Petplan Covered for life vs Argos Platinum & similar.

It's overdue, but finally getting round to sorting some insurance for Marco, our PWD, and it's a minefield, either that or I was surprised just how much it could cost!
It seems that the easy safe easy option, if you can afford it, is pet plan. When asking our Vet he said pretty much that's the only one they could recommend.

But I've been looking it it for weeks.

So I've been looking into who does alternatives to the "life cover". As I would hate it if he was diagnosed with something, and the insurance only covered the first year of an ongoing problem. I know I want it to continue year after year.

• Petplan classic Lifecover (7k) - £41.56
• Argos Platinum (7k) - £31.43

Are there any other similar policies that cover in that way?

I can't seem to see how the Argos one (despite having to renew after 12 months) As it states this on the Platinum one:
Is it a very similar thing, just without using the pet-plan words "Lifecover"?

Thanks,
David

M&S do a life cover too - Two of minw are with them and the other with Petplan

Thanks for that pointer.

• M&S Premier (7k) - £25.67/month

I'll have a look into the detail of those.

Thanks.

Axa do life cover too

I spent weeks looking into this too and in the end, purely for peace of mind, went with PetPlan. They seem to be the one that most vets are most happy to deal with and so far I've only heard excellent reports about them...

Is Marco uninsured at present? I may be stating the obvious, so forgive me but I would urge you to organise the insurance asap

I spent about 7 months chosing a policy so you are doing well!!!

I have gone for vets medi cover.

£21 per month for any dog every year (apart from high risk breeds such as great danes) It is lifelong - up to £10,000 per year and being life long you can claim for ongoing conditions.
The fee does not go up based on how much you claim unlike most insurers, but will go up with inflation (according to the person I spoke to, no more than 5% per year).

Good luck chosing one, it is an absolute nightmare

ETA - My vets told me, that like with Science plan, they are kind of sponsered to only reccomend PetPlan - so that is all they will generally recomend, although my vets did say lots of people are with Tesco too. If you can stomach the costs they are meant to be very good.

I went with Pet Plan for piece of mind. I have several friends who are vet nurses and two who are vets and when I asked them who to choose they ALL said Pet Plan, and they weren't saying that because they were sponsored. It was because Pet Plan may cost more but gave the highest record of actually paying out! Also they apparently don't sky rocket premiums if you have to claim. I haven't had to claim yet though...

Yes they are meant to be very good
But as the dogs get older the prices seem to get insanely high. Sadly I wasn't sure I could afford it.
I caught a glimpse of my OHs families GSD insurance prices (dogs aged 11 and 9 - )

Do bare in mind that when you pick an insurer, once you have claimed you will struggle to ever re-insure elsewhere if you need to as that condition will then not be covered. That's why I looked at it in terms of the long-run ... which is all very well unless they dont pay out - in which case its a waste all along

I know, I am dreading the price it might go up too But I was also too chicken to go anywhere else! Insurance, you seemed dammed if you do, and dammed if you don't! I was considering AXA but chickened out and stayed with Pet Plan and now he's had his pyoderma, he has a pre-existing so we'll have to stay! Lets hope it works out in the long run.....

I've heard that Sainsburys isn't bad either.

If you do go for Petplan , I have a voucher for first 2 months free . PM and you can have it