Pet insurance experiences

[MrRockliffe]

Direct line here with a Labrador. She’s 13, and has been covered since birth.

She’s had numerous problems over the years, requiring numerous surgeries, drugs and more. They’ve paid out every time. However, one thing to note is that we’ve had to claim the money back from them, so it has been initially funded by us first. Was tricky when one of the surgeries was about £8k.

In total probably has been 12k if claims? Monthly price had crept up to 138 until recently, when it was cancelled (old age, not worth going through surgery now).

They’ve been excellent in our experience.

 

[HoneyBadger]

We’ve used pet plan, good but expensive when insuring 8 animals. For the past 5 odd years, we’ve used Direct Line and never had any issues with claims.

 

[mattyfez]

Animal friends with lifetime cover here.. just paid out the best part of 6K for 2x MRI scans and 2 x surgeries for 2 ruptured spinal disks...definatley get lifetime cover

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

Animal friends with lifetime cover here.. just paid out the best part of 6K for 2x MRI scans and 2 x surgeries for 2 ruptured spinal disks...definatley get lifetime cover

Would be interested to see if your premiums go on next time round

 

[Azza]

Petplan here too. As others have said vets can make a direct claim with them so you never deal or hear from them.

We've used them twice. Once a few weeks a go when one of the cats go pierced in the leg by something when outside and become quite ill. The other time was in the new year when the dog ate a drawing pin that fell onto the floor while my partner was taking down Christmas decorations had to have his stomach cut open to remove it and was something stupid ~£4k but no issues from Petplan on the claim.

 

[Karateyid]

I would be interested in first hand experiences of health issues with that breed if you wouldn't mind sharing any personal experiences? Thanks,

Their health was generally very good. 1 had a retained testicle and a hernia as a pup. ( we had testicle removed as there was a high likelihood of it becoming cancerous.) They had a few minor surgeries to check out some lumps which we thought were issues. major claim was when 1 of them ran head first into his stockier brother. Issues didn't manifest straight away, a few days afterwards his balance went all over.. Numerous tests by vets (all covered by insurance ) eventually found blood in his spinal fluid where he'd jolted his neck and bled into it causing increase in pressure that affected his balance a few days at the vets and he was back to normal. premiums went up a bit the following years but that was expected and I wouldn't think twice about recommending them.

 

[Chris Wilson]

Thanks very much, it's a breed I have always admired, but I sometimes hear alarming stories of health issues and short life spans. I appreciate your time, all the best.

 

[Karateyid]

Thanks very much, it's a breed I have always admired, but I sometimes hear alarming stories of health issues and short life spans. I appreciate your time, all the best.

fantastic dogs.. large but calm sadly fairly short life span compare with some breeds... my 2 were 8 and a half and and 9 and a half when they passed. I'd been brought up with German shepherds, but happily get another Bull mastiff or 2.

 

[Jimbeam3678]

Thanks again for all the replies, really helpful.

 

[tres]

Remember Quidco

 

[NVP]

Last dog got lymphoma, Petplan paid out the full 8k maximum in each year for treatment without any issues.

Oh really? How interesting...

 

[413x]

All these stories.
Do the insurers make anything?

How much per month roughly is insurance?

 

[Deluxe1]

£66 at the moment for a 11 year old cocker.