Bloody pet insurance

I am a bit confused. I thought dog licences were no longer needed (other than by breeders) though microchipping is compulsory as is a collar with a tag showing owners name and address. I certainly didn't have a licence for my last dog though I complied with the other two criteria.

Penny dropped! It is only in N.I. that dogs need to have a licence.

We took our dear Labrador to companion so called care to have a scan. The appointment was 9:30 am they told us to leave him there and they'd phone us to collect him we reluctantly agreed. Four hours later they still had not called so I telephoned them they told us they had, had an emergency and were running late at 3 pm I telephoned them again and I was told Charlie had bowel cancer. I asked how advanced it was and could he be operated on. The reply was "Oh no we have already carried out euthanasia" we were shocked and distressed beyond belief. We had not given permission for them to end his life. Weeks later when we realised we were still paying More than insurance each month. We filled a claim form in and sent it off. We had been paying £37 per month for 8 years and never claimed one penny. They told us they could not pay-out because we had not authorised any treatment because we had not signed any consent form. We took legal action against Companion 'Care' and was awarded £1000 in compensation plus cost.

My cat sadly died last year and while claiming from insurers was horrified to see that premiums had risen to over £70 a month (bank a/c not used often so hadn't clocked this).

My jess is a 13yr old BC she is insured with more than and I pay £35.00 per month and have never had to claim, and was thinking of cancelling it until I met a woman at the vets (I was there with my sons dog) she cancelled hers two weeks previously and was there because her dog swallowed a fishing hook and it had to have a operation to have it removed, £1000 later and her savings a lot lighter! I do think that they hold us to ransom because of the love we have for our animals and inflate the prices

We temporarily moved out of our area for a few months last year and the insurance for our two dogs went up by £40 a month because "vets bills were more expensive" in our new location. As soon as we moved home the monthly payment went down.
Having just got another pup we had big discussions about whether to insure or not but as she is so young it has only added £10 to the bill so for the time being we are sticking with it but will think again when our older girl reaches 10 later this year.

Rang insurance today as heard there should be a reduction for multiple pets, and they hadn't made this known to us. They said we are eligible, and are 'considering ' my view that they should backdate it. I insure my animals as my last dog gained 5 extra active years after being given spinal inserts by Noel Fitzpatrick ( the super vet on TV ) and we would not have been able to do that without insurance. But I now check it and query prices and decisions to ensure they give me as good a deal as possible

When I got my dog, I did not insure him, as previously I found that once you started it increased every year and in the end I could not afford it. I meant to put money away for Leo but didn't. I have had him 6 years he is 8. I have not paid out much yet. I discovered he had Colitis soon after I got him so I was glad I did not insure as I felt this would be an excuse to use the of a medical condition already present.

I just treat him with Hypoallergic food and Probiotics and he has been fine.

I used to find that when I went to the Vets they would ask whether I was insured and when I said yes the blood tests etc. would be given as inconclusive and another one was required. This was with previous dogs.

Insurance is meant to be the losses of the few covered by the contributions of the many.

Some of us seem now to want to claim just about all we pay, if not more.

Probably better to switch to a discount plan with your local vet.

We've just had to have our 20 year old cat put to sleep. I never had pet insurance, and only needed to have treatment from the vet about four times in 20 years. He asked if I had insurance and I got the impression he would have bumped up the cost if I had!

I have stopped paying insurance for our dog. I have had her insured with the same company since she was born. She is now 10.
However when she was 8 the insurance told me that they would only pay 40% of any claim because she was old. I had never claimed off them. Initially I accepted the terms of over 8yrs insurance until I did have to make a claim. The total bill was £500,
less the 40% (=£200)that maid the claim £300
Less the £90 excess , they finally paid £210. I now put the insurance money in another account in case something happens. When I think of all the insurance money I have paid over the years for nothing I could have had a nice little holiday ?

Thanks a bunch Grampie
I wonder why is that of remarkably little consolation to me?
My grouse is NOT that I have paid in all these years (well, only a bit) but that when I HAVE made a claim, weasel words from the company whittled it away to a fraction.

PS I hope (for your sake) that you do not have any connection with NanaandGrampy or I shall be having severe words.

Vets in UK are astronomical. My daughter had a cat, sadly now deceased, who had a thyroid problem so injections and stays at the vet, then diabetes with unworldly vets fees for the above mentioned injections etc.

I now don't insure our animals and vets here in this part of France are nowhere near the sort of prices quoted. My poor little cat who adoped us had an operation on her ear, overnight stay, checks up etc and I was only charged £50, when I sadly had to have her put down in was only €35. no comparison with UK.

Caretaker I am so sorry about your Labrador, what inexcusable, brutal treatment. What a truly heartbreaking way to learn of a much loved pet's demise. Take care and remember the good times with him.

How much do you pay for the operation to sterilise a dog? (female).
We paid 350€, about £300. That was for a full removal of the uterus etc. Sometimes they just tie the fallopian tubes, which is cheaper.

I had an old fashioned Vet until a few years ago when Medivet made him an offer, to take over his practice, which he couldn't refuse. He was reasonable. He obviously made a living. The Vets who took over the practice were mostly South African.

We dont pay dog licences, were are you, think Ireland have dog licencesYorkshire gel
I am with Animal friends,i pay £4-80 a month
One of my cats was diagnosed with a heart problem, only a month after taking the policy out
Thay paid out for her heart meds ,which would have cost £33 every month
Sadly she had a coronary just before the first year ended
She was 7 whe i took the insurance out,so i was quite pleased with the way they paid up immediately
Another cat was diagnosed with a neck tumour a few weeks later, but she wasnt insured, she was 13,and had to be put to sleep while under the anasthaetic, as she went in for a swelling believed to be an abbcess, if i had brought her home the vet said she would only have days left,
This cat was insure when i first got her, eventually i cancelled it because at the time i was with petplan and couldnt afford to keep it on, but she got to 13 without needing any major treatment, so that would have cost me a lot over all those years,
So its just how it goes, it can be a godsend or cost a lot, and not be needed
I still have 2 cats, who are insred for life with AF but still only costs me under £5 a month
One of them has had fits in the past when she was very young, but hasnt had any for a few years, so of course she isnt covered for that,a prexisting condition, but covered for other things

Caretaker,i am so sorry the vets eathanised your beloved dog without your permission, you must have been devastated,
We need to say goodbye to our pets, when they have to leave us,
I am pleased that you were compensated, but its of no comfort really is it, so sorry for your loss

Tricia F, I have been quote €190 for female dog sterilisation, but take you point about what sort. I will check up on that.

He's not mine Maw ...he knows better ;-)

We insure and have always insured our dogs because we know how quickly a claim can increase. But I do move from company to company when I can.

I find it difficult sometimes though to compare like for like. What with whole life care, maximum claim policies etc.

Pet Insurers are like any other insurer, if they can wriggle out of paying they will.

I cant be doing with this pet insurance. Something that a lot of vets will take advantage of. Just put so much away a month to cover costs if your pet does become ill.

I have just had a moan chat with the senior receptionist at our vets who said she had always insured with the company I use (PP) because they don't put your premiums up if you make a claim, but added that when her dogs reached old age, perhaps 12 , she stopped the premiums on the basis that the excess and % you have to pay as the owner are prohibitive. (£170 and 20% in Gracie's case) Like me, she felt that a dog reaches an age when investigations or surgery are less likely to be advised or in the dog's interests. Consultations usually come in at less than the excess so you would be paying out on that anyway. (Obviously the "age" can depend on the breed and size). And putting £50 a month in a sock under the bed covers most requirements.
I also learned (a bit late in the day) about getting a written prescription from the vet and buying drugs on line.

we took out pet insurance on our dog when we rescued her last year. we were careful to select a lifetime policy so that if she became say diabetic or epileptic or similar that required ongoing then she was covered for ever for such cases. Some policies covered you for 12 months at a time but if she did take a life time illness it would only pay for said illness until the renewal date and then not for that illness after that.
We felt this suited our finances better than others.

The only problem with getting a written prescription from the vet is they charge you for it and if it's a repeat prescription they charge for every repeat.

They've got us by the short and curlies unfortunately.

My vet doesn't always charge for prescriptions - forgets sometimes - always gives a year at a time. Check up and new presc. last week was £30 ish