I'm wanting to insure my new pup for his first year and have been looking at Tesco Pet Insurance.  Does anyone have any experience/advice about them?  Are they really good or bad in the event of a claim?  Do they hide important stuff in reams of tiny print?  Anyone have any ideas for reasonable Pet insurers?   And why on earth is it double for a pedigree dog in most of the adverts??  Don't these insurers realise that 'hybrid vigour' is a complete myth? :rolleyes:

TIA
Dill

http://www.vip4u.co.uk/

for unbiased advice on pet insurance

Thanks for that Tohme but it seems to be an insurance broker, I was really hoping for personal experience of using individual companies, after all there's no point in insuring if ultimately they won't pay out because of some clause or other hidden away in print which requires a magnifying glass ;)

they actually give you personal advice and have been very helpful to several friends; looking at the right policy for you and your particular circumstances rather and pointing out the pitfalls.

AAAAHHHH now I understand :) - sorry, it looked from the pages I saw that they were simply another broker, I shall look into them further.  Thank you.

Regards
Dill

Insurers usually base their premiums on statistical analysis of claims (cars, house etc) - they must believe that they pay out less on mongrels. Now whether that means that mongrels are healthier or there is some other reason why mongrel owners claim less, I can't say - but they wouldn't charge less for no particular reason :)

Daisy

Try:-

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/banking_finance/pet_insurance/

There are lots of personal experiences on here, you can also put in insurance in the search on Champdogs and you will find lots of insurance tales.

Im with them for car insurance and they are fine :)
reasonable rates and they pay out quickly :)

Some companny's also differ charges on post codes as well

A friend of mine has Tesco pet insurance and her dog has hip dysplasia.  They did pay out for one hip replacement (the total bill was over £3k and they paid £2.5k), but they will not pay out for this condition again.  So, if she needed the other hip to be replaced they would not pay.  They do not have a "for life" policy.  I think they only pay out once for a particular condition, or for one year only.

It's probably worth finding out more about what they will actually pay for and compare it with the more expensive policies like Pet Plan and the Kennel Club's own.  I think most vets recommend Pet Plan.

Hope that helps!

That's one of the reasons I avoided Tesco, and Direct LIne :(

I went for More Than, they cover each 'Condition' up to a maximum £6000.  No time-scales, and the dog is covered if the same condition reoccurs.

It really is well worth reading the small-print, and asking pertinent questions, before taking out any cover, I know, my old girl is with Dog Breeders Insurance.......... I shall say no more :rolleyes:

liberty

the best one on the market that the moment is m/s

Direct Line have had a 'for life' policy for some time now, and I find their service (and their prices) excellent.

M.

I was with More Than....
But at the end of August (the policy is up for renewal) I have cancelled my policy with them.
As they have DOUBLED the premium to almost £40 per month (bar a £1) for one dog :(
They say it's because of the dogs age, breed and my post code!!
Hello she's a 6yo Boxer, I happen to live on South Oxon/Berks borders,only claimed once on the policy for £150 max.
I had the 'value' policy with them covering upto £6k of each condition etc.
The lady whom I spoke to on the phone said I'd be better off living in Scotland....
I just wish my salary was as good as what they think people can earn in the South-East perhaps then I'd
be able to pay these over inflated premiums without having a heart-attack!

In their advertising letter bumpf that they sent with the policy they claim that vets fees have
increased more than (pun intended) inflation (I don't think they've doubled though!!)

I just hope that PetHealthcare who have been bought out by More Than don't increase their rates
in the same manner as More Than!  As that will be 2 other dog policies moving insurance companies too.

I have a 20 week old puppy and I shopped about a bit for insurance, I rang a company called "First Quote" and they got me a company called "Pet Line".  I have a Dobermann and it seems that everyone wants to charge more for his insurance but this company just charge across the board for any dog.  Mine is £169.00 for the year, you pay the first two months and then it is £15.55 per month.  My excess is £50.00.  I did compare this with other companies eg. Pet Plan and Tescos.  Also it is a life cover.  They do bronze, silver and gold cover, I took out the gold cover.

We have actually been to the vet and I have had to put in a claim (this week), but they seem okay, they even sent me a little letter with the claim form hoping that my dog would be better soon.

It may be worth giving them a ring and see what they come up with.

Hope this is helpful.

I got my dog insurance with Sainsbury's.  They do a 'for life cover' and have a policy to match one like Pet Plan but for less than £10.00 a month!  I compared a lot of policies and this really was one of the best.  You can find info and apply on-line at the Sainsbury's Bank web site.  I recommend it.

The point about Sainsburys and a lot of the cheaper insurances though Helen, is that, as mentioned above, they only cover a condition for upto a certain amount of money. The benefit of Petplan and the dearer policies is that they have unlimited cover. If your dog develops an ongoing condition which will affect it for the rest of its life, cheaper insurances WILL stop paying after 5k or 6k whatever the amount specified ;)

Hi I am also with Sainsburys and they have been fab about paying out for operations though they do have drawbacks - you have a life cover with the value of up to 6k and you also have an excess of £50 or 15% which ever is greater. My dog has had two ops and I have had to pay the 15% (about £750) and I only now have £1000 on that condition left or any related condition (arthritis for instance) that they will pay out on (minus 15%). With hindsight I should have gone for another policy with having a giant breed - oh well, but they have been fantastic when I needed help and quickness of paying but it is something to be aware of and consider when making a choice. Good luck.