Insurance or put money in an ISA for "that big bill"

[Emilyoliver]

Difficult one - Ollie's premium has just doubled to £74 per month  . I only claimed once last year £400) for anal glands. I never claim for any consults/ conditions less than £200. Both insurances are now well over £100 per month (and I only really have it for calamitous events). Ongoing chronic illness I would be able to manage, and £74 a month is likely to be more than monthly meds...  So wondering whether accident cover might be the way to go.

[michelle123]

For mine I pay about £45 per year for both  

That is cheap    I pay about £30 a month for my two girls.

Sorry I meant per month ! 

[Nicola]

I would never be without insurance for the dogs, you just never know what's going to happen and I couldn't live with myself if they needed treatment but couldn't have it because I couldn't afford it. I pay about £100 per month for the 3 of them if I count Caoimhe and Rodaidh's working insurance (as most normal policies won't cover dogs for accidents/injuries from working), but all the treatment Tilly alone has had over the last few years is more than I'll pay in premiums. She has run up bills of nearly £7000 in less than a year and even if I could have forked out for that out of my own pocket she could still have then developed another illness or been hit by a car or something or one of the other two could also have fallen sick or had an accident at the same time and then what

For those who choose not to have illness/accident insurance do you have separate legal/3rd party liability insurance in case your dog causes an accident or injury to another person and you get sued? The bills in that case could be significantly more than a few thousand pounds to say the least. My dogs' policies give up to £1 million of 3rd party liability and legal expenses cover and there are others that give more - I can't see many of us being able to save up quite that much!

[elaine.e]

Insurance for me everytime, despite the cost.

I'm with NFU and pay £21 per month for Louis (3 years old and no claims made).

I pay £46 per month for William. He's 8 and I claimed over £2,000 a couple of years ago when he needed a MRI scan and damaged discs were diagnosed. Luckily he didn't need surgery and hopefully never will, but if he does he's covered as I have lifetime cover. Last year I claimed about £300 to have a small lump removed from his eyelid and for another eye procedure. He also has dry eye and I claim about £200 per year for his daily eye drops and 6 monthly check ups, again covered for life.

You never know what's ahead and I would sooner pay insurance monthly knowing that I've got good cover. Mind you, when renewal comes round in August I'm sure I'll be a bit grumpy about the cost for a while as I reckon William's premium will be bumped up again now that he's 8.

[PennyB]

re vets charging differently re insured/uninsured - it doesn't happen in Cardiff - there are vets who are cheaper than mine I know but then that's the price I pay for a practice that's a 'one-man' only (its often about economies of scale re purchasing). However, even at cheaper vets here they will charge you the same insured/uninsured. What vets will do if you're uninsured is give you a plan for treatment that will take you only so far sometimes and the vet will ensure you're pet is comfortable.

As Nic said if you're dog is involved in an accident, which involves your dog being hurt at the same time - orthopaedic treatment can be hugely expensive (your vet may not have the skills to do the necessary repairs - there are some that do some really good hatchet jobs though!) and so is being sued for negligence over your dog!

[Geordietyke]

I am so glad I chose a lifetime Platinum policy with Argos and stuck with it.  If I'd chosen lesser cover, Odie's Addison's Disease (which came out of the blue 3 months ago) would have only been covered for the first 12 months then nothing (so far in that 3 months, the costs are over £1600).  He needs lifelong meds and bloods etc done at least 4/5 times a year and I definitely would not have been able to afford it without insurance.  Plus, as has been mentioned, I'd always be panicking about 3rd party liability.....

[SteveB]

For those who choose not to have illness/accident insurance do you have separate legal/3rd party liability insurance in case your dog causes an accident or injury to another person and you get sued? The bills in that case could be significantly more than a few thousand pounds to say the least. My dogs' policies give up to £1 million of 3rd party liability and legal expenses cover and there are others that give more - I can't see many of us being able to save up quite that much!
[/quote]
We are members of NOBS which covers us it cost £20 a year, we are also covered by insurance through the club we formed with the Kennel Club insurance
Forgot to add this includes 3rd party insurance to the tune of £12.5 million pounds.
Ps it also covers me fishing

[Emilyoliver]

It's a vicious (rip-off) cycle, though. Mine are insured with Sainsbury's. I called them to find out why Ollie's premiums had doubled suddenly.  She said it's because over the past 3 years I'd made claims totalling in excess of £1000 (less than I've paid over that period!). Over a 3 year period I don't see that as excessive, especially as the largest claim was for an accident where his leg was broken. It's a bit 'heads you lose, tails you lose', because any claims will increase premiums and I can't move him to another company (or even downgrade his cover with Sainsbury's) as practically nothing will be covered. But I can't take the chance and not have him covered.  I should also add that vet fees in the Uk are extortionate (have a friend in Germany with a poorly horse, whose colic treatment over a week when he nearly died, came to less than my bill for my dog's tooth extraction).

[SteveB]

It's a vicious (rip-off) cycle, though. Mine are insured with Sainsbury's. I called them to find out why Ollie's premiums had doubled suddenly.  She said it's because over the past 3 years I'd made claims totalling in excess of £1000 (less than I've paid over that period!). Over a 3 year period I don't see that as excessive, especially as the largest claim was for an accident where his leg was broken. It's a bit 'heads you lose, tails you lose', because any claims will increase premiums and I can't move him to another company (or even downgrade his cover with Sainsbury's) as practically nothing will be covered. But I can't take the chance and not have him covered.  I should also add that vet fees in the Uk are extortionate (have a friend in Germany with a poorly horse, whose colic treatment over a week when he nearly died, came to less than my bill for my dog's tooth extraction).

When we sat down and worked out the sums it was costing us in the region of £1500 a year multiply that by ten (hope our pets last longer than that) thats £15000 in their lifetime and if they increase at the rate of 10% annually (I only wish) we are now in the regions of silly money. Costing us in the region of £3500 at year 10.
As for the horse that is the same in this country. Some of you might be aware earlier this year we Andrea had to have her horse destroyed. He had not been well for a while and had all the tests and medication. I had to go and pay the bill after one course of treatment. This included coming out to the horse twice, blood samples, a box of 144 sachets of medication and other bits and bobs and that came to the grand total of £130 ish

[Darwin]

For those who choose not to have illness/accident insurance do you have separate legal/3rd party liability insurance in case your dog causes an accident or injury to another person and you get sued? The bills in that case could be significantly more than a few thousand pounds to say the least. My dogs' policies give up to £1 million of 3rd party liability and legal expenses cover and there are others that give more - I can't see many of us being able to save up quite that much!

It's really equivalent to having a car without even third party insurance  !!

[Emilyoliver]

It's a vicious (rip-off) cycle, though. Mine are insured with Sainsbury's. I called them to find out why Ollie's premiums had doubled suddenly.  She said it's because over the past 3 years I'd made claims totalling in excess of £1000 (less than I've paid over that period!). Over a 3 year period I don't see that as excessive, especially as the largest claim was for an accident where his leg was broken. It's a bit 'heads you lose, tails you lose', because any claims will increase premiums and I can't move him to another company (or even downgrade his cover with Sainsbury's) as practically nothing will be covered. But I can't take the chance and not have him covered.  I should also add that vet fees in the Uk are extortionate (have a friend in Germany with a poorly horse, whose colic treatment over a week when he nearly died, came to less than my bill for my dog's tooth extraction).
[/quote
When we sat down and worked out the sums it was costing us in the region of £1500 a year multiply that by ten (hope our pets last longer than that) thats £15000 in their lifetime and if they increase at the rate of 10% annually (I only wish) we are now in the regions of silly money. Costing us in the region of £3500 at year 10.
As for the horse that is the same in this country. Some of you might be aware earlier this year we Andrea had to have her horse destroyed. He had not been well for a while and had all the tests and medication. I had to go and pay the bill after one course of treatment. This included coming out to the horse twice, blood samples, a box of 144 sachets of medication and other bits and bobs and that came to the grand total of £130 ish

Why do you think the difference in fees for horses? Is it perhaps because the insurance companies and vets see pet owners as easy targets who will pay whatever is asked?  Something is wrong with the system. And seeing how virtuous the banks are, it's all becoming clearer by the day. 

[SteveB]

Why do you think the difference in fees for horses? Is it perhaps because the insurance companies and vets see pet owners as easy targets who will pay whatever is asked?  Something is wrong with the system. And seeing how virtuous the banks are, it's all becoming clearer by the day. 
[/quote]

I do not think it is just for horses. Somebody might correct me but horses fall in the same catergory as farm animals. Just believe that they do rip off pet owners and can charge more because we are a soft touch. Whereby farmers if it was to expensive they would probably take a gun to their animals.
A few years ago when Troy was younger we were away on holidays in West Wales staying on a farm, and he picked up skin infection at the base of his tail. The farmers wife phoned the vet they used in Fishguard and we went there. They charged us less than £30 for an examination an injection and a course on antibiotics. She did say that she didnt do much with pets and the only dogs she got to see usually were sheepdogs

[Emilyoliver]

Why do you think the difference in fees for horses? Is it perhaps because the insurance companies and vets see pet owners as easy targets who will pay whatever is asked?  Something is wrong with the system. And seeing how virtuous the banks are, it's all becoming clearer by the day. 

I do not think it is just for horses. Somebody might correct me but horses fall in the same catergory as farm animals. Just believe that they do rip off pet owners and can charge more because we are a soft touch. Whereby farmers if it was to expensive they would probably take a gun to their animals.
A few years ago when Troy was younger we were away on holidays in West Wales staying on a farm, and he picked up skin infection at the base of his tail. The farmers wife phoned the vet they used in Fishguard and
we went there. They charged us less than £30 for an examination an injection and a course on antibiotics. She did say that she didnt do much with pets and the only dogs she got to see usually were sheepdogs
[/quote]

That explains it perfectly.  I rest my case.

[Sheryl]

I have had a case where a dog of mine was sick for years.  With constant blood tests and medication, we paid a small fortune.  I wished I'd had insurance for her but I didn't . Had I been putting money away I would also have been stuffed.  She would have cost more than I ever would have been able to save.  I also agree with Nicola, there is third party liability to consider also.  My recent trouble with Lyla and her burst discs made me glad I stayed insured.  Yes, it is expensive, yes, you may never claim but then that could be said about house insurance and most of us have that xx

[ladylola]

You can get third party liability if you join dogs trust  [around 2o-25 pounds]
This will cover all your dogs for a year..