Pet Insurance (yes Another Thread)

[Spoony]

After loosing my last two dogs to cancers and my expenses getting up near $30,000 in under 2 years, insurance is something I'm considering.

I know there is only Hollard and Allianz as the underwriters. Pet Plan being the most comprehensive (100%) but also most expensive (not 100% true some of the Hollard ones come in nearly the same). The other major difference when I looked last year was Pet Plan would cover a condition (ie Lymphoma as my dog had) to the maximum amount each yeah ongoing, but none of the others would.

However looking again now at Pet Insurance Australia I can't find anywhere now in the current PDS that they don't cover an illness ongoing. Bow Wow Meow (at tad pricier than PIA) which is also Hollard underwritten has the same cover in this regard as Pet Plan so my guess is they advertise it as a selling feature wher PIA hasn't but the underwriter now covers this way?

If this is the case $37/month for PIA ($31 for the first year) vs $56/month for Pet Plan makes PIA a consideration. (I know they all go up over time with age), Dog is Kelpie x Stumpy Tail Cattle, so one of the cheaper insurance breeds I think.

Curious if anyone else has looked into this lately?

Edited September 25, 2014 by Spoony

[DeltaCharlie]

I guess the main thing to look at would be whether they cover a certain amount per year or per condition. Petplan will cover a condition for life, up to a certain amount per year (depending on the plan chosen). Some of the others will only cover it until it reaches a certain $ amount and then wont cover it anymore.

I have 3 dogs with Pet Plan and 1 with BowWowMeow (only accident cover though so cant really compare).

[Spoony]

I emailed PIA to quiz this so will update when I hear back, could be helpful for others. BWM seems to get good reviews on here and online though

[Spoony]

PIA replied and is below. So the chronic condition cover now seems similar. Didn't ask but also can't see a cause anymore stopping re occurrence of same injury/illness being covered bar swallowing.

" I can confirm that we did have a clause called the chronic condition limit, however this has since been removed from our policies and will not be applied to a brand new policy.

 

The only limit that is applied to injury/illness claims is the annual benefit limit that will renew each year."

[White Shepherd mom]

Just FYI I posted PIA a claim form on 23rd September and the money was in my account on Saturday 27th. This was unusually quick but I've never had issues with getting my claims paid out. My monthly premiums had just gone up to $62 for a 12yo GSD.

I hope this helps you in making your decision.

[Spoony]

Cheers for the response, that sounds like good response. $62 is interesting to know at 12 years, not too bad, I'd imagine some of the others would be over 50% or higher than that.

[tdierikx]

Every time I look at pet insurance for my 4 dogs, the cost is quite prohibitive - but now that 2 of my dogs are over 9 years old, and most won't start a new policy on a dog of that age.... it could narrow things down a bit...

Then again, my 4 year old dog has a mobility issue that may make her uninsurable - even though I can prove she's only been to a vet twice for any procedure - once for an xray on a suspected broken leg (yes it was, but did not require surgery), and once to be desexed. She is an exceptionally healthy specimen if I do say so myself...

The horse puppy is 2 years old, and has also only been to the vet twice for anything out of the ordinary - once to be desexed, and once for a bee sting that she had a reaction to. She also seems to be a pretty healthy specimen... *grin*

Maybe it would be smarter of me to put aside something regularly to save for anything going wrong, rather than forking out to an insurance company who may or may not reimburse when the crunch comes...

T.

[Spoony]

I'd imagine how costly 4 dogs would be vs one. Good points on 'is it worth it' vs just putting cash aside or keeping the ability to pay. I think it comes down to luck, historically I've been unlucky, 2 dogs with cancer both dying a month apart costing 10's of thousands. Surely my current dog can't be as unlucky but his a very active boy (already smashed one of his 3 month old grown up teeth haha) so accidents do happen too.

The amount of money paid to the various insurances I have 'just incase' is a bit sickening really, not just because it's cash out of my own pocket but more so that money could be animals and people in dire need instead of making multinational companies even richer and more powerful..........so guilt involved also personally.