Sorry, it's this old chestnut again!
Getting a pup on Friday, so have started to look at insurance companies. She will be coming with a temporary insurance to cover her for a few weeks, but starting to look now.
I insured my last two dogs with Direct Line and was more then happy as there was no problems with them paying for long term drugs used to keep my old girls going. I now discover that they only insure up to 11 years of age, so won't be using them again. Did a search on here re insurance and it seems Pet Plan is pretty popular although expensive, but I feel if you pay peanuts, you'll get peanuts, so I'm leaning towards them. Hubby, who does most of the insurance arranging for everything else, has a much cheaper quote from LV which he of course favours. Generally it's like for like between the two companies, whole life, insured per condition not annually. Has anyone used LV pet insurance? Can anyone give me good reasons why to go with Pet Plan rather then LV, I need to convince him rather then me.

4 of mine are insured with AXA. They do cover for life, think it pays out £7000 per condition per year (for life).

Only claimed once, they were a little slow but paid out no questions asked. Found they are cheaper than pet plan (have 1 dog with them) his policy pays out £4000 per condition per year for life but his policy costs me £28 a month. My AXA ones range from £12-£20 depending on which dog it is. (Age)

The dogs I have got insured are also with AXA. They did hike the prices considerably with my Dobes, hence I stopped their policies, but have continued with my Goldies which have been reasonable. Always paid out relatively quickly although I have had to chase on a couple of occasions. On the whole I'm fairly happy with them.

>I now discover that they only insure up to 11 years of age, so won't be using them again.

Is this for new policies, Jodi? I hope it's not for all policies, given that I am paying them a fortune for a 13 year old (keep threatening to cancel and not quite plucking up the courage ...)

M.

Phew, just re-read it - the 11 years is at the start of the policy (which is later than I'd have expected), not stopping at 11 years if policy already in place ...

Don't worry Lily mac, they will continue to pay out on existing policies. They were absolutely fine with my 14 year old Goldie. I knew they had been taken over by another company and this seems to be the result, only up to 11 years now. Pity as I had no problems with them at all over all the claims I made on my last two dogs and would have used them again.
Will check out AXA.

Anyone used LV?

I agree Jodi, have always had good service from them - but am not understanding your problem. If you take out a policy for a pup now, they will continue it until whatever age. The 11 years refers to taking out a new policy on an 11 year old dog.

From their website:

Are there any age limits or restrictions for Pet Insurance?

We can insure your pet as long as he/she is a minimum of 8 weeks of age and up to a maximum of 11 years, (up to 6 years for some breeds of dog), at the start date of the policy.

If you start cover between these ages, we will not stop cover purely because he/she has reached a certain age.

Ah, I misunderstood. The way it has been written I thought it was only for dogs between the ages of 8 weeks and 11 years would be insured. Having said that , I can't see the words 'whole life' anywhere which would have made it clearer.

Another vote for Axa, GSD who is 6 on Thursday :-D  is on the top level lifetime cover.
It went up with a bump about 2 years ago but so did virtually all other companies, It costs about the same a year as does my car insurance but I have only claimed once - about £500 on that whereas I have claimed 5 times totalling over 2½K and Axa have paid out with no problems each time.

I have 1 with AXA as she is too old to move but also have 2 with PetPlan. I would have liked to have them all with PP, as they never quibble and claims are settled very quickly.

I've found Virgin to be fairly uncomplicated and pay out quite quickly (compared to M&S).