healthy pets insurance?

[JasperPop]

  us COLers are all  the same arent we?  I had a whole list of questions for the guy on the phone    And the lifetime cover was the first one.    Bet he was glad to get me off the phone 

[Jan/Billy]

the girl on the phone stated that it would list wounds as not being covered but that it would only be for anything related to that particular wound.  Would you guys take their word for it or make them put it in writing explicitly?   

Never take their word for it !!

I ssoooo agree with you there! I don't think it's so bad if it is over the phone, as calls should be recorded.

[JasperPop]

I just processed an application for my Mums working Cocker and it was £5.06 for Gold cover    seems to be a bit of disparity between quote.  Also not sure of cover, man on phone specifically stated would be £5000 pot of cash for each and every illness on a lifetime basis, but I dont think that is what the website states    Waiting for policy docs and will update on here when I can confirm.  Anyone else know?

[sabrino]

I think the cover is per illness up to a maximum of £5000.

The differences in cost could be due to where people live, previous claims, dog or bitch, neutered or not etc so there can be a huge disparity. I think I pay about £10 a month for Milo.

[Beth]

I have noticed that you have brought this up a few times Rachel,  a standard household policy does provide liability cover - whilst I cannot speak for absolutely every single policy that is issued, I havent actually come across one that DOESNT include it    Indeed my firm have looked into a fair few dog bites just recently, of varying types and circumstances.

I checked with our insurers, and was told that our policy is restricted to liability for incident that take place in our home and garden; it does not cover liability for my dog in any public place....   Perhaps my home insurance is unusual - but surely it is better to check?   

I agree it is better to check

Sorry to labour the point but I have now double checked - you know when you have a niggly feeling.  I have checked my own policy and have checked one other standard household policy wording. 

Basically, under the Personal and Public Liability section an insurer will indemnify you/any member of your household if you become , legally liable to pay as compensation for accidental death, bodily injury, illness or disease of any person, or accidental damage to material property occurring during any period of insurance arising:
b in a personal capacity  occurring in Great Britain,Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands, and
Elsewhere in the world during a temporary visit.  We will pay up to £2,000,000 in connection with any one incident or
series of incidents arising out of one event.

The general restrictions relating to dogs are ;-

iii animals, except domestic pets other
than those listed in the Dangerous
Dogs Act 1991

That's interesting, is that contents insurance? If it is i might have to set some up (i have no insurance of any sort )

[JasperPop]

I dont know, mine is buildings and contents.  Best thing is to get your policy out and look to see if you have legal cover.  Most have it I think, but you need to check if it covers you for your pets too.  Also read that you need to make sure you never admit responsibility or liability or offer to cover anything. 

[Nicola]

I just processed an application for my Mums working Cocker and it was £5.06 for Gold cover    seems to be a bit of disparity between quote.  Also not sure of cover, man on phone specifically stated would be £5000 pot of cash for each and every illness on a lifetime basis, but I dont think that is what the website states    Waiting for policy docs and will update on here when I can confirm.  Anyone else know?

Does your Mum live near you? When I changed my lot's policies from being registered in Edinburgh to being in Ireland the premiums went down even further (they weren't that high to begin with) because of the change in postcode. Vet treatment is cheaper here than on the mainland... it's about the only thing that is    As far as I understand it it is £5000 per condition for life.

[JasperPop]

It's only about 4 miles, but she does live in a nicer area   

I was told that it was per condition lifetime cover, it just didnt read that way.  Guy on phone was very clear that it was £5K each condition so I am sure he wouldnt lie that explicitly  hehe will double check while i am getting confirmation on the wound issue.  Thanks Nicola

[hamfam]

It's only about 4 miles, but she does live in a nicer area   

I was told that it was per condition lifetime cover, it just didnt read that way.  Guy on phone was very clear that it was £5K each condition so I am sure he wouldnt lie that explicitly  hehe will double check while i am getting confirmation on the wound issue.  Thanks Nicola

it is 5k per condition each condition being covered for life until the limit of 5k is reached, ie if your dog has a condition that costs £500 a year to treat and another condition that costs £1000 a year to treat, they would cover the first condition for 10 years and the second for 5 years.

Premiums are postcode specific - this is normal practice within the insurance industry

[tillyson]

It's only about 4 miles, but she does live in a nicer area   

I was told that it was per condition lifetime cover, it just didnt read that way.  Guy on phone was very clear that it was £5K each condition so I am sure he wouldnt lie that explicitly  hehe will double check while i am getting confirmation on the wound issue.  Thanks Nicola

it is 5k per condition each condition being covered for life until the limit of 5k is reached, ie if your dog has a condition that costs £500 a year to treat and another condition that costs £1000 a year to treat, they would cover the first condition for 10 years and the second for 5 years.

Premiums are postcode specific - this is normal practice within the insurance industry

so from reading this once you have reached your limit (even if it takes 10yrs) that's it,its not renewed to that amount each year? find pet insurance so confusing, mine is £5000 per year for any claims but it is renewed back to £5000 at the start off the next year. so now i don't know weather to change to heathy pets or stay with petpals

[michelle123]

I have noticed that you have brought this up a few times Rachel,  a standard household policy does provide liability cover - whilst I cannot speak for absolutely every single policy that is issued, I havent actually come across one that DOESNT include it    Indeed my firm have looked into a fair few dog bites just recently, of varying types and circumstances.

I checked with our insurers, and was told that our policy is restricted to liability for incident that take place in our home and garden; it does not cover liability for my dog in any public place....   Perhaps my home insurance is unusual - but surely it is better to check?   

I agree it is better to check

Sorry to labour the point but I have now double checked - you know when you have a niggly feeling.  I have checked my own policy and have checked one other standard household policy wording. 

Basically, under the Personal and Public Liability section an insurer will indemnify you/any member of your household if you become , legally liable to pay as compensation for accidental death, bodily injury, illness or disease of any person, or accidental damage to material property occurring during any period of insurance arising:
b in a personal capacity  occurring in Great Britain,Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands, and
Elsewhere in the world during a temporary visit.  We will pay up to £2,000,000 in connection with any one incident or
series of incidents arising out of one event.

The general restrictions relating to dogs are ;-

iii animals, except domestic pets other
than those listed in the Dangerous
Dogs Act 1991

That's interesting, is that contents insurance? If it is i might have to set some up (i have no insurance of any sort )

It will be on a contents policy Beth - you should really have contents cover, it isnt just for theft - some people think that they havent got anything worth stealing   unfortunately, fire nor water are selective in what they damage 

I dont know, mine is buildings and contents.  Best thing is to get your policy out and look to see if you have legal cover.  Most have it I think, but you need to check if it covers you for your pets too.  Also read that you need to make sure you never admit responsibility or liability or offer to cover anything. 

Legal expense cover is an entirely different kettle of fish, it is Liability cover that would come into force in such circumstances, although I would add that the legal cover IS worth having for the nominal amount involved

[skyliner]

so from reading this once you have reached your limit (even if it takes 10yrs) that's it,its not renewed to that amount each year? find pet insurance so confusing, mine is £5000 per year for any claims but it is renewed back to £5000 at the start off the next year. so now i don't know weather to change to healthy pets or stay with petpals

What you need to look for though is the amount of cover per condition (healthy pets is 5K per condition). If it is 5K per year renewable it might only cover a single condition for that year after with they make that condition exempt from your policy.

As with all insurance it is down to risk and the more you pay the better the cover you should receive. We have moved to healthy pets for our 2 dogs even though our cocker now has 2 pre-existing conditions that will not be covered. For me the decision to change insurance was easy - not because of the level of cover but the totally unacceptable length of time it repeatedly took our old company to pay up for claims (the last claim was finally settled after 4 months which is about average for this company which considers this acceptable when asked  )

[hamfam]

It's only about 4 miles, but she does live in a nicer area   

I was told that it was per condition lifetime cover, it just didnt read that way.  Guy on phone was very clear that it was £5K each condition so I am sure he wouldnt lie that explicitly  hehe will double check while i am getting confirmation on the wound issue.  Thanks Nicola

it is 5k per condition each condition being covered for life until the limit of 5k is reached, ie if your dog has a condition that costs £500 a year to treat and another condition that costs £1000 a year to treat, they would cover the first condition for 10 years and the second for 5 years.

Premiums are postcode specific - this is normal practice within the insurance industry

so from reading this once you have reached your limit (even if it takes 10yrs) that's it,its not renewed to that amount each year? find pet insurance so confusing, mine is £5000 per year for any claims but it is renewed back to £5000 at the start off the next year. so now i don't know weather to change to heathy pets or stay with petpals

Here is a recent post i made after obtaining a quote from petpals

well petplan certainly wont be getting my business - i've just got a quote for Lucy

3 different plans available

Pet Value - up to £3,000 per condition for 12 months only £50 excess and £250 excess for 3rd party claims - £15.20 monthly   

Covered for life - up to £4,000 per year £90 excess and £250 excess for 3rd party claims - £33.47 monthly  you have to pay the £90 excess again for each continuing year! 

Covered for life with unlimited vet fees - no limit on fees £90 excess and £250 excess for 3rd party claims - £45.61 monthly thats £473.72 a year more than Healthypets and whats more if the condition lasts more that a year you have to pay the £90 excess again for each continuing year!

so a ten year claim on the best plan, assuming the pemium remained static, which in reality it wouldn't, would cost (£45.61x12x10)+(£90x10) = £6319.20 in premiums and excess payments 

Healthypets gold cover gives me £5000 per condition for life with £50 excess (one off payment per condition) £100 excess for 3rd party claims - £6.15 monthly. over ten years the premiums would be (£6.15x12x10)+£50 = £788 that leaves a difference of £5531.20 to add to the £5000 per condition before i would have paid out more than i would have under petplan

So no i won't be switching to PetPlan 

[JasperPop]

I currently have MIL boxer on Petplan (yes we still pay it, long story) and we figured it wasnt worth swapping her to healthy pets as they wanted £23.50 a month and we pay £28.50 for her but there would be exclusions on her policy if we moved her as she has been to the vets in the last year.

Pet plan are more and the excess is paid for the first (in Hattie's case) £80 of each condition each year but I think they cover more.  She is on a good plan but Jaggers was £25 per month with them and I can get Molly and Jagger together for half that with healthy pets so they are moving 

[michelle123]

As with all insurance it is down to risk and the more you pay the better the cover you should receive.

You'd think that was the case but I disagree entirely