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Cocker Specific Discussion => Health => Insurance => Topic started by: Finvarra on August 25, 2018, 04:50:28 PM

Title: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: Finvarra on August 25, 2018, 04:50:28 PM
Just got my renewal reminder for Dylan, aged three. They have put the premium up from £284.04 to £381.29, nearly £100, 40%!!!!!!!!!!!

Dylan has had one claim, for an X-ray as a pup when he hurt his foot, otherwise all clear. They claim it's due to an increase in People,taking out insurance, more claims for expensive treatments and higher vets fees. But 40%!!!!!!!!!

So I suppose more mind numbing time trawling the Internet looking at alternatives (having just done the same with house and van insurance  >:D)

This is beyond a joke  >:D >:D >:D >:D

Lesley and Dylan
Title: Re: Huge risein Kennel Club premium
Post by: bizzylizzy on August 25, 2018, 06:12:10 PM
......more peope taking out insurance =  more income  :huh: I never really understand their logic!!
Title: Re: Huge risein Kennel Club premium
Post by: Finvarra on August 25, 2018, 07:31:06 PM
......more peope taking out insurance =  more income  :huh: I never really understand their logic!!

My thoughts exactly! I foresee an irate phone call on Monday  >:D
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Jaysmumagain on August 25, 2018, 08:18:02 PM
Have you looked at that Bought By Many pet insurance.....Ollie is too old to move, but the reviews seem good, also John Lewis.

Last year I did the house insurance run around - was with Direct Line and did it again as new policy online and it was £50 odd pounds less than the renewal, I phoned and asked what was it all about and was told I could take the new policy out online if I wished but they could not match it over the phone.........it's a mad world out in insurance land :P
Title: Re: Huge risein Kennel Club premium
Post by: Mudmagnets on August 25, 2018, 08:23:31 PM
......more peope taking out insurance =  more income  :huh: I never really understand their logic!!

I suppose they would argue that potentially the more who take out insurance, the more people that can claim - I agree though, crazy logic, but a good excuse
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Darwin on August 25, 2018, 08:28:20 PM
Have you looked at that Bought By Many pet insurance.....Ollie is too old to move, but the reviews seem good, also John Lewis.

Last year I did the house insurance run around - was with Direct Line and did it again as new policy online and it was £50 odd pounds less than the renewal, I phoned and asked what was it all about and was told I could take the new policy out online if I wished but they could not match it over the phone.........it's a mad world out in insurance land :P

It seems that insurers are prepared to be more competive to keep your custom for home or car insurance, but not for pet insurance

John Lewis are very good, but prices can jump dramatically.
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: its.sme on August 26, 2018, 09:09:47 AM
I whent with Bought By Many when More Than wanted over £1,000 to insure Bea,

Worth shopping around but I think Bea will be uninsurable soon so she now has an ISA  :005:
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Barry H on August 26, 2018, 09:35:08 AM
Yes, it's frustrating, mine (not KC) went up alarmingly this year with no claims. 

However, as an ex-underwriter (not pet insurance) I can tell you that most insurers will be paying out only a little less than they're getting in.  In other words, the profit margin for insurers won't be as big as folks might imagine.  It may seem like a rip-off but it's a very competitive marketplace and rising costs of medication/vets bills, not to mention insurers own costs have to be borne by either increases or cuts in cover.  Most people don't want restricions in cover, so it's like it or lump it.  Premiums are claims driven (all claims in a particular market) and rates are worked out with the help of actuaries, not some bloke thinking of a number!

It's easy just to suck it up (as I did) and suspect most of us do as it takes no effort (not accusing anyone!).   As we know, the only way to deal with premium increases is to vote with the wallet and look for a cheaper quote.  Sadly, it's now becoming the norm to endure the drudgery of shoppng around every year at renewal time for all types of insurance, even for basics like utilities.
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Finvarra on August 26, 2018, 10:38:11 AM
Thanks for all the recommendations, I will check them out when I have psyched myself up sufficiently to start trawling the net.

As Barry says, this way of life is getting so depressing, having to look around for the best deal with electricity, phone, internet, various insurances etc etc etc etc. Every time Renewal comes around. Life is too short for all this c***, o for the days when we had one supplier and that was that. You can have too much choice, too much competition methinks.

Lesley and Dylan
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Jaysmumagain on August 26, 2018, 12:37:50 PM
Last time I was at the vets I got talking to a lady who had 2 cocker poos, she told me that she decided against pet insurance, instead she put money aside as a standing order into an account just for vet fees.

A friend does something along these lines however has some kind of payment with Pets at Home vets for injections and seeing vetinary nurse.

The savigs is a great idea, but if your dog develops a life long early illness not sure it would help.

I agree with getting pysched up, I told BT the other week I was giving up the will to live talking to them and I had to finish the call as I would be come extremly annoyed. 
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: bizzylizzy on August 26, 2018, 02:50:59 PM
Last time I was at the vets I got talking to a lady who had 2 cocker poos, she told me that she decided against pet insurance, instead she put money aside as a standing order into an account just for vet fees.

A friend does something along these lines however has some kind of payment with Pets at Home vets for injections and seeing vetinary nurse.

The savigs is a great idea, but if your dog develops a life long early illness not sure it would help.

I agree with getting pysched up, I told BT the other week I was giving up the will to live talking to them and I had to finish the call as I would be come extremly annoyed.

I started to put away an amount on standing order every month when we had Humphrey but took out an insurance  aswell which covers operations only, incase of anything serious. Touch wood, we haven‘t had to dip into either yet, but it does keep the insurance costs down. Vets costs seem to be a bit lower here anyway but only time will tell if it was a good decision or not..    :dunno:
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: lescef on August 26, 2018, 03:10:41 PM
I do understand that vets have lots of overheads to pay for but.....
A not for profit vet has opened about ten miles from us. My hairdresser has a bulldog that needed the operation to help him breathe. Her vet (also ours) had quoted 7k and she was lamenting how she was going to pay for it. The next time I went for an appointment, I asked about him. He had been to the not for profit vet and had it done for £900.
It just raises more questions....
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Darwin on August 26, 2018, 09:41:55 PM
I think with every dog breed, there is a predefined age point that there is a major increase in insurance. Is it age 7 or 8 for Cockers?
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Barry H on August 27, 2018, 09:43:21 AM
I think with every dog breed, there is a predefined age point that there is a major increase in insurance. Is it age 7 or 8 for Cockers?
I think with my policy it's 9 - single figure age anyway.

Putting on my (ex)underwriter hat on again - saving money every month seems like a great idea, especially for younger dogs who have no health problems.  But it's also worth bearing in mind that insurance doesn't just cover illness.  A good policy should also cover accidental damage caused by your pooch(es) and third party liability cover (death or injury to a person and loss or damage to property).  It's all a bit of a gamble, and of course things like this will never happen to you (!) but sh*t happens.  With insurance the risks pass from you to the insurer, so you can sleep at night...

Anyway, I've always regarded vets as only a little lower on the rip-off scale than car mechanics with plumbers (royalty) at the top!  I recently paid £135 for a plumber who was here only 20 mins when the CH boiler packed in during the cold spell (frozen outlet pipe).  I kid you not!  I'm still having therapy for that one...  I'm so glad I didn't ask him if he wanted a cuppa.

Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: PennyB on August 27, 2018, 10:45:30 AM
Lady's (MoreThan) went from £60ish to £81 then £187 but I managed to reduce that down to £87 by changing policy with morethan to a more budget one as my feelings at that stage were she was quite old by then and I didn't want her to have any intensive surgery etc. so why insure for it but policy still covered her well despite the reduction.

Government are also contributing to the increase as well with their stealth tax on insurance

I am now making sure that if mine are on regular treatment that the meds are all bought online so it reduces costs all round and I think some insurers are mentioning this to some as well (have done this also as my new vets - my old vets were taken over by a much larger organisation - have increased the vet fees by over 100%, especially the meds  >:( )
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: Jaysmumagain on August 27, 2018, 10:52:41 AM
I do understand that vets have lots of overheads to pay for but.....
A not for profit vet has opened about ten miles from us. My hairdresser has a bulldog that needed the operation to help him breathe. Her vet (also ours) had quoted 7k and she was lamenting how she was going to pay for it. The next time I went for an appointment, I asked about him. He had been to the not for profit vet and had it done for £900.
It just raises more questions....

I would be grateful if you could send me the name of the not for profit vet - you may remember my husband family are in your neck of the woods, last week next doors cat( in the Wirral) was run over and the old lady owner paid £200 to have it pts, maybe you could pm me .....would be grateful
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium
Post by: lescef on August 28, 2018, 02:43:20 PM
Have PM you, I think !
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: Finvarra on September 10, 2018, 12:08:26 PM
Re this subject, I have done some research, and have spoken to the Kennel Club twice.

First time, basically the same spiel about costs of veterinary treatment rising etc etc. Told we could reduce our premium by increasing the excess from £95 to £160, but once changed this cannot be reversed. Also by having a variable excess of either 10% or 20%, this would also reduce the premium.  So if Dylan had an illness claim for say £1,000, we would pay the excess of £95 or £160, PLUS the variable of 10 or 20% of the claim, so £160 + either 10% or 20% of the remaining £860 (equals another £86 or £172).

I also asked about an age when a hike in premium would occur, and was told that at 9 years of age the 20% variable excess would be applied. I said I would go away and think about it.

Phoned up today, to see about removing our cover abroad, (we've no plans to travel at the moment, it can be added back at any time), that makes a difference of about £12.00 a year (!)
By removing the foreign travel and having £160 fixed excess, this would reduce our premium from the new 40% price hike of £31.77 to £25.27. I wasn't interested in the variable excess.
HOWEVER -
I again asked about the 9 years of age application of the variable excess of 20%, this was confirmed, and the operator then said that at 5 years of age a 10% variable excess would be applied. I was not told this in the previous call.

There is absolutely nothing in the policy documents about this, and I was not informed about it when I took the policy out.  The clause they cover themselves with says "If we offer to renew your policy we may change your premium, policy terms, conditions, policy excesses and the monetary amount of cover under any section'.

Now we all know that certain breeds have certain conditions that increase risk, and at different ages, e.g. large breeds have shorter lives etc etc., so the Kennel Club know the risk of each breed and the age at which they are likely to need treatment. So why when you take the policy out are you not informed that these excesses will apply at a particular age for the breed of dog you have?

I think this is underhand and sharp practice. They obviously have a list of set increases for all breeds (after all they only insure dogs), but they do not tell you your premiums will be increased, and cover themselves with a vague clause.

So, in short, my premium has gone up by 40%.
I have increased the fixed excess by £65
When he gets to 5 the variable excess will increase by 10%
When he gets to 9 it will increase by 20%
This is without any further price hikes they may make in the meantime.

I expected better from the Kennel Club. I have protested about these variable excess increases and am awaiting a call back from a manager.  It might be an idea to check your policy to see what it says about this, or make a call to clarify your position.  I have a 14 day cooling off period, I shall again be trawling the net for other insurance. We're pensioners so on a fixed income, had we know all these conditions from the outset we would have thought twice about it. Any comments appreciated.

Lesley and my ticking time bomb Dylan
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: elaine.e on September 10, 2018, 12:52:34 PM
It's a minefield!

I've been with NFU for 14 years, since William was a puppy, adding Louis in when he came along 9 years ago. They've been very good and because they're a Mutual Society you get a mutual bonus every year that effectively helps reduce the annual increase.

My insurance year ends in August and I took the decision to cancel William's insurance this time round, having just claimed ?3,800 for his scans, ultrasound and anal sac removal surgery following diagnosis of early stage anal sac cancer. I only opted to have the surgery done because William is a strong and fit 14 year old and the scans and tests showed no signs of the cancer having spread. He came through it amazingly well. But I've decided not to put him through anything major in the future, so I'm saving around £95 per month as that's what I would have been paying on renewal.

9 year old Louis costs me ?48.74 per month, with a ?55 excess for new claims. NFU don't make you pay part of the cost as well, so I think that's pretty reasonable for a good level of lifetime cover. But I know I will never get that kind of deal again because NFU changed various aspects of their pet insurance a few years ago. As an existing customer I was allowed to keep the same cover as I already had. But if I get another dog in the future I'll be back to square one and have to hunt round for a good deal.
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: lescef on September 10, 2018, 02:16:21 PM
I'm not sure about this, but think the variable excess  has only been around for a few years. I am aware of it but don't remember it years ago. It is indeed a minefield >:(
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: Finvarra on September 10, 2018, 04:13:30 PM
I don't remember variable excesses before either, and that pesky clause means they could move the goalposts anytime they like and increase the premiums or the excesses to whatever they want, change the terms of the policy, whatever. Heads they win, tails you lose. Makes a laughing stock of signing an insurance agreement,if it is so one sided.

I looked at other insurance companies, and most of them only cover for abroad for limited periods of two weeks, a month at a time, and we go away for longer than that in our van. The KC covers for 120 day’s in a year, one of the reasons we chose them.

Losing the will to live.
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: wendall on September 11, 2018, 08:42:21 AM
I moved from More Than to Direct Line this year, was cheaper by more than half!
With regards to vets fees etc, did anyone watch Rich House Poor House? Out of all the Rich houses, the vets had the most disposable income.  😡
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: Guelder Rose on September 11, 2018, 11:51:36 AM
Grace was with Animal Friends until renewal this year when they hiked her premium by 400% - yes, four hundred percent - to a premium of £221.00 per month - in additon to the increase they also added a 20% co-pay as she had turned 8 years old. 

This was the same year she was diagnosed with MVD.

I cancelled the policy!

 
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: Finvarra on September 11, 2018, 01:05:16 PM
Grace was with Animal Friends until renewal this year when they hiked her premium by 400% - yes, four hundred percent - to a premium of £221.00 per month - in additon to the increase they also added a 20% co-pay as she had turned 8 years old. 

This was the same year she was diagnosed with MVD.

I cancelled the policy!

Fizzin' Ada!!!!!!  :fear2: :fear2:

Have spent the morning trawling the net and reading the small print in the policies - some of them are very sneaky. Still waiting for a call from a Kennel Club manager.
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: Jaysmumagain on September 11, 2018, 05:41:53 PM
It is taking advantage of the vunerable ie us and the love for our pets, if we were less involved as a nation with the love and welfare of our pets they (vets) would be rushing around trying to grab buisiness and the lack of demand would push down prices.

Maybe an ideal topic for one of those shows Gloria Hunnibun and Ange Rippon do
Title: Re: Huge rise in Kennel Club premium - Update, sharp practice, pls read
Post by: PennyB on December 14, 2018, 12:20:37 PM
I've just tried to insure my new cocker with morethan and they quoted £20 more than I pay for my other cocker. I said on phone I hope their bosses are listening to this as am fed up of being ripped off by everyone at the moment (am having same conversations with virgin media and vodafone as they're both rip off merchants but everyone else seems to as well)

Did you know that government are ripping us off too as they keep increasing insurance tax - how can that be fair - shouldn't we be taking insurance out