In the third of our daily series on all you need to do BEFORE you get your pup, we're looking at pet insurance. Which policy should you go for?
Liz will be getting a GSD puppy in a few weeks time.
As with some other insurance policies some will calculate on postcode so for those in expensive counties like Surrey it might be better to pick an insurer that doesn't consider address in their quote. Plus some breeds are cheaper to insure than others - is there a GSD friendly policy?
And do you get what you pay for? If it's too much cheaper than another brand is there a catch? And do price comparison sites really work for pet insurance? After all it's not like car insurance - there are many types of pet insurance and some the most limited are really worse than useless.
Where to start? Anyone done this recently? Which policy did you plump for?
And is there a case for just saving a little each month if you can't afford the premiums for the top of the range cover?
What's the difference between a policy giving 12 months of cover for a condition and one giving a limited spend per condition? Which is better? Why?
And is the six weeks free KC insurance given at the time a sale worth having - or are you better starting full insurance ASAP? Is it still the case that the free cover doesn't cover you for death by illness?
Beverley Cuddy, Editor
PS Don't forget to read the first two of the burning issues already published and come back tomorrow for the next one!
There is no question that some level of insurance for your pet is better than no insurance at all and the sooner the better. Finding the right policy for your pup can be confusing with all the different options
available but the important thing is that you opt for the most comprehensive policy that most closely fits your budget, particularly whilst your pet is young and still very much an unknown quantity.
Comparison websites can offer little help in choosing good quality cover as they are based almost solely on cost and as is often the case, the premium you pay will generally give an accurate reflection of the policy you've chosen so if a company offers what appears to be a good policy for very little cost it's unlikely to be the cover you need. Pet insurance will normally offer either a limit in vet fee cover per year (Lifetime) or per problem (Maximum benefit). Both cover for ongoing health issues without exclusion at renewal but a limit per year offers the greatest protection long term as over time you are more likely to reach the limit offered by a maximum benefit provider, particularly in the event of a long term, recurring or chronic condition. Some pet owners choose to put money aside instead of taking out insurance but even if you have managed to save a substantial amount that pot of money could soon be exhausted in the event of even fairly routine veterinary treatment let alone a serious or long term problem leaving you back at square one. Many puppies go to their new owners with some free cover which can be useful as a buffer between collecting your puppy and deciding on the right full policy but once that decision has been made start the full cover as soon as possible as puppy cover can be very limited and if your pup develops an illness whilst still on the free cover you would then have to onset full cover with the puppy cover provider to ensure future cover for that illness. In a nutshell, insure your puppy as soon as you can on the policy most appropriate to his and your requirements, it's simply about making a well informed choice and being comfortable with your decision.
Neil Flint, VIP Insurance
Katrina Stevens, Kesyra German Shepherds, says...
I send my pups off with four weeks free cover from Pet Plan. They give good cover, but are not cheap! I don't personally insure my own dogs, as I have too many, so I prefer to have money put aside. However I do recommend my pet owners to take out insurance, as I think it is worth it for their peace of mind. The Kennel Club insurance for accredited breeders is now for four weeks. They do now cover for death from illness. However, I did notice a clause that there would not be cover for distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo or Lepto if the pup was not vaccinated. I know some breeders vaccinate before the pups go to their new homes, but I believe that the pups need to be a little more mature (say 10 weeks) before receiving their first vaccination, so I will personally be sticking to Pet Plan. I think it is best to shop around and find a company that gives continuous cover, although it must be remembered that most companies will exclude the first 14 days, so it would need to be done as soon as possible if changing companies. I am also quite a fan of companies that accept homeopathic nosodes (Tesco and Direct Line I believe), as I do have concerns over the effects of boosters on the immune system of the dog.
My pug Olive is insured with pet plan (covered for life standard). It's quite expensive, now at 35 pounds a month but well worth it. Ive made up to five thousand pounds worth of claims (she's only seven) and they have paid up every time with no problem. In fact you get the money back within two weeks. The cover for life allows you to make more than one claim for an ongoing condition as long as its less than 6000 pounds a year. The excess is 90 pounds for veterinary fees.
ReplyDeleteI really do believe you get what you pay for. Many of the very cheap deals will only pay for a condition once.
Something new that I have noticed on her policy paperwork is two added statements;
"You must tell us if your dog has;
1. shown any vicious tendencies, been involved in any fights or there have been any complaints about its behaviour, and, been involved in any incident where someone has been injured or property damaged."
Not sure if this is all to do with the increased reportings of dog attacks of late?
I can recommend PetPlan too. They are long-established and concentrate solely on providing insurance for dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. Their policies are written in easy to understand 'plain english' and because they have many years of experience, their policies do not change dramatically from year to year - a consideration which I think is often overlooked. I have made many claims, and have always found them to be very efiicient with no trying to wriggle out of paying up!
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