Dog insurance

[Stalker62]

...but she was moved the next day after been left for 24hr with NO treatment as they hadn’t had the insurance details

If that is true, then that is appalling.

 

[Scotty99]

I use Agria for both my dogs. They are both working dogs and I have claimed for both of them for injuries while working and Agria have covered the vets bills in-line with the policy I have. Maybe not the cheapest but good service and a no quibble claims process.

 

[sh1kar]

We stopped insuring our dogs years ago.

We put the "premiums" into a slush fund and take the hit as and when.

Speaking to one of the Guns on Saturday, (whose premiums were £100 a month), he does the same. His ESS has recently had to have three procedures at the vets. He reckons he is still £1,000 to the good.

I do the same and for myself

S

 

[Rasputin]

We stopped insuring our dogs years ago.

We put the "premiums" into a slush fund and take the hit as and when.

Speaking to one of the Guns on Saturday, (whose premiums were £100 a month), he does the same. His ESS has recently had to have three procedures at the vets. He reckons he is still £1,000 to the good.

Not sure where you are in the world but that’s completely impractical round here just had a minor wart removed from my cocker £850 . He’s five now so that’s all the last five years premiums and then some some in one go.

It’s £300/400 for pretty much an out of hours appointment and diagnosis let alone any treatment so say they are having it away is an understatement.

Even charge for anaesthetic by the bloody minute.

It’s the same as car insurance paid thousands over the years never used it once but you know Sod’s law when you don’t have the correct cover the bills going to be massive.

Anyone that doesn’t have it these days is frankly either hoping to be lucky , cash rich , doesn’t care about the dog or just a financially illiterate idiot.

I use pet emporium they were fine with a working dog so long as it wasn’t security work.

 

[Morkai]

Not sure where you are in the world but that’s completely impractical round here just had a minor wart removed from my cocker £850 . He’s five now so that’s all the last five years premiums and then some some in one go.

It’s £300/400 for pretty much an out of hours appointment and diagnosis let alone any treatment so say they are having it away is an understatement.

Even charge for anaesthetic by the bloody minute.

It’s the same as car insurance paid thousands over the years never used it once but you know Sod’s law when you don’t have the correct cover the bills going to be massive.

Anyone that doesn’t have it these days is frankly either hoping to be lucky , cash rich , doesn’t care about the dog or just a financially illiterate idiot.

I use pet emporium they were fine with a working dog so long as it wasn’t security work.

£850 is very expensive, when ive had small lumps removed off the dig its been £150 to £300ish.

When she had a large tumor removed from her leg, about tennis ball size, it was under £500.

 

[Stalker62]

Anyone that doesn’t have it these days is frankly either hoping to be lucky , cash rich , doesn’t care about the dog or just a financially illiterate idiot.

Allow me to respond to your suggestions .

Lucky.
As the whole of SD knows, month in and month out, I am not lucky. I am never "lucky". Perhaps this time Admin?

Cash Rich.
I am a retired Civil Servant on a retired Civil Servant's pension. My wife is a Nurse. Ergo, we are not "cash rich".

Doesn't care about the dog.
In our house, I come way down the pecking line, behind the dogs. As it should be.

Financially illiterate idiot.
Fair point, well made.



Well, I think we have all learned something here today...

 

[James0586]

Clivertons specialise in working dog insurance

 

[Rasputin]

£850 is very expensive, when ive had small lumps removed off the dig its been £150 to £300ish.

When she had a large tumor removed from her leg, about tennis ball size, it was under £500.

That’s why I said round here , they are absolute rip off merchants my jaw nearly hit the floor when I was told unfortunately where it was and how it just erupted it needed to go and go quick.

 

[Rasputin]

Allow me to respond to your suggestions .

Lucky.
As the whole of SD knows, month in and month out, I am not lucky. I am never "lucky". Perhaps this time Admin?

Cash Rich.
I am a retired Civil Servant on a retired Civil Servant's pension. My wife is a Nurse. Ergo, we are not "cash rich".

Doesn't care about the dog.
In our house, I come way down the pecking line, behind the dogs. As it should be.

Financially illiterate idiot.
Fair point, well made.



Well, I think we have all learned something here today...

That would be the first time a civil servant has learned anything so kudos you can now join the private sector.

 

[Poola]

We have always insured all our dogs via Petplan… expensive but never had an issue with settlement - and we have (unfortunately) had to use it quite a lot.

 

[Pedro]

We stopped insuring our dogs years ago.

We put the "premiums" into a slush fund and take the hit as and when.

Speaking to one of the Guns on Saturday, (whose premiums were £100 a month), he does the same. His ESS has recently had to have three procedures at the vets. He reckons he is still £1,000 to the good.

Me too. Insurance companies exist primarily to make money. Which means in the long term, you simply must be paying more to them than they pay out to the vets. Although obviously they spread their bets over all their clients, meaning that some dogs will cost more than the premiums in vets bills. So it is a risk, but long term, you will in all probability win, which is more than you can say if you gamble in other forms. For a start, there's an excess, so those small bills you get for whatever are rarely covered anyway. And if you have an ongoing problem with your dog, magically, come renewal time, there's an exception for that in your policy. Or if you are taking out insurance, they won't cover any existing conditions. Yep, there's no surprise that they want to make money. Although if insurance gives you peace of mind, then I wouldn't argue with that.

 

[Jim_Halpert]

Pet Plan here on my cocker. Only insurer I have found to consistently pay out without quibble.

 

[dvbookshop]

All mine are with pet plan, and all listed as working dogs.
last year one of mine had a serious accident, whilst out working, has been having continuing operations and treatment, not one single quibble from pet plan, and I maxed them out two years running and no shift in policy cost either.
yes you will find cheaper, I believe agria are also quite good, but I checked costs and was more than petplan.

I made the mistake of assuming Agria would be good if promoted by BASC. They hiked my premium massively in the second year so I dumped them.

 

[dvbookshop]

Hi recently looking a dog insurance for my new labrador pub but found many insurers not interested if working dog.
Any SD member found a helpful dog insurer apart from KC who I consider expensive?
Thanks in anticipation for any useful replies
Stephen

Equine and Livestock (Insurance emporium) don't bother to ask if your dog works but I found out to my cost that they have so many exclusions and excesses that it barely qualifies as insurance. How can they not cover out of hours treatment? Unbelievable.

 

[dvbookshop]

Don't get me started on vet referral centres and vets who over-interpret covid guidance to keep you outside their precious bitcoin mine. I'm not bitter.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Never insured any of mine.
Over the years I’ve stayed in the black.

An aversion to vets and an ability to lie to a chemist about what you want certain things for helps as well lol

 

[willyroe]

Self insure. But remember to have serious conversations with the vet when you go, I.e tell them you are paying out of your own pocket.

Personally I think it’s crazy to pay £38 pcm (circa £5000 over 10 yrs) to insure a dog.

 

[JTO]

There was someone staying on a campsite next door last summer with a big poodle cross. Looked like something from Star Wars! He was paying £32 a month insurance, so he said.