Has anyone had any renewals with Vetsmedicover and if so have they been reasonable (with or without having claimed)?

I'm not going to be renewing my AXA policies which have been taken over by NCI at absurd rates and am tossing up between PetPlan (more expensive but appear to have a better reputation and are likely to be in the pet insurance market long term) or Vetsmedicover who I have had Dickie with from 8 weeks old, and Esme who I transferred when her AXA renewal came through from NCI. I've not had a renewal with Vetsmedicover so want to know if they are reasonable (Dickie has had a few claims but renewal isn't due until August). They also give a 5% multipet discount.

Havnt read all you post but just be aware they are not even sure of their own terms and conditions. If you red my rather long post in the question from goat u will c they are contradicting themselves and looks like they could duck paying out on anything if you can't prove you have had an annual vet check and had all vaccinations done. That's even if your animal doesn't have an illness connected to vaccines. They seem rather confused .I would be wary

I've gone with PetPlan after speaking to: http://www.vip4u.co.uk/ who advised that VetsMediCover often increase premiums if you've claimed (we shall see what happens when Dickie's policy is due in August as he has had a lot of claims). They've paid all claims I've made, although I have had to chase and all my dogs are seen by a vet/nurse every 6 months and are up to date with vaccines etc. so that's not a worry. The only thing I don't do is the KC vaccine.

I'm fed up keep having to switch insurance companies when they either bump up premiums to a ridiculous level or withdraw from the market. I've got a complaint running with the FSO regarding the current AXA situation and won't let that drop - AXA should be made to honour their "lifetime" policies.

Hi Pedlee, I think I will have problems in a couple of months when my oldie has an AXA policy due for renewal. She is far too old to put with anyone else so I am stuck, however if the new company decide to charge too much then I am stuck again. I will probably need to contact the FSO if this is the case, so any advice you have on who is best to contact etc would be gratefully received.
She had a lifetime policy with Axa taken out years ago, has never claimed yet now when she is old and may need medication etc is the time they pull the plug.
My others are with PP but in my wisdom I didn't change her over as I felt she was too old back then, oh how you would change things in hindsight.

Zuma was on lifetime with Axa, when the company changed I got quotes from other firms, Pet plan would NOT quote for lifetime........ended up ringing them to ask why...........answer was
He is a GSD and aged over 6 years

I ended up with the firm that took over axa but with a 'new' lifetime policy covering everything except a recurrence of the pseudomonas infection he had on the end of his nose. Premium went down over £150 from the first quote from them.

The details for the FSO are: http://financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

I contacted them direct, by e-mail, and they contacted AXA on my behalf. Nothing happens very quickly and my initial communication was August last year when Esme's renewal was due and NCI took over. Her premium went from just under £300 a year to just over £500. This was for an almost 7 year old dog with only one claim (as a pup she jumped in a ditch and sustained a deep cut which required stitching).

The renewals for Faith and Frederick (both aged 2) came in last week and I almost fell off my chair. Frederick's wasn't too bad, a jump from £237 to £314 (I've never made a claim with him) but Faith's went from £302 to £1478!!!!!! She has had a claim for surgical removal of a swallowed stone, removal of a broken tooth and an eaten tennis ball requiring a drug to induce vomiting. No ongoing conditions.

What I'm trying to get is the policies re-instated with AXA at a reasonable cost (past history shows AXAs renewals have been reasonable and in Esme's case actually went down for the first 2 years renewals). After all the policies I took out were lifetime policies with them, not another company, and I would expect them to honour that agreement. So F and Fs complaint has now been added to Esme's.

I've already warned the FSO I will no doubt be going through all this again when Mo's policy is due for renewal in July. It just goes on, and on.........

> I ended up with the firm that took over axa but with a 'new' lifetime policy covering everything except a recurrence of the pseudomonas infection he had on the end of his nose. Premium went down over £150 from the first quote from them.

Personally I wouldn't touch NCI with a bargepole. If they think a couple of claims, and one-off claims at that, warrant a 500% increase in premiums what will their premiums be like if, God-forbid, one of the dogs developed something requiring ongoing treatment?

My oldie is between 12 and 13 years, so what hope have I got. Thanks for the contact details for sure I will need them !!!

I have just got the renewal through from the new company, from £36 Axa but now £60 with NCI. I have called them and threatened Ombudsman if they don't drop it down. I am waiting to hear but they have said that they doubt if they will get it down much.
Looks like I will cancel the insurance as my 13 year old will be too old to have any major ops now so I will keep her ticking on without insurance until I feel her quality of life has gone - bless her.

I have 2 other dogs with PP for £50 for the 2 of them, but £60 for a CS with no claims to her name is a step too far. Over £700 per year - I don't think so.....

Sadly it would seem all insurances are going up. I have one dog with PP at £50-55 a month for an 18 month Boxer no claims and been with them since she was a 8 week old puppy.
Think her first insurance year with them was just below £50 a month.

With More Than (Royal Sun Alliance) my then 10 3/4 year old Boxer was £176 a month. This was approx 2 years ago and she had multiple claims over the years.
I think all insurers significantly hike premiums of the seniors regardless if they've had previous claims.

Would love to have insurance of only £25 a month for one dog.
When I was looking at premiums over the years that I've paid on my Boxers in 2001 for around £22 a month I had an unlimited vets fees policy.
Would hate to think what the comparable policy would cost me today!

I called them again today as they hadn't had the decency to call me back as they said they would. It was a take it or leave it option, very rude and unhelpful - so I left it. They were not prepared to drop a penny. My dog is now without insurance, I wish I had put her with PP years ago.

I posted this about 7 years ago.............It was accompanied by a letter dated Nov. 1976

Sorting a box that has been up in the loft for ????years and came across the following insurance proposal form

Summary of Benefits
Third party up to £100,000
Vet fees in excess of £5.00 to a max of £50.00 per incident
Similar contribution towards recovery cost of lost, stolen or strayed pets.

Premium £3.50 + 2 labels from Quaker pet products.

I didn't take it up as we couldn't afford it !!!, .............that was when I got 18/- (translates to 90p) family allowance -for 2nd child only - which paid for 2 mornings at nursery, 2 cartons of dried milk and 2 bottles of orange juice from the baby clinic and about 2 bob left over

The whole cost of insurance has gone up. When my dog was a year old (he's now 8.5) the premium was approx £15 a month, it might have been a bit less. If I took the same policy now with a year old dog it is around £50-60 per month.