Hi - I have been shopping around for insurance for my 12 week old dachshund and it would seem that most vets recommend Pet Plan.  I definitely want to pick an insurance where they offer cover for life and not per condition and preferably where ther is no cap.  I am looking at Pet Plan, More Than and Animal Friends I don't have any experience of any of these companies and I know it is a bit of a minefield picking the right one.  I would love recommendations and especially to hear whether the three above are good or not or any experiences of these companies?
Thank you.

I used to use More Than but the premiums just kept going up and up to the point that it became cheaper to buy the prescription from my vet and buy meds online. Plus they did not do a life cover as such. What they had was a limit of £7000 per condition, once that limit was reached then there was no more cover for it.

Being an ex animal nurse I have had lots of dealings with insurance companies.  I fully recommend pet plan, they might. Not be the cheapest but they are very fair on paying claims. Lifetime plans are ideal.

Pet Plan always score well in reviews, and vets seem to like dealing with them, but they are expensive. I have used M&S and Homebase too and never had any trouble. 

Print off the list of benefits for each of the companies you like and do a side by side comparison.  Look for really good cover for vet bills though and don't worry too much about the fringe benefits that you may not use.  It can be helpful to imagine some illnesses and injuries to see what cover you will get.  Allergies is always a good one to look at as you will need ongoing treatment with quite high bills each year...

Whomever you choose, my advice is do it quick.  I'd say you are already a bit behind the game, ideally you arrange cover from the minute your pup gets home.  Don't forget that your pup will be excluded for any conditions arising prior to the start date AND within the first 2 weeks of cover.

Pet plan are good a settling claims but like most others their premiums go up quite considerably - for example my westie was £326 for a year when I first got my policy (Maximum Premium Life Cover Policy) - last year she was 7 and the policy was £613 for the year. She has never had any condition that I have claimed for, I'm not a breeder or anything - so the premiums going up cant be related to that stuff - only age I assume. In addition whereas their maximum cover package used to be unlimited vet fees all of a sudden about 5 years ago they changed it so that it had a £12,000 vet fee per policy year maximum cap put on (though to be fair with smaller dogs I doubt anyone would exceed that very often) but it was annoying that they didn't tell anyone about the change to the cover and instead just did it and hoped you noticed the change in the small prints on renewals I suppose - plus their excess went up at the same time - so in effect they reduced everyones cover, didn't write to tell them in advance, just snuck it in on the policy certificates when you renewed -  but continued to increase the premiums - bit mean really - I felt they should have honoured all current lifetime ultimate cover policies and only impose the changes on new customers from a certain date when they did that - but there you go.

More Than will do virtually identical cover of £12,000 vet fee max per policy year for both my 9 1/2 year old and my 7 1/2 year old for a total price for the two of £756 for the year (not each - for both together)  so quite a bit cheaper (and they didn't put any exclusions on my girl for being in tact which surprised me) but I have no idea what they are like on paying out on policies as I haven't made a claim though I'm hoping they're good!!

I think Pet Plan is a pretty safe bet overall but just be prepared for premium hikes over the years & to remember to check your policy each year well to see if they have changed anything.....and remember its very hard to change insurance companies when your pups a few years older and get the same level of cover free of any exclusions and impossible in cases of a dog that has already been diagnosed with a condition and having ongoing treatment as that just wont be covered if you change insurers.

I have my two dogs insured with Animal friends. I had one dog, a BMD, that was insured with them and he was ill for 5 years with GME. For the first two years the premium didn't go up and then 2 years it did but not by much and the last year by a lot. We claimed the full £5k every year on him and all claims were paid with no fuss and no delay. Because I could have asked for no better service from an insurance company it would be strange if I didn't continue to use them for my current 2 dogs. Chester, a Golden Retriever, has been with them 6 years, has never claimed, thank goodness, and his premium over that time has gone up from an initial £27 to £32. I'm happy with them.

Vets don't like animal friends and neither do I after they cancelled my policy.
I've had dogs with Petplan and also the KC and had no issues except for the monthly payment, however they might be fair on price for your breed?

I am finding vets don't care who you are insured with a most don't care as you pay on the day so not their problem.  Goat make sure it's a lifetime policy whoever you go with. Petplan or more than would be my choices. Two of mine are with  animal friends the top plan of theirs. so far . So good ,we shall see as currently a big on going claim

Gosh it is a tough decision I am not sure about animal friends they look good on paper but I don't know I think it will have to be either More Than or Per Plan will try to decide once and for all today!

Animal Friends are fine if you insure right from the start - if there is no chance of pre-existing conditions, or anything that might be perceived as such.  And I do mean anything - right now they are refusing to pay a claim for auto-immune anaemia which started last September for Saffi because she had colitis two years ago, and that can be a symptom of it.  Typical of them, not the first fight like this I've had with them and I expect it won't be the last.  When my current three with them are gone, I'll not be using them again.  Even without that problem, the excess at 8yrs old jumps considerably and is crippling!

Petplan I still think are the best on the market - yes, they are pricey but the cover is excellent for that price.  I use Aviva and John Lewis too, only had to claim with Aviva but they were brilliant and good prices too.

I have tried several insurance companies but have always ended back with Pet Plan. They never quibble, always pay out and its doubtful that they will stop offering animal insurance as has happened to several companies. I had one oldie with Axa, but they have stopped dog insurance. My oldie is too old to transfer to Pet Plan so I am stuck with the policy that Axa have offered with another company whatever the cost. Many people have been left without insurance cover when companies close down but this will not happen with PP

Tell me about it - Axa are why I'm having the fight with animal friends about Saffi, because they ditched us last year after quoting me way out of budget.

Oh Nikita I am so sorry to hear that they won't cover for Saffi's autoimmune problem this is so unfair you pay your premiums and they take the money happily and then say they won't cover it is just so wrong.

We shall see Nikita I am holding my breath at the moment with AF .I hope I don't have to eat my hat

Make sure you read all the small print in the Terms and Conditions, espeically the 'Exclusions'. You might be surprised what some policies don't cover.

Well, I'm not done yet.  This is not the first fight I've had with them like this by any means and I don't give in easily - last time they paid up just to shut me up!

Do not use Animal Friends since they changed their Underwriters they don't want to pay out of anything and will try and get away with any excess they used to be so good and helpful not anymore.

I swapped from animal friends to more than this year. Never had a problem with AF and when I've had to call them they were very helpful but the premiums had gone up so much. I made a claim for parvo in the first year so expected an increas when the renewal was due but there was no increase, but the next year it jumped up and it went up again when I had the renewal letter threw. When I originally took it out it was about £190 for the year, this year they wanted £360. It would have been cheaper to cancel and start a new with them.
So I switched to more than for I think £219 a year.

Premiums as a whole have greatly increased over the past few years.  For example George was approx £15 per month at a year old (no preexisting conditions), seven years ago Now if I input the details for a year old boxer with the same company it is £66 per month for the same policy! I did the same experiment with Petplan as I could remember their quote from back then and it was a similar price increase.

I took out More Than life cover £12k. I'd only had the policy for a few weeks and had to make a claim for £1300. Had no problems what so ever getting the payment I think it was paid direct to vet within 10 days.

I don't know if you still have insurance from the breeder but make sure your new policy starts 10-14 days before the old one finishes so you have continuous cover. You generally cannot make a claim during the first 10-14 days of a new policy. Lots of people have been caught out with this when changing companies by starting new policy day after old one finishes and you are not covered.

I've used More Than & M&S previously with no problems, currently using the KC Insurance, not issues here either when claiming

2 of mine are with PP and the other 5 are with Direct Line.  Both have been great when I have had to claim.  DL paid up for 2 accidents my one bitch had resulting in a £3,900 and a few weeks later a £3,500 different accident and they were absolutely brilliant.

Just something that has come up elsewhere. It seems that direct line and Churchill are now allowing homeopathic nosodes in place of vaccinations . however unlike most companies vetmedicover are quibbling that if vaccinations arnt kept up to date and an annual health check is done with the vet they may not pay out on anything at all so watch the wording
amazing I know but it seems some of these companies are getting more tricky than others.

with regard to vaccines most companies will pay out on anything that it isnt possible to vaccinate against and if your dog should fall ill with a disease that can be vaccinated against and you arnt vaccinated they wont pay.
hope that makes sense. I wasn't getting into a discussion about pros and cons of vaccinating just putting a point to remember

Is there anything in writing anywhere to confirm this Chris ?

The Churchill and direct line nosodes bit ATM I didn't bother to ask for it in writing apart for on their application it has a box you can tick and I have spoken to them to ask how you prove nosodes.their reply was,keep the receipt to show you purchased them . a bit wobbly IMO but as I am not changing to them I haven't asked for written confirmation which I would before using them. The other lot I have seen documentary evidence form them contradicting themselves. The lady concerned is following it up and hopefully will get back. Its flipping ridiculous if you don't vaccinate and you dog breaks a leg how can they refuse to pay.it will be the first company that anyone has heard of to do that if they are. Also they require an annual health check by the vet.again I won't be told to take my dog to thevet just for a check up .I can decide if he is unwell and also another £20 for a consult. Gosh I hope all that makes sense

The Churchill and direct line nosodes bit ATM I didn't bother to ask for it in writing apart for on their application it has a box you can tick and I have spoken to them to ask how you prove nosodes.their reply was,keep the receipt to show you purchased them . a bit wobbly IMO but as I am not changing to them I haven't asked for written confirmation which I would before using them. The other lot I have seen documentary evidence form them contradicting themselves. The lady concerned is following it up and hopefully will get back. Its flipping ridiculous if you don't vaccinate and you dog breaks a leg how can they refuse to pay.it will be the first company that anyone has heard of to do that if they are. Also they require an annual health check by the vet.again I won't be told to take my dog to thevet just for a check up .I can decide if he is unwell and also another £20 for a consult. Gosh I hope all that makes sense