Insurance

I stopped the insurance as my dogs got older. I put money aside to the same amount to cover treatment. Insurance companies always manage to find some exclusion clause when you try to claim. I think there are charities in UK who will help if you really can't afford treatment.

Think carefully before stopping dog insurance. Before he died my little dog had to have an op that cost £9,000 - but Pet Plan paid up. Putting money aside probably wouldn't cover a huge bill.

I have always had insurance for my dogs. Public liability is my major concern, should they cause an accident. However, the premiums are now iniquitous. I think a huge amount of this is because independent vets have been taken over by huge conglomorates, who are in it for the profit, and have hiked up the prices.

From what friends have said, putting a monthly amount into a savings account does work. BUT it has to be done from the first day the puppy is carried into your house. You would be amazed how it mounts up over the years.

The terrierist's insurance has gone up 60% she's six and I've never claimed. I've told her she'll have to pay it herself, she just rolled her big brown eyes at me and yawned.
Say l put £20 (that's more than the insurance) a month aside for 15 years that's only £3600 + interest (not a lot) less depreciation. That's not going to cover much in the way of potential vet charges.
The older they get the more likely you are to claim on the insurance which is why they want to price you out.