Hi,
I was wondering which insurance companies you all use for your dogs. Blade is insured with the KC still at the moment, but for what we get I think this si a bit expensive still.  Do you know of any companies that will pay for ongoing treatment (if needed) not just until a certain amount of money has been met or a certain amount of time. Blade is perfectly healthy (other than his skin which has gone down now) It's just we are on a low income andit would be more reassuring for us to have a policy like this.
Thanks
Em

Im with M&S and have just sent off 2 claim forms and am waiting for my money! :D I dont pay no excess, not sure if they pay for on going treatment or not, someone else might know :)

I used to insure my dogs, but it got to be too expensive. I have started to put money into a separate bank account. That way I get interest on top of the deposit. I have only really needed insurance for one of my bitches when she had to have a caesarian, and found I wasn't covered! I felt that I would rather have the money available than pay out for something I might never need. Especially as most things I go to the vet for (cut pads, ear drops etc) actually cost less than the excess!

Im with m&s too, they are cheap, but im sure they cover for ongoing claims as long as you renew the policy every year. Was with petplan but you still have to pay a high excess! so useless for small claims.

Ok thanks guys,
will go have a look at M&S andsee what they come up with as KC is expensive. (and has an excess) Thanks
Em

No excess for M&S? Bloody hell - in that case I'm changing from Sainsbury's next year! I went with them because I have several friends who said they were good and the excess is £50 which I thought was more than reasonable.

I didn't realise there was no excess charge for M&S! I'm with Virgin and their excess charge is £65 for dogs! Although, the rest of their rates do seem to be very generous. My oldest dog was with KC from 8 weeks old but that was expensive, we then moved him to Direct Line who were no better and although their excess charge is pretty high, Virgin are good!

I dont actually know of any other pet insurance that dont charge any excess! But when i heard about it and how cheap they are and all their benefits i was in there! lol

Avoid E&L at all costs!  My friend has just put in a claim for £900 and they've sent a cheque for £260!! 

I've just got a quote from M&S and funnily enough it doesn't seem to be much cheaper than Virgin per month. For my 2 year old Siberian Husky it quoted me at roughly £10. For my 5 year old Sibe it quoted me a sum of £14 which is actually more expensive than Vrigin as I'm only paying £12 for him. (Obviously this is all per month)

I used to be with E&L but have now changed to Direct Line as they pay for ongoing treatment and they are cheaper.

You have to select to have no excess with an M&S policy but it only costs a few pence a month more.

I did select no excess! It's strange how it seems to be cheaper for one dog but not the other.

Hi all,
have just joined with M&S and you can choose to have no excess (but your monthly premium will be a bit higher) or you can choose an excess of 60/70/or 80 pounds I chose none and my monthly premium is now just under £15 a month and they pay for ongoing treatment aslong as you keep renewwing your policy. This is fantastic and just what I was looking for. Better than paying the £21 a month the KC ask and no benefits at all really!
Thanks ladies
Em

I have 3 cats and 2 crossbreed dogs with m&s and have no excess and I pay less than £40 per month for them all never had to claim yet though

What I was wondering is the more you claim does the money you pay a month go up in time?

And I also heard that the vets charge you £10 for  them to sign the form and send it off ??

My vets didnt charge me to sign and send off the form, although they took their time! I dont know if when you claim it bumps up your premium, shouldnt think so, but i do know it goes up with age (only by pence) and although M&S have the option of no excess, past a certain dogs age (around 8) i think you have to pay 15% or something like this im not quite sure :)

my vets definitley dont charge anything- they only have to sign the form and send it off- a cost of 29p for 1st class!

I was with Petplan, and now with M&S.  Was never increased on either premium for claims.

Vets have never charged for the paperwork either.

Wendy

M&S gives discounts for additional dogs - perhaps that's why?

Wendy

I have M&S no excess option.  About 6weeks after I started with them (Had previously been with Petplan and was happy, but M&S offered similar for less - now insuring 3 dogs for only £5 more than 2 with Petplan) Chelsea needed emergency surgery for an obstruction.  We almost lost her.  Cost was close to £1000.  They paid the vets (and myself for emergency fees) within a week and a half of the claim no questions asked.  When insurance renewed this year there was no change in Chelsea's premium.  AND Chelsea turns 8 (their 'senior' age) during this term, but they won't change her cover till next year.  I figured from her birthday they would expect us to pay excess, but it's not till the new term next year.

When Savannah had a sore back last year they also paid for the consultation, drugs and chiropractor - again no questions asked.  I am extremely happy with their service.

Wendy

I'm with More Than (excess £75) very generous limits for treatment and Complementary Medicines are included...Got 3 months free and received a cheque for £300+ from them before I'd paid the first installment because one of my pups had to visit the emergency on call vet's practice and had to be hospitalised over night...No hassle getting the money...I couldn't be happier with them.

Be warned they will hike the premiums...
My Boxer bitch who only ever had one claim with them for £150 in the 4 plus years
I had insured with them, she reached 6 years old and then when her premium came up
for renewal when she was 6 1/2yo they doubled her premium! from £22 to £44 per month.
I now only have the younger two insured with them as I can't afford to insure all 3..that would
take my insurance bill to over £100 a month for pet insurance..and there's no way I spend £1200 a year at the vets..
Think I may start putting the premiums in a savings account instead.

Kirstine

WOW
Thats a big jump from £22 to £44 Kristine all my pets are under the age of 4 so my premiums are quite cheap for my 5 pets don't know what I will do if it goes up £20  a month for each pet when they get older

Don't know if I should claim for the small things as I have no excess or just claim for big things if I need too don't know if it would make a difference to the premiums as they get older??

Good idea putting the money into a savings account as you get interest as well, you pay alot of money a month on pet insurance

Sharon

Hi I have been reading all your posts with interest I dare not be without insurance one of mine is with e a l and the premium has just gone up fourty pounds as she is now classed as a senior pet.Its all a bit of a minefield and I don,t know which one to try next but am seriously considering M&S I am just wondering if anyone ever has any problems when they have to claim for their pets.
I have thought about putting money away monthly into a savings account but it is too tempting to dip in it or miss putting in money if other expenses crop up.

I will let you know how i get on with M&S as im currently waiting on 2 cheques from 2 claim forms! And im not paying excess, so lets see if i get all my money back! :)

please let me no how you get on as both of my dogs are insured with them

See my new post further up the thread.  Claimed and paid and no problems.

Also their excess and % for senior rates are more than fair compared to other companies.  They don't hike the excess and % every year like some do - once they're a senior it's the same from that point on.  Have a read through their website and the terms and conditions.  I printed it out and read it off and on for about 3 months before I finally committed to changing over and it really is as good as it sounds.  No catches.

Wendy

Well, I'm with the dreaded E & L and although they paid out my claim in full(apart from excess of £55) it took them 5 months!!! I've also got the ickle Yorkie on a Crufts policy and they refused to pay out £190 forhim to have his baby teeth out as they said it was a pre-existing condition!!! We'd changed from their free 6 week breeder policy!! All the best, Dawn

Will definately let you know on this thread when i hear from them :)

That's great cheers

I have 3 with M&S, we claimed for Barbie when she had a mamury tumor £265, we were paid out within 10 days no exess , and no rise in the premium still £10.65.

Also I found with a couple of insurance companies that they charged extra for the Newfoundland's, but not so with M&S

The vet sent the claim form off for me, no charge not even the stamp.

Lynn

Thanks lynn,
that is reassuring to know. Hopefully we won't ever need to claim, but at least I have that piece of mind!
Em

I use Animal Friends Insurance on the grounds that I pay £13 something for my 4 year old Springer bitch and they pay out £2,000 per condition, each year as opposed to other insurers who will pay out whatever per condition for one year only.  I was going to go with Direct Line and have £6,000 of cover per condition but was told by Animal Friends that it only covered the dog up to £6,000 for each condition.  If the claim went over £6,000 during the dog's lifetime, I would be stuffed.  As my dog could potentially live 10 - 11 years and as she has a habit of injuring herself by diving headfirst into brambles...

As Animal Friends are underwritten by the dreaded E&L, I think most people would advise against them ... hope your experience is better.

M.

I use morethan for my dog and they have been on the ball for any payouts.Will cover up to £7000 per illness with £60 excess.It depends on what level of cover you take out as to how much 1 illness will be insured.My insurance is £10.50 per month for A Labrador.

I am considering going with M&S although i have been putting money into another account for vets bills.
When you all say no excess - does this mean you can claim for every visit to the vet ? so if I got a bill for £28 for say; examination/advice and antibiotics, I could claim the full 28? and as many times as I needed to visit ? Does it cover you for cut paws, tooth removal, ears cleaned out ?? general stuff like that ?

Thanks

i got 0 excess as well and m.s just paid out £ 1.600 for brie with a speclist vet then £500 with my vet i didnt paid a penny
but the monthley payment for her a fcr at 6 years old is £15,50 it would be a couple of pounds cheaper if i went for an excess poilct
i been with m/s for 3 years and had no problems with paid out,but you got to wait abit long know for pay outs has they have got bigger and busyer over the years, but still very good company i got 5 dog with them the total cost for the month is £55.24 WITH DISCOUNT