Brace yourself for insurance premium hikes....

[Nicola]

Denise I don't understand how there could be such a difference in Paddy and Tilly's insurance quotes even taking the dog/bitch thing into account. I took out her new insurance with M&S last week and it was 'only' £131 for the year and that's the full all singing all dancing premium cover with no excess so how can they possibly justify a difference of £138 - you're paying more than double what I am 

Plus, I took out Alfie's insurance with M&S when I got him in late March last year and it was £142 yet yours for this last year has been £169... very strange. I live pretty much in the suburbs of Edinburgh too so it's not like I'm in the middle of the countryside if they take that into account 

I am expecting a hefty hike in Alfie's insurance in March but if they think they're going to try to tell me it's double the cost of Tilly's then they've got another think coming!

the rationale for a potential increase will be:  Tilly is a girl, Tilly is spayed, and Tilly is over 2 therefore she is a lower risk that Alfie, who is male (more prone to fights), un-neutered (as before) and young (as before)

No, it makes no sense to me either, but it seems young entire boys are a much higher risk

They didn't actually ask me if she was spayed so this can't have been a consideration. I know about the rest though. Gits.

[debbie321]

I know I've recommended them before but I'm with Healthy Pets.  The premium for the first year was £5.50 per month for gold cover and has now gone up to £5.60 per month!  This was with a claim in the first year and they didn't know that he'd been castrated.  I don't know what the premium will be this September but I think they are excellent and well worth consideration 

Link (if it works) http://www.healthy-pets.co.uk/index.htm

[Shelley]

I was lucky then when my policies for the Newfs were needing renewing.... It was July! I pay £10 something for the one Newf and £11 something for the other, but as Kitten had to have an op which cost £750 (I think), about £500 worth of Metacam, £180 in X-rays I guess my premiums will go up this July!!! We took Tia's insurance out in August and couldn't understand why we had to pay £16.17 for her each month.

Do you think, if you have a dog who is normally healthy and not needing to see a vet regularly, that it would be better to put the money you pay the insurance into a savings account? I am seriously thinking of putting £50 into an account each month when my policies run out, just to cover any large vets fees. At least that way should you have a small normal vet bill you could take it out of your "normal" money, but if it was something big then you would have money in a savings account, which would also be earning you interest.

[Nicola]

Do you think, if you have a dog who is normally healthy and not needing to see a vet regularly, that it would be better to put the money you pay the insurance into a savings account? I am seriously thinking of putting £50 into an account each month when my policies run out, just to cover any large vets fees. At least that way should you have a small normal vet bill you could take it out of your "normal" money, but if it was something big then you would have money in a savings account, which would also be earning you interest.

I'd be scared that with having two dogs something major would happen to both of them at the same time and there wouldn't be enough money, although god forbid. Say we were in a car accident or something and both of them were injured... sod's law being what it is and all    If I only had one dog I might consider that though.

[Helen]

I was lucky then when my policies for the Newfs were needing renewing.... It was July! I pay £10 something for the one Newf and £11 something for the other, but as Kitten had to have an op which cost £750 (I think), about £500 worth of Metacam, £180 in X-rays I guess my premiums will go up this July!!! We took Tia's insurance out in August and couldn't understand why we had to pay £16.17 for her each month.

Do you think, if you have a dog who is normally healthy and not needing to see a vet regularly, that it would be better to put the money you pay the insurance into a savings account? I am seriously thinking of putting £50 into an account each month when my policies run out, just to cover any large vets fees. At least that way should you have a small normal vet bill you could take it out of your "normal" money, but if it was something big then you would have money in a savings account, which would also be earning you interest.

self-insurance (ie putting money aside) is an option and sometimes will cover your dog for life, it's up to you.

a friend with a young collie had to have an unexpected op over christmas when a cat scratched the collies cornea - £1500 and a replacement cornea later and he was pleased he had cover.....

it's a tricky one, i don't worry about jarv's general health, but I do worry that as a somewhat fearless (stupid?) and very active working cocker he could injure himself quite easily, which is where i would count on insurance.

[Shelley]

I know it is a difficult one as I have been on both sides of it.

When we had our first two Newfies they were originally insured, but after a couple of years of not making a single claime we decided it wasn't worth paying all that money to Pet Plan!

Now with Kitten we were very pleased we had insurance (M&S) as he had OCD and needed an operation and medication for 6 months. But we haven't needed the insurance for Honey or Tia, and there is no reason why Kitten should have any future problems.

I have to admit that the thought that something major will happen as soon as we don't have insurance, and we haven't built up a decent amount in the bank does worry me. But I keep thinking it must be better sat in a bank with my name on it!!

I have a friend who has an "emergency" credit card just for vets bills. But I also know a couple of people who have used the bank method and it has worked fine for them.

[Cob-Web]

One of the main reasons I insure is for the 3rd Party cover 

If Molo ever did cause a road accident or something similar, then he is covered for £2 million third party liability - my credit card wouldn't stretch to that 

[michelle123]

Livercake - I was referring the "nonesense " term to M&S - not the previous threads 

I agree, Healthy Pets policies may increase - however, I believe that there premiums have remained pretty stable without any huge rises.  I'll take my chance this year.

[Jan/Billy]

One of the main reasons I insure is for the 3rd Party cover 

If Molo ever did cause a road accident or something similar, then he is covered for £2 million third party liability - my credit card wouldn't stretch to that 

Billys is due for renewal next week and this was something I was reading up on. I read somewhere that insurers will not pay out if the dog was "not under control"  when the incident occured. So if one day say Billy escaped and , caused a crash then they wouldn't pay out as he wasn't under control IYSWIM?

[Jan/Billy]

Im absolutely dreading getting our renewal, not only will we have to pay more because Hurley is a young adult male but with the amount of money that we've claimed through Hurley's leg I can't imagine that we'll get away without a significan increase.

It shouldn't make a difference to you premium whether you have claimed or not. Billys insurance premium is not affected by his claims at all.

[Cob-Web]

I read somewhere that insurers will not pay out if the dog was "not under control"  when the incident occured. So if one day say Billy escaped and , caused a crash then they wouldn't pay out as he wasn't under control IYSWIM?

It is not specifically excluded in the M & S policy - but I can see that it would be an argument for them not paying up iyswim 

[PennyB]

I was lucky then when my policies for the Newfs were needing renewing.... It was July! I pay £10 something for the one Newf and £11 something for the other, but as Kitten had to have an op which cost £750 (I think), about £500 worth of Metacam, £180 in X-rays I guess my premiums will go up this July!!! We took Tia's insurance out in August and couldn't understand why we had to pay £16.17 for her each month.

Do you think, if you have a dog who is normally healthy and not needing to see a vet regularly, that it would be better to put the money you pay the insurance into a savings account? I am seriously thinking of putting £50 into an account each month when my policies run out, just to cover any large vets fees. At least that way should you have a small normal vet bill you could take it out of your "normal" money, but if it was something big then you would have money in a savings account, which would also be earning you interest.

I think it can work for some people but my income fluctuates so much (some months I can barely pay the insurance and any 'saved' money would be swallowed up)

Wilf had an accident at Easter and his current rehab treatment costs about 83 (plus £11 in train fares on top) a week but saying that its worth it not just because he's Wilf but because of what he gets for it. Insurance has meant that I can have this treatment for a non-life-threatening condition

[CarolineL]

Im absolutely dreading getting our renewal, not only will we have to pay more because Hurley is a young adult male but with the amount of money that we've claimed through Hurley's leg I can't imagine that we'll get away without a significan increase.

It shouldn't make a difference to you premium whether you have claimed or not. Billys insurance premium is not affected by his claims at all.

Really?? Thats good. I thought it was like car insurance ie if you make a claim you pay a higher premium!! 

We have claimed almost £4k so far out of the £7k that we can claim in one year. I really really hope that the insurance covers our next op should we need to have it. If not, it might have to wait until May!!

[AnnieG]

I'm with Penny here.   It just isn't worth risking having to accept second best for financial reasons when something awful happens to your dog .  It would take an awful lot of time saving at £50 a month to meet the bill that Millie cracked up in only three weeks of treatment.  I would also be very twitchy about not having third party liability.  Years ago, my old retriever's mum jumped into the commercial watercress beds in Hampshire.  The owners insisted on dumping the entire crop and claiming against the breeder.  Without TPL, she would have been bankrupted.    There is sometimes cover via household insurance but I wouldn't enjoy arguing the toss with a normal, non-specialist insurer.

[DennyK]

I wonder whether M&S Money also did a "loss leader" on last year's premiums - i.e. abnormally low to hook you in and then put them up to "realistic" levels a year later, counting on apathy to keep large numbers of clients?

Anyway, will finally get round to that internet search (if I ever get off COL) and let you know how Healthy Pets et al compare....

Denise