Hi all,
Ive always had my dogs insured with Petplan, but the costs always seemed to really escalate.  When I got Alfie I didnt get him insured after the initial 6 week period as I just couldnt find a company that could give me all that I wanted.  Due to a very sad series of events in the last week with a Guide Dog Pup (Im also a Puppy Walker) Ive realised that if the same thing happened to my own dog, I would struggle to afford the level of treatment that could be needed.

So Im after some recommendations.  Alfie is a CKCS which tends to load the premium anyway, he is male, neutered, and 2 and a half, fully vaccinated, but is already treated on optimmune for dry eye.

I need a lifetime policy and not one of those that only pay out a certain amount per condition.

Are there any good companies that people have had and used and are happy with, but that have not cost the earth?
Thankyou

think youve answered your own question really. we have all ours with petplean and wouldnt use any other.

I am looking for alternative to Petplan as well price has really esculated and the discount I received,( through a family member employer), is no longer given...

So I would be pleased to hear of good recommendations  too. Thanks

We use Directline, we have 4 dogs insured with them, including 3 large breeds, and we get a 20% discount off, if we insure 2 or more dogs with them.
We have not had to claim from them in 3 years, and the premiums are very reasonable.

Another recommendation for Direct Line here - we have the lifetime policy and due to owning the most accident prone dog in history, have made lots of claims LOL. Never had any issue at all.

M.

Hi there, i use Argos they have a platinum service which is unlimiter per condition, i have had no problems with them paying out and they even can pay the vet direct.

chase with m/s has gone up £25 per month yes a month total over £700 per year so change to another company very soon

Just had a quick look at Direct Line, (at work), huge difference..
Thanks

Axa might be worth looking into. I have changed our pyrenees to this and the premium is reasonable with good cover. I haven't claimed from them yet, so can't say how good they are at paying out.

I use Animal Friends recommended by a friend who has had to use it several times there is never any problem with them paying. They have different levels you can pay for it worth having a look on their webside. My other friend is with Direct Line and she said she has to wait quite a while for them to pay up Animal Friends are very quick at paying.

I use animal friends and have had to claim a few times latley due to a persistant lameness and they have paid out quickley and without fuss iether direct to both the referral vet and the hydro pool company or to myself. I am very happy with them and they do a lifetime rolling cover too.
Aileen

Animal friends here too and happy
They were about half of the price of others we looked at and had better cover.
Paid out thousands(+£5000) in the first year we were with them and our monthly payments went up about 3 pounds a month...
Which I though was very fair and would have been happy to pay bigger increase!
They paid the vet direct and pretty quickly too.
They also covered hydro for all sessions needed(20) which I believe many companies would not have done.

Another vote for AXA,   
Top level 'for life' cover with AXA actually WENT DOWN this year AFTER £1500 claims last year.
1st year it was £164 for the year, renewal this year was £155. GSD now aged 2yrs 3mths.
Vet get paid direct and seems to be quick turn round when form goes in.
Chris

You need to note that they do not offer cover for animals used for breeding.

Just to say that Ive spent a couple of hours on the internet this afternoon and Ive sorted cover with Animal Friends, really good deal, and everything I wanted, decent lifetime cover, not too steep excess and just under £18 per month.  When he gets to 8 years old I will have to pay a portion of the vets fees, but I offset that against the need for lifetime cover and low monthly payment (which is the part which I need to prioritise at the moment)

He's neutered, so not going to be used for breeding (think he's gay anyway lol)

Thankyou very much for the recommendation,they were brilliant on the phone too.

I am insured with E&L, they are very cheap but do take about 12 weeks to pay out.  I have had to make a large claim so I know that you do get the money eventually.

i have had a terrible experience with E & L with my horse. a £5000 vet bill took 2 years to pay and in the end the horse died before the bill was paid. the vets demanded payment and rightly so. we took e&l to a small claims court and eventually they did pay out... because they had no choice. now we have to pay vet bills up front as we have poor credit with our vets for the next 10 years. defeats the point of having insurance. i cant afford to pay upfront thats why we take out insurance. for all horsey people, you understand the price of minor treatment, its not cheap! this has happened to 3 other people on my farm alone, so you'll understand why i wont touch them with a barge pole!!! new horse is insured with pet plan... extremely expensive (£90 per month) but they paid out within a week on a £3000 bill.
regarding dogs im insured with Virgin... they are marvelous and incredibly cheap... £22 per month and paid £1200 within 10 days of me phoning for claims form. i think it is life cover... google it

Agreed E&L wouldn't touch them, i went to my horse field and found my old mare dead, this was on a bank holiday saturday, she had been having belts of colic but seemed to have settled down for quite a while under vets supervision, anyway she was in full view from my gate/road i rang the vet who really couldn't do much as she was passed and said best to remove her before someone reported me to the RSPCA. I rang E&L and told them what had happened on the tuesday, they wouldn't pay out as i never left her where she died till Tuesday when they could of arrange for an autopsy to confirm what she died of, so i lost out on insurance because i wouldn't leave my mare in the field for 3 days.

Then i cancelled the policy but they kept demanding the monthly installments, i kept ringing saying she had passed away, after 10 months of them writing and asking for payment they threatened to cancel the policy themselves, nastiest lot of people i have dealt with, stay well clear.

Oh and another thing with E&L you can start off insuring the most oldest donkey out, but give them a few months and your insurance is upgraded to a race horse with gold hooves without even asking you

oh, and just to add, my horse died 2 years ago last sept, and even tho informed of his death, continued to take out monthly payments until august this year!!!!

whos the underwriter for amianls freinds insurance,
i look up LV INSURANCE  LONDON AND VICTOIRA THAT WAS CHEAP TO.

They have changed from E & L to Red Sands Insurance Co (Europe) Ltd as they were very unhappy how E & L treated their policy holders.

Just forgot to mention now Animal Friends are with Red Sands it is all dealt with in house now which is a lot easier

!!!!!!

I'm with AXA too, never had a claim (touch wood) although only been with them for 2 years. When we renewed my bitch's insurance it stayed the same but the renewal notice has just come in for my dog and it is gone down in price by £80!!!!

I'm with the Kennel Club and just had a renewal quote in for £229, which is about the same as last year. iIve never had to claim so don't know how good they follow through and am just about to put our new pup on. (No discount for multiples unfortunately).

I also had a quote from PetPlan for £269 but their cover is not as high as the Kennel Club.

We read loads before we decided to go with AXA and the other ones that we considered were Pet Plan and the Kennel Club preferring the KC's price but their excess was a percentage of the claim if I remember rightly, and that was why we went with AXA in the end.

That's right re the KC Plan. And I've had to give a tutorial on percentages at the Vets

Just had a look at the AXA policy and it seems good, think I'll be changing to them. A saving of £100 per year and a better excess.

<<You need to note that they do not offer cover for animals used for breeding.>>

Due to where the post is positioned I'm not sure which insurance company you are referring to, but isn't this the case with most of the pet insurance companies?

Most do not Insure breeding risks, but certainly insure breeding animals, that particular Insurance (AXA) doesn't insure animals used for breeding, which is a different matter.

That would mean any of us who have dogs that we have used at stud or had litters from could not insure them with that policy.

<<that particular Insurance (AXA) doesn't insure animals used for breeding, which is a different matter.>>

I just want to clarify this.

I have just contacted AXA and they WILL cover an animal that has had/will have ONE litter, any more than that and the whole policy will be cancelled. Obviously breeding related events/illnesses won't be covered, but everything else is.

Then they need to alter their on-line questionnaire.  There is a question is your dog used for breeding or business, and why does one litter any different to two or three?.

Bit of a mute point as I could never afford to Insure five.

I agree. Even in the policy booklet (I've got 5 dogs insured with them) the summary of general exclusions states "General exclusions - Your Pet being used for breeding purposes". However, in the detailed section it says "We will not pay for claims arising directly or indirectly from your Pet being used for breeding purposes". It goes on to say about excluding veterinary costs resulting from vaccinations, spaying, castration, and pregnancy or giving birth.

It certainly depends on how you interpret it. I did panic slightly when I read your post as I've just mated Esme, so wanted to make sure by phoning AXA direct just to clarify.

I have been with Animal Friends Pet Insurance for a few years now, thankfully we have never had to claim, but likewise we have not had our premiums go up either! So overall that has to be a great deal doesnt it? We would never change from them, seems they are privatelty owned too and thats great. They have all the advice and information a pet owner could need on their site for those of you like my wife who never stops reading the blogs

We have not got horses, but Animal Friends also have an horse insurance website now - afihoreinsurance.co.uk for those who are lucky enough. Dani already joined their community area.

I know a few people who are with Animal Friends & they have claimed & the company haven't paid out saying that their pets condition was pre-existing even when they have had the full history & the vets 'backing' the claim.

One to avoid like E&L I think

both my vet surgeries that i use will not deal with Animal friends, E & L as they are very slow to pay out and try to avoid payment altogether