Recommended Insurers for Multiple Dogs

Now's come the time to get everyone insured under the same policy, for organisation reasons.

I'm a bit dubious about taking out a policy with an insurer I've not been recommended though. Bear currently has a skin complaint, and this is a pre-existing condition, so I need a policy that is not going to be ridiculous and exclude other skin complaints (such as things like burns, tick-bite reactions, or skin tumours).

Am I better off not mentioning the skin complaint when I insure him as I'll never claim for anything related to that anyway?

Also, I have 4 dogs to insure, 3 'pedigrees' and 1 crossbreed, all are young and only one has anything pre-existing. Does anyone recommend an insurer that won't charge silly money but will offer a good policy?

Ideally I'm after lifetime cover for them, which does not set a 12 month limit on condition cover, and up to about £4000 per year, renewed per condition on a yearly basis.

I'm searching around but it's taking hours and then when I find a decent price and policy, I'm too worried to take the plunge and confirm it because of horror stories I've heard about insurance companies.

More Than offer good discounts for multiple dog households - although their excesses are a bit heavier than some other companies: I currently have an ongoing claim for one of my girls for physio, and they pay very quickly, direct to the clinic. (the level of cover is higher than you are looking for - not sure if they have different levels).

Direct Line are VERY competitive on multiple dog policies, but absolutely no idea on how good they are at paying.

M&S are happy to pay directly as well if you have a vet happy to claim - when my girl had her surgery for her neck injury last year, they paid out within weeks, again direct to the clinic.

I know others who have also claimed through MT and M&S and they have been very good at paying out.

Tescos are competitive - I've not had any experience of them paying out on pet policies, but they have been excellent on the car insurance, both when my daughter was hit by a bus, and when a naked psychiatric patient (don't ask) decided to use my car roof and bonnet as a trampoline (atlhough I think there was a brief shock moment with the latter claim )

The problem with pet insurance it seems is that where you live makes premiums vary widely - so really it's a case of shopping around to get premiums you are happy with for the level of cover, and then finding out from others who efficiently they deal with claims.

Tesco has a discount for more than 1 dog and I`ve never had trouble with them.

I have used various but now I save an amount a month. NUT was good originbally but not sure about them now.

rune

Id be careful as skin complaints fall into a lot of categories. If you are going to omit informing the new company you will need to change your vet also

I put both our kittens under Pet Plan & got a discount for 2nd kitten which surprised me as i thought it was 3 or more before you got discount

Ive been ripped off big time by pet imsurers. Practice we went to refused to claim directly off anyone other than pet plan & charged huge prices. Not easy when you have to find money first. We have since moved & new vets who insist you pay first & then claim yourself so you cant win.....,

Our dog we lost in June - insurance stopped paying out for her even though she had lifetime cover. I couldnt change her as she had no much wrong in her last couple of years, her insurance went from £23 a month to £37 per month & then £43 per month. Crippling when you dont work fulltime. When they refused ti pay out for her thyroid treatment which was ongoing i cut my losses & cancelled it.

I have our eldest dog with Sainsburys, i changed her when original company jumped her premimum from £21 to £37 a month per year because i made a claim for £130. I had
never made any sort of claim for her in the four years we had had her. I was disgusted.

Good luck with whatever you do

Hmm I'm considering putting the money away then for this lot. We get heavily discounted vets' fees anyway as we are vet students, so it'll never be that bad but I just thought it would provide peace of mind.

I'm not at all sure whether it's worth it for Bear though now ...

I will have a shop around, Direct Line quoted me and it was a good price but the cover was per condition just for 12 months AFTER the condition emerged I believe or it was per condition full stop in the higher cover, it didn't renew on a yearly basis.

Tescos I was with previously but my Dad had a nightmare getting them to pay directly to the vets or something when Star fractured her tarsus so he immediately switched insurers and warned everyone of how bad it was.

I did get a quote from MT I think, it wasn't too bad either. I may go with them.
I may not get Bear insured though as I won't change vets, and if I declare his skin condition then he won't be covered for some of the most major probs (a lot of metabolic problems manifest as skin complaints!) and his premium is shocking on the whole. Most companies want around £50 per month just for Bear. I'd be better off just putting that in an account for him because at least there won't be terms on what it can or cannot be used on!

Thanks guys for all your replies though, they've really helped.