It really depends on wether or not your dog gets an ailement like diabetes that requires long term medication and then whether the cost of that medication is likely to exceed the maximum sum
and may be crippling orthopaedic conditions or to prevent arthritic conditions getting worse --- on petplan I can get acupuncture and water treadmill treatment for Wilf which would cost me at least £80 a session and he's had this for the past couple of years
HP Cover hydrotherapy and alternative treatments provided they are carried out by a recognised vet, this is a classic dilemma do you pay shedloads of money to petplan to cover every eventuality or do you opt for condition for life policy like healty pets and take the small risk that you may end up contributing to the cost of treatment?
Having said that, with healthy pets the excess is only charged once per condition not yearly like some and they dont discontinue cover when the animal is older than eight as some companies do.
To anyone contemplating changing insurance i would say do the following.
Think very carefully before changing insurers if your dog as had vet treatment in the past as the conditions treated may be classed as an ongoing condition and be exempt from cover in your new policy
For each insurer get at least 2 quotes, one for your dog as is and one assuming your dog is 9 years old - be prepared for a shock!
Assume an chronic illness that requires treatment for 5 years - how much would it cost - this would be 5 times the annual premium plus any excess payable (alot of companies would make you pay the excess each year some only charge once so check this point) you now have the total you would pay, take this sum away from the total benefit for the policy and you end up with the actual sum the insurance company pays out in return for what you pay in - it wont look quite so good now!
