im confused!
if there are any companies that anybody would recomend for best service and value for money then i would be greatly appreciative to hear from you. thanks very much.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: smudgepickles on June 01, 2007, 21:11:04 PM
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/petinsurance/comparepet.asp?PetType=Cat

Hope that helps
Christina

xx
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on June 02, 2007, 09:48:04 AM
Hi Christina

I think the most important thing to consider is what type of cover, some of the cheaper policies will cover you an amount per condition.  Say your little one developed diabetes then if it was a 'per condition' policy when you reached the limit of £4000 it would simply stop paying the next year.  The policy should cover a condition for life, paying out a set amount each year.  I'm with M&S, they pay out £7000 per year so if one of mine required treatment that cost £7000 (and with the advances in technology specialist referrals etc that is not as hard as you may think to reach) then M & S would pay that this year and then each subsequent year aswell.

This article probably explains it better than I have!  http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cut-pet-insurance-costs

As I said, I'm with M&S...  Thankfully haven't had to use them yet but I haven't heard of any problems paying out which is probably one of the most important things, it's all good and well having a good level of cover but if they wriggle out of paying out then it's a waste of money and potentially very expensive!  I chose M&S after hearing good things about them on here and also as they are the only insurer that offer a £0 excess.  Simple things like cystitis, a cat bite etc might only cost around £50 so you wouldn't be able to claim with other insurers but you can with M&S.

Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 02, 2007, 19:09:43 PM
Im with M&S too and have had no probs with the service, what i really like is that for about an extra fiver a year you get no excess  :wow:
They even paid for Milly to have a extraction/scale and polish as treatment for gingivitis, i think that Pet Plan are the only other company who cover some dentals.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on June 02, 2007, 20:45:46 PM
I also with M&S
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Christina on June 04, 2007, 13:16:27 PM
thanks for that. i think ill try that one and see what its like. sounds like its quite popular so must have a good reputation. Thanks again!
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: alisonandarchie on June 05, 2007, 00:00:05 AM
Hi there

I signed up with Argos pet Ins. in January. I recently made a claim for £450 and they quickly paid up without any fuss. The premiums are also really low.  ;D
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 05, 2007, 17:39:16 PM
Do argos cover a condition for life? I cant remember looking at them  :-:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: alisonandarchie on June 05, 2007, 22:14:13 PM
Hi there
It looks like if you have platinum cover there is no limit on the treatment period. However it may be best to either contact Argos online or their pet cover customer services no. is 0870 121 5210. Regards
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on June 06, 2007, 08:59:53 AM
If I remember correctly, Argos cover is per condition so when you reach the max amt that's it.  Could be wrong though.  I remember getting a quote for Mosi and at the highest level for cover it was quite a high premium (a bit lower than petplan but not much) with payout per condition and, I think, no dental cover.  Unless I'm thinking of something else.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Rosella moggy on June 08, 2007, 20:02:34 PM
Just a quickie. A girl I work with went to vet for usual check up with her cat last week and vet said M&S were the best he had come across so far and mentioned they had paid up £7,000 on a dog recently without any quibbles. Warning... is he on commission?!!  I was pleased of course as my 3 all with M&S.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on June 09, 2007, 01:13:46 AM
Thats great Rosella and £7000 is the max
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 09, 2007, 19:27:38 PM
My vet likes M&S too, his eyes lit up when i told him who George was with.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: lilycat on June 09, 2007, 21:15:45 PM
My cats are insured with Pet Plan and they do cover dentals but the excess seems to go up at the drop of a hat.

If I got any more cats  :Crazy: I'd probably go with M&S, they sound really good.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on June 10, 2007, 13:58:17 PM
I am with Sainsbury's and my vet hadn't come across them before I gave them a claim form!! I wouldnt' use Sainsbury's if I had a younger cat though, I would go with M & S, but for the age of my cats, I think £6,500 is fine.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 10, 2007, 17:41:06 PM
Just got quoted £130 a year for i year old taz!!  I ticked yes to having a curent illness/condition which thinking about it he doesnt at the mo as its stress related. Shocking its thats much when they wont cover the problem anyway! Will be ticking no current illness this time   :evillaugh:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on June 10, 2007, 17:48:28 PM
Blimey, thats nearly as expensive as my 13 and 14 year old combined!! I did manage to get them both with a 10% discount due to online booking and being second pets.
Actually - that is a good point, and something we dont normally mention - insurers normally offer a 5% discount for booking online.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 10, 2007, 17:53:12 PM
Rats, even tho i deleted my cookies they have remembered me  :P :doh: il have to phone them now and say i clicked the wrong button. I did his bro a few days ago for £75 so i hope it hasnt gone up that much.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on June 10, 2007, 17:53:51 PM
My petplan policy for Mosi has gone up to £12 a month and he's not 2 yet!  It was about £9 up to renewal.  I got quotes from a few others and tbh they weren't much lower (most around about £11 mark).  I think they are putting up the premiums for pedigrees as I'm paying more for Mosi than I am for Jaffa who's 10.

I feel a bit stuck tbh now that Mosi has had a diagnosis of gingivitis.  he's not seen the specialist yet and it's mild, but they have the diagnosis on the computer.  So if he had a problem with it in several years time and I tried to claim it would be down on the vet's computer that he was diagnosed with it in April 2007 and that would give them a perfect excuse for not paying up if it was with a policy taken out after then.  At least I do feel happy with the service and payouts I've had from petplan.  I just wish it was a bit cheaper!
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 11, 2007, 10:10:10 AM
Ouch! Taz is just an average moggy so im not paying that much! I have contacted them to find out if they have gone up or just wont let me alter my selections. I will be peeved if have 5 with them and 1 elsewhere  :doh:

My 1-2 year old boys cost more than my 7 yr old girl  :Crazy: :Crazy:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 12, 2007, 17:15:45 PM
I hate call centres so enquired online about it and she said it sounds like that is the price as the underwriters can alter them as they wish  >:(
I quoted with petplan and to get the same cover it would be £155.60 and i would have to pay an excess unlike M&S.

Sainburys were cheap but dont cover dentals so dont think they are in the running now.

50% increase in less than 2 weeks, those people should be shot!  :censored:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: tab on June 12, 2007, 17:43:07 PM
My insurance for Mogs had just gone up to £20 a month as shes 16 this year and has an ongoing condition. I think thats really expensive as its £4 a month more than last year but Im stuck with it. Im with More Than for Mogs. Amber who has never had a claim and is 9(ish) is now with M&S at £6.30 a month
love
Tab
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on June 12, 2007, 18:13:00 PM
I hate call centres so enquired online about it and she said it sounds like that is the price as the underwriters can alter them as they wish  >:(

That's the problem, isn't it  :(  You just never know when it's going to go up for no apparent reason.  And with pet insurance becoming more popular I think it's all going to be a bit up and down for the forseeable future as they adjust policies.  I think I'll just stay where I am and keep my fingers crossed than on average it will be ok.  It might be cheaper now with someone else but there's nothing to guarantee that premium wouldn't shoot up next year, or the year after...

Jaffa's premium with petplan has just steadily increased slowly over the years, a bit more each year (despite no claims - it's based on total claims to the company not individual claims) but I was surprised at the difference between pedigree and non pedigree.  When I took out Mosi's policy it was about the same for him as a 4 month old kitten as it was for Jaffa who was nearly 9.  Now it's more for him at 17 months than it is for Jaffa at 10 years.  But Jaffa's excess will go up now that he's 10.  I think I might have been "had" as I rang up to take out budget policy for Mosi and was offered the Cat policy (not on their website) which offered more cover for only about 10p more.  I'm guessing it's not 10p more any longer!
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on June 12, 2007, 18:21:20 PM
I currently pay the following with M&S with no excess:

Misa 5yrs old  £6 +
Sasa 9yrs old £8+
Ducha and Franta birman  13 yrs £13 + each

I think it depends on where you live also and whether they pedigree and their age. But certainly the market seems to have been going up for last year.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on June 12, 2007, 18:27:31 PM
I got a quote from M&S for Jaffa a few months ago and it was about £9 with better excess than petplan.  But he has previous conditions, even if they're a bit vague and minor.  I worry when they have a diagnosis on the computer for anything and you change as they could refuse to pay out for all sorts by claiming the cat was seen by a vet for that condition previously.

Mosi's quote with M&S was cheaper than petplan but it wasn't a lot less.  And with his gingivitis diagnosis I'm reluctant to move. 

I'm starting to chill out about the whole pet insurance thing now and take a " :censored: it" approach (which is probably what petplan are counting on).  I'll keep an eye on quotes from other companies and if I get another cat I'd definitely shop around, but I'm happy with the service I've had from petplan in the past and confident that virtually everything is covered for the future so I'll just put up with paying a little bit more each month.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on June 12, 2007, 18:40:06 PM
When a cat has an existing condition it is usually adviseable to stay with insurance you have cos a new company is likely to make it an exclusion.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on June 12, 2007, 18:56:14 PM
Im most gutted because i did his brother for £75.80 and sister for £66.89 a week ago. I only held off because i needed to check how to work things with vet accounts for his fostered bladder conditions and future ones that il cover  :tired:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on June 13, 2007, 08:16:31 AM
That is a shame. I have been lucky with the pet insurance, when I initially looked into Ginger and PEbbles it was quite expensive, so I only got Pebbles insured as we suspected a health issue, then the year after I enquired again, adn they had changed their way of working things, and Ginger had gone from £14 to £9 a month, so snapped it up!! They did say then that young males were the most expensive to insure. And Pebbles premium actually went from £11 to £8 despite paying out over £500!!
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Vickym on August 09, 2007, 12:12:50 PM
Hi All,

Sorry to ask a question that ocmes up time and time again, but I thought I'd resurect this thread.

Both my cats - a 2 year old male (Sid) and a 2.5 year old female (Mandu) are with M&S and they have been about £13 and £11 a month respectively. 

I've just had the renewal note for Mandu and it's gone from £10.54 a month to £14.91 a month, and they've got rid of the no excess so I now have to factor a £50 excess as well.  Have any other M&S customers seen a significant increase?  They said they've changed the way the work out the premiums but a 40% jump is quite large and now there is the £50 excess.  We haven't had any claims with her this year.

Sid's insurance comes up in a couple of months and I'm more than a little concerned about the figure that will come back!

Vicky
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Susanne (urbantigers) on August 09, 2007, 12:21:08 PM
There was a thread in general about increase in M&S premiums.  I'll see if I can find it.  You're not alone in having a fairly big rise.

Here ya go

http://www.chaptanservices.com/purrs/index.php?topic=5237.0
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Vickym on August 09, 2007, 12:26:10 PM
Thank you!
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 09, 2007, 12:42:50 PM
Vicky

Are Sid and Mandu pedigrees?  Your premiums seem pretty high to begin with even before the increase - I pay £7.17 for a male, insured at 8 weeks but obviously he'll be a year old by the time the policy is up for renewal and a girl was £5.94 (I was told one of my kittens was a girl so insured him as a girl first of all).  My second boy (brother of the £7.17 one) is £5.99 both with no excess although I know the no excess option will be taken away at renewal.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Vickym on August 09, 2007, 12:46:47 PM
Hi Helen,

They're just lovely moggies!  I live in a less than desirable part of London which makes them dear I would think - and the woman I spoke to at M7S confirmed this - but it is a massive hike. 

I can obviuosly get them insured for less but as M&S have the best cover I think I may just stick- does anyone have any views?

Thanks

Vicky

Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 09, 2007, 12:52:53 PM
It does seem a lot but I'm with you on M & S having the best cover available, I think petplan has a comaparable level of cover and now that M&S have stopped the no excess it might be worth getting a quote from them to see if they come in any cheaper.  If Sid and mandu have no pre-existing conditions then at least you are in a position to switch, if they have pre-existing conditions then you really are tied into staying with M&S.

P.S Have Sid and Mandu got a Dad called Iain McT?  :shify:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Vickym on August 09, 2007, 12:56:51 PM
Yes they do!  Well sloothed there!

Iain's my ex and in an odd twist he now lives opposite me, which means the cats come and go as they like - life of riley for them, although as we get on really well they don't get double treats! 

I pay the insurance and Iain buy's food etc - and they officially live with him but for the time being it's great to have them over the hall.

Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on August 09, 2007, 13:05:35 PM
It was the unusual names that aroused my suspicions  :rofl:  What a brilliant arrangement for Sid and Mandu though :wow:  It's great that you still get on and share responsibility for them  :)

There's a good article on pet insurance here...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cut-pet-insurance-costs  It says that Petplan, M&S and Pinnacle offer are the ones that offer yearly payout limits which is the main thing I personally would look for in a policy, I paid out thousands on Tiggy's treatments so I know how quickly the costs can add up.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Vickym on August 09, 2007, 13:24:43 PM
They're very happy cats at the moment, even Mandu has been wanting a fuss the last couple of days.

Thanks for the link - Pet Plan is lots more than M&S and Pinnacle is only a bit cheaper and the excess is more.  Think I'll keep them with M&S,  it's the annual pay outs that led us to M&S in the first place and I'd be loathed to move away from that.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on August 09, 2007, 17:23:29 PM
Quote
Think I'll keep them with M&S,  it's the annual pay outs that led us to M&S in the first place and I'd be loathed to move away from that.
Thats what iv decided, as much as i'l miss my no excess i wont get it anywhere else and 7k a year is good to have.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on August 09, 2007, 23:28:37 PM
M&S increased my birmans insurance by £10 each so now paying £23+ each for them a month and I am seriously angry. Must chase up the letter they supposed to be sending me to confirm NIl excess and write to ombudsman about them taking away the NIL excess from next year in my case for all 4.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Desley (booktigger) on August 10, 2007, 08:08:50 AM
Those amounts for young cats sound high, Molly's went up a bit (but I did get about a 10% discount last year) and even then is just over £11 a month - she is 14. But, I wouldnt want to use Sainsbury's if I had a young cat, so very tricky.
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Millys Mum on August 10, 2007, 18:25:13 PM
Gill thats crazy!  :Crazy: Simon is due to renew next month so will see what they put him up to   :scared: :scared:
Title: Re: pet insurance
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on August 10, 2007, 21:24:45 PM
For the 4 cats the total increase was £30 and that took away all the increase in my pension  >:(