I've just happened upon my wife renewing or at least searching for renewal of a pet insurance policy online for our wee dog. I may have to go and lie down.
So far as I can tell, he costs nearly as much to insure as a small car !
She's been on the Meerkat thing and that Martin bloke who saves you money thing and various others but it's all beyond belief.
Apparently, we've been paying more than £200 a year which is preposterous for a scruffy wee mutt like ours.
I had no idea.
I'm sure he would be embarrassed if he knew. I've been trying to explain it to him but he doesn't seem to be grasping it.
|
>> So far as I can tell, he costs nearly as much to insure as a
>> small car !
Yup, Fifi mk2 is costing me 162 quid a year.
>> Apparently, we've been paying more than £200 a year which is preposterous for a scruffy
>> wee mutt like ours.
Indeed, but. In one fell swoop Fifi Mk1 had a prang that cost 1200 quid. The previous year she had one that cost 500 quid.
FiFi mk1 went onto third party only when it was 9 years old, insurance company demanding over 400 quid a year for fully comp.
|
Two hundred quid a year for pet insurance! How much less is the 'final solution'?
Ted's sack, brick and canal would cost even less. ;>)
|
>> Two hundred quid a year for pet insurance! How much less is the 'final solution'?
I paid 160 quid, Pat paid 260 quid.
|
What sum of money would your wife insist you spent to repair the mutt?
With that in mind, perhaps insurance is not so expensive.
And I promise you insurance is cheaper than marrying a vet, which was what I did.
|
>>What sum of money would your wife insist you spent to repair the mutt?
We have pet insurance with Pets at Home. They were significantly better value than some of the others this time around, but I am no expert in the field. It might be worth getting a quote from them.
I got my Ex a small dog because she was seriously ill and in recuperation. She needed something to love and give care to, it got her out of the house and walking again and gave her an interest.
There is a real attachment to the scrawny thing and the couple of hundred it costs a year to insure it is worth the heartache of losing it due to a big medical bill.
.....I do dread the day when the rascal expires though!
|
We don't either. With rehoming elderly cats it's impossible to get insurance in most cases due to the clauses about 'pre-existing conditions'.
We may have been lucky but we have never been out of pocket during the last 8 years x 4 cats (now 5) on the prices some are paying above.
Pat
|
"She needed something to love"
Buy her a Love Egg.
|
|
With a remote control! (Evil grin).
|
By not insuring anything other than house/car we've save a fortune in premiums over our lifetime... putting Insurance co profits back into our pockets.
With the pets the 3 dogs and 1 cat we've had over the past 37yrs would have cost around £7000 in premiums + excess (never forget the excess which means you pay the majority of any simple single treatment illness).
Our vets bills over that time for 2 dog illnesses, 1 dog minor accident and 1 cat small accident have been £640.
*All prices equated to today's levels.
Of the 6 horses we owned over 30yrs we just insured 1 for a couple of years but the excess, exclusions and arguments over claims cemented our feeling it was worth saving the massive premiums and dealing with the few bills ourselves.
|
The general rule with insurance is to only insure against that which would be financially catastrophic to you. `For many people, not all, a large vet's bill is an economic inconvenience rather than a disaster and can be met in the course of normal expenditure and will prove the cheaper strategy in the long run
For someone with a pet who is on a low income the situation is different and insurance can be a good idea and brings peace of mind.
|
>> The general rule with insurance is to only insure against that which would be financially
>> catastrophic to you. `For many people, not all, a large vet's bill is an economic
>> inconvenience rather than a disaster and can be met in the course of normal expenditure
>> and will prove the cheaper strategy in the long run
That depends. Its quite easy to run up a vets bill for thousands of pounds, a sum, payable NOW, that many might find hard to find. Ironically its pet insurance that has driven up vets bills.
If you have more than one pet worth insuring its more or less never worth while insuring them the cost far outweigh the benefits.
Mine is young, hence insurance is cheap. It will go up as age increases to a point where its madness to continue paying the premiums. At that point you have to put a price point on your beloved pet. If its going to cost more than £xxxx to keep alive/quaility of life then its the kick over rainbow bridge.
It doesn't help that there is a bewildering array of insurance types/cover/exclusions/conditions depending on who you are with and what you want to pay.
And don't forget, with some animals you need third party insurance (say in case you dog bites the fingers off the postman, or your horse kicks the child into the next field) that may not be covered under your household insurance. Most pet insurance has that liability included.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 18 Nov 14 at 10:00
|
"That depends. Its quite easy to run up a vets bill for thousands of pounds, a sum, payable NOW, that many might find hard to find."
If that is the situation then obviously insurance might be a good idea. If it is not the situation then you are probably statistically going to be better off in the long run without insurance. If you own multiple animals the effect is magnified and the savings become more certain
Your household insurance (contents section) would include liability for the loss of the postman's fingers caused by your dog and pet insurance liability cover duplicates that cover. No ned to bother about cats as we can't be held liable for their actions.
|
>> Your household insurance (contents section) would include liability for the loss of the postman's fingers
>> caused by your dog and pet insurance liability cover duplicates that cover.
Ok out in the park then, and your dog rushes over to bite a child. Out for a walk, your dog rushes in the road and causes an accident.
Covered under household?
|
My Cocker Spaniel is now four years old and his insurance renewal with John Lewis was £520. Considering that he has Epilepsy, and I claim over £1,000 per annum for his madication and periodic blood tests, it is well worth it.
He has a lifetime policy so I can continue with his claims.
|
>>>don't forget, with some animals you need third party insurance
Yes good point.. we always had 3rd party on the horses due the their potential for damage to people and property but it was a nominal cost stand alone policy through a society. Do the same with boating where the boat's value isn't massive but the possibility for personal claims could be.
|
>>stand alone policy through a society. Do the same with boating where the boat's value isn't massive
Would you mind naming the society, Fenlander?
|
|
Did you mean re horse or boat?
|
Ahh sorry... I was condensing the facts.
We always belonged to an equestrian society that gave access to a free or nominal cost stand alone 3rd party policy.
I tagged the boat onto that comment due to the fact that it's a smallcraft of low value but I "always" make sure it has 3rd party public liability despite it not being a legal requirement.
I take out a low cost online policy where the theft/damage cover does have some restrictions but public liability is the main cover I'm after. Costs £45 a year.
|
Pet insurance - Zero
