Whether you have a horse, dog or cat, vets will always advise you to take out pet insurance. Personally I have always been a firm believer in this – I love my animals, and if they become ill, or have an accident, I do not want them to suffer just because I can’t afford the treatment. So I pay a regular premium which I can budget for, safe in the knowledge that my pets will be able to be cared for in any eventuality. But of course, things are not always what they seem!
I currently have two dogs. One is a Great Dane who is 8 ½ years old. At the age of 5 months I insured him through Sainsbury’s Bank. The other dog is a Cocker Spaniel. I shopped around for insurance, and found another company was cheaper for small dogs – he is 6 ½, and has been insured with the same company all his life.
The spaniel is a healthy little dog, and I have never had to claim for him. On the other hand, the Great Dane developed arthritis 3 years ago, and has been on medication since. He has skin allergies which occasionally flare up, and last year had two large cysts which needed to be removed. He has suffered from haematomas in his ear, and being clumsy has knocked off a couple of toe nails which needed treatment by stitching. But hey, never mind – I am fully covered by my insurance policy!
Well, yes. Sort of. Sainsbury’s on the whole have been very good settling all the claims – except one outstanding for six months which seems to have got lost in their organisation. But it was the recent annual renewal letter that revealed to me how pet insurance is by no means the protection that one thinks it is.
In 2007, the annual premium for my Great Dane has increased to over £800 a year! In effect this means that I would be paying more to the insurers than I would if I paid the money for treatment direct to my vet.
So, okay, you might think that the Great Dane is costing the insurance company money – but there must be many other cases (such as my other dog) where the owner pays and makes no claims at all! I thought that this was the risk that insurance companies took.
My advice has to be to check with the insurance company which you are thinking of what their policy is on increasing premiums should you have to make a claim. I had no warning that this might happen.
