Dogs insurance

We have had petplan insurance for our dog’s lifetime so far, and are just about to stop. She is 15 and the premium started to go up noticeably each year from when she was 10. Now we have worked out that we would be better off setting some money aside and stopping the insurance. It was a lifetime insurance but had exclusions and an ever increasing excess for each new condition and at the beginning of the year.

Never had pet insurance for any of ours (we once had 10 all together) and just ‘bit the bullet’ as and when one needed anything. A couple had operations - about £3K between them, but other than that they were pretty healthy bar the usual - ear infections, cut paws, kennel cough. As I understand it regular flea and worm treatments aren’t included nor annual vaccinations so that would be extra from the premiums. Perhaps we were lucky, but insurance would’ve cost thousands and not been used. I’m also a bit ‘concerned’ that some owners (and vets) will put their pets through any sort of treatment, if it’s covered by insurance - perhaps not always the best choice for the animal.

Try Animal Friends for a quote. We changed to them from John Lewis. Do have to pay excess now that she's older and first £100. I continue because I think that it's essential to have some public liability cover and that's included.

I'm with Animal Friends, and am happy with the quotes for my two rescued mutties.

One is much higher than the other - but he is 14 and a half (13 and a half when I got him) and missing a leg.
The other one I've had four years and his premiums have just gone up a fair bit now he's reached 8.

I haven't had to make a claim yet but it's worth paying the £42 a month between them, as I have no bullet to bite on if anything happened to them.

I would have gone with Petplan, which had been fine for my previous six dogs but the younger (but longer with me)'s passport said "cross breed", and I couldn't specify which were the breeds he contained, and they wouldn't allow "mongrel" because the passport said "crossbreed"- so I went elsewhere.

I stopped pet insurance when my old dogs were about 12 and premiums with NFU were horrendous and I had not claimed much. Big mistake, almost as soon as I had cancelled it both of them became unwell and I have massive vets bills. I will now just bite the bullet and keep insured for life til the very end! Now with Pet Plan and Kennel Club. There is always an excess to pay and as dogs get older a percentage of the vet fees.

I cancelled my lovely dog's insurance when she became chronically ill but took out third party public liability which I felt essential, with the Dog's Trust at £12 per annum. worth a look maybe.

I'm with Petplan. I always meant to leave and put the money aside instead, but never did.

My dog is now 13 and recently had to have a lot of expensive investigations and Petplan paid my claim very quickly.

I don't have pet insurance for my dog. I have some money in a savings account in case of a large vet bill.

I’m with Petplan. It’s expensive but my senior dog recently had bronchitis and was in intensive care. Petplan paid three quarters of the bill. Well worth it. The old boy needs to have the best I can afford.