The over 50s are more likely to claim on pet more than any other kind of insurance.

I'm with Animal Friends, after using Pet Plan for years. They seem to be good, the policy is a couple of pounds a month less, and they don't bombard me with emails, just a newsletter every few weeks.

I have my two current dogs insured, though their predecessors were not insured. It is expensive, we're with PetPlan who do pay out, and their policies are life long, so the policy doesn't go up despite regular claims for a life long condition one of the dogs has. I decided to continue paying up, rather than saving the policy amount after a couple of dog walking friends had bills exceeding several thousand pounds after accidents. One dog slipped its lead to chase a cat, was run over and a broken leg ended up costing over £6000 in treatment.

I had one of the cats insured, which was useful as she developed a recurring eye condition. However when she was about 10 the excess suddenly shot up and her bills would never have been big enough for me to make a claim so I cancelled it and started saving money every month. So far I haven't had to use any of it.

Some years ago my daughter's dog dislocated a hind leg and ran up a bill of about £1,200 - the whole family had to chip in on that one!

Brilliant idea Aka and Sunseeker, I think I'll do the same for my cat's remaining years - 19 and counting.

We didn't have pet insurance when our kitten was run over - his surgery and care cost me several hundred pounds (the vet said it would have been at least twice as much had it been an insurance claim!) so I then took out insurance for both our cats. The premium rose every year; when it got to £20 pm I bit the bullet, cancelled the cover, and continued to save the £20 in a savings account. I stopped when I had £1000 as I thought that was enough for a couple of even much-loved mogs. Luckily it was never used so I had the peace of mind and the dosh.

Our dogs are insured.
Our last dog a cairn terrier died when he was 17 but I don't think he had a 6 month period in his life when he was not in the vets overnight for some reason.
The vet did say he was unfortunate but he was getting a decent quality of life and we were looking after him well.
If we had not had the insurance he would have been very expensive.
We had to pay several £50 excesses but the insurers renewed his insurance on normal terms for all of his life.

Frank

We did not bother to have pet insurance for the cats....but 'self' insured i.e. put aside a little every month in the accounts to cover any potential problems.
However, having obtained a dog we have got insurance as dogs are much more active (she certainly is being part springer, mad as a hatter and loves her long country walks). It also covers us for 3rd party events which is important living in the country with livestock, tractors etc around.

I had £1,000 put by towards vets bills but this was used up when our Rhodesian Ridgeback became ill so I have pet insurance with SAGA for our two Jack Russells.

Our cat is not insured so I have some money put by for her in a building society account.

Expensive things, pets.

I've never bought Pet insurance for the cats I've owned over the years, they all lived to be 19+yrs and I only had two instances where they needed emergency treatments over the years, for routine things like teeth cleaning etc we paid out of a pet fund its always worked for us.. I too think pet insurance is a rip-off better to save for these eventualities.. of course there are going to be those who've been saved £££££££££s by having insurance I guess I was lucky , but then I wouldn't of ever paid out thousands to save a pet , I know what my limitations are moneywise, love them all to bits but there are limits to how much I would pay out for a pet.

Meant to add that I think pet insurance is a rip off.

When we had a cat we never took out insurance but like Aka put money into a separate account on a monthly basis. When we did have to use a vet there was more than enough in the account to pay the fees and there was money left over after the cat died.

I don't bother with pet insurance either, but I do pay the equivalent into a doggy fund every month. So far not had to draw on it (i pay as i go inoculations) but they are now worth £2,500 and £2,800 each.

My last cat cost me a fortune as he developed a rare, weird and wonderful disease which cost me a fortune in tablets and blood tests. He was uninsured.

My present cat, who is approximately 8 years old, is insured, costing me over £20 a month now and I have never claimed. I am loathe to cancel it now, having paid for so long but I am tempted.