westiemum Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Hi All, While I know its been done to death, who's the best pet insurance company at the moment do you think? (By best I mean value for money and easy to get paid out for genuine claims without a lot of tricky exclusions). It's for a female westie who's just turned 4. I've looked at the Canstar Report from mid-2017 and narrowed it down to Pet Insurance Australia and Pet Plan. The major differences I see are Pet Plan are much more expensive (like double the monthly premium) but pay 100% of claims. PIA are much cheaper but only pay 80% with an excess. Both have $15k yearly benefit limits. Thoughts? Recommendations? TIA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papillon Kisses Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 If it is a consideration, Pet Plan are the only ones to my knowledge who will cover mental illness. Last I checked, PIA specifically exclude it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 12, 2018 Author Share Posted May 12, 2018 Thanks PK. Didn't know that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boronia Posted May 12, 2018 Share Posted May 12, 2018 Bow Wow Meow are not too bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Hi All, still wending my way through this. Have ditched PetPlan - they drop the amount of benefit payable to 65% after age 7 (but of course not the premium cost!) which is a deal breaker for me. So are there any other insurers that people are really happy with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 On 5/13/2018 at 7:15 AM, Boronia said: Bow Wow Meow are not too bad Thanks B - the only thing that makes me wary about them is they have one of the lowest annual benefit limits (8k) on the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Best Dogs! Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) How does the pet insurance process work? I’ve always self insured with pets and only ever had to claim on house insurance. How does it work on emergency vs annual check ups? Edited May 14, 2018 by Thistle the dog *self insured not said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 I do get the security of having pet insurance but I think it’s kinda crazy that it would cost me as much as my house insurance to cover my lot and yet there are so many things it won’t cover. Especially as I have 8 and 14 year old cats and an 11 year old dog. And they seem to change their conditions whenever they like. If you can budget well then I’d suggest putting away an emergency fund. Even if you take out insurance for 12 months whilst you save for it. Everyone should have one for themselves anyway. Mine sits on my mortgage but if you will be tempted to spend it then squirrel it away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Sorry Thistle, not sure what you're asking? I insure (house, car, pets etc) for stuff I can't afford and I would battle to pay for myself - so yes emergencies are covered under pet insurance (assuming they aren't excluded under the policy) and depending on the level of cover you take out some routine stuff can be covered as well (although I don't usually bother to cover this stuff as I prefer to pay for that myself). Is that what you were asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisys Mum Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 I have a pet savings account ...... Lacey had a abscess on one of her anal glands over the weekend (typical) and it cost me just over $200 ... I could have waited until today but she has trouble expressing her glands so I wanted it done ASAP . I have never had pet insurance and I have had pets all my life ... I guess it’s like comparing oranges to lemons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, The Spotted Devil said: I do get the security of having pet insurance but I think it’s kinda crazy that it would cost me as much as my house insurance to cover my lot and yet there are so many things it won’t cover. Especially as I have 8 and 14 year old cats and an 11 year old dog. And they seem to change their conditions whenever they like. If you can budget well then I’d suggest putting away an emergency fund. Even if you take out insurance for 12 months whilst you save for it. Everyone should have one for themselves anyway. Mine sits on my mortgage but if you will be tempted to spend it then squirrel it away. Yep absolutely get that Spotty - the only glitch in that plan that I see is that vet costs, particularly for major illnesses have risen so much as human level diagnostics are now increasingly available for animals, its almost impossible to save enough premium equivalents to cover even a minor illness. I found this out with my mothers cat Mark's cancer - that cost thousands in the space of ten days of diagnostics and surgery - and while insurance won't cover the complete cost insurance is often the difference between saying 'yes' and saying 'no' (and we all know what that can mean ). So I'm inclined to insure and review carefully each year at renewal time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Best Dogs! Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) Sorry just noticed my spelling mistake. Currently I self insure with emergency savings packed away. I add a bit every month. Out of habit as can’t insure my rabbits so that savings expanded to include the dogs + rabbits. I am wondering with pet insurance what the process is to claim or know your limits? Being in an emergency filling out paperwork would be hard so how to know then and there if to make a choice and know insurance would back you up? Or better to put that insurance money away into my emergency fund. I have have been thinking about it too now that have two dogs. Edited May 14, 2018 by Thistle the dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Ah I see! With pet insurance you have a yearly benefit claim limit that is set by your policy - it varies widely it seems from 7.5k to 20k depending on your choice of policy and level of premium. There are also some exclusions which I don't like and think are unfair such as bilateral conditions (blow one ACL and the other leg then becomes automatically excluded : But yes in an emergency (or indeed for planned interventions) its always a risk that the claim might be later declined. But luckily for me I've never had a claim declined - and as with car or house insurance I find that one major claim can put you 'ahead' for years. So I suppose I'm still erring on the side of insuring for major accidents and illness rather than not. Hmn.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Just continuing to look at 'the fine print' of various policies - anyone know of a decent policy which doesn't cap consultations to a measly $300 per annum? This seems ridiculous to me - one specialist consultation and you're gone for the year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 The problem is that there are only two (I think?) underwriters. So plenty of companies but all comes back to the same two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 14, 2018 Author Share Posted May 14, 2018 Yes there are two underwriters - Pet plan are with Lloyds or a (subsidary of Lloyds?) now - and the rest are with Hollards - but the policies and PDSs vary a bit. They all seem to have traps for the unwary - so it seems the trick is to be aware of those traps (eg the $300 consulation sublimit) and select the one that best suits your breed and pocket. I'm leaning towards Pet Barn at the moment based on the CanStar Report from early last year. Anyone have any experience making claims with them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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