please help, advice needed

[h.bradshaw]

hi guys, as most of you know I now have 7 dogs

Sadie, rough collie, 10 years old
Casper rough collie, 10 years old
Jack, rough collie8 years old
Rory, gsd, 6years old
Sacha, gsd 5 years old
Cassie, rough collie, 5 years old
Archie, shetland sheepdog, 3 years old

they are all insured with direct line


all are insured for £6000, which is per illness with no time restrictions, in other words, if one got an ongoing illness they would be insured till the £6000 limit had been reached, but if they, for eg, needed surgery for something completely different, this would be seperate and I would still be able to claim with a new £6000

are you still with me???
this policy costs me £223 a month for all 7 dogs


today I rang Pets at home insurance

to insure all my dogs for £4000 per illness per yearthis would cost me £148 per month
in other words, the £4000 is every year so as long as I dont reach that limit, per dog per illness it will start up again every 12 months, all the dogs woulkd be insured for every eventuallity for £4000 per year for life.

too good to be true??? course it is.

the down side is.... once a dog reaches 6 years of age, I would have to pay the excess plus 15% of the vet fees... bummer. but the policy is much better and £70 a month cheaper.

so guys, I haven't got a crystal ball, so what do you think,

does anyone use pets at home insurance? which do you think is best?
I really need your input please

[LindaM]

I don't know. Presumably they are not excluding pre-existing conditions - or there are none.

You know the general health of your dog's. If you could save the £70 x 12 it would give you £840 a year to play with buy that could disappear quite quickly if you had one serious condition or op to claim for.

You have 4 dogs that have reached the 6 yrs + with 2 more reaching that age within a year so that is a consideration.

Also the older dogs could be reaching an age where more serious conditions arise (I do hope not of course). Not easy, chosing insurance. Hope the others can offer some help.

[super D]

Im pants at advice, what s your head telling you Hilary....
I think it depends on pre existing condition any might have etc, insurance companines can be tricky suckers to say the least xxx

[h.bradshaw]

no existing conditions

[LindaM]

Well that's good Helen, the only other thing I can think is do you have enough emergency cash to pay for the unexpected. I know I would struggle with that one at the moment and have to rely on the insurance.

[Bet]

How about ringing your current insurer, tell them what PAH has said and haggle for a new quote

[h.bradshaw]

tried that, they wont budge and I have been with them for years

[Bet]

More fool them!! I grrr everytime I hear the word "insurance companies"
Sorry I can't help further

[banger]

Have you had a quote from John Lewis, I was looking at them for a single dog and they were cheaper than Petplan and Direct Line. Also John Lewis is per year depending on how much level you choose. I know the excess on petplan goes up after 10 years old. Hope this helps. Have you tried a comparison site like gocompare.com?

[h.bradshaw]

its difficult to judge with a comparison sites because I have 7 dogs all differing ages