living without pet insurance!?!
Discussion
as a kind of branch off from the 'driving without insurance' thread i was wondering on pet insurance... i know more than do it, and apparantly tesco.com also do it now (i have my car insured with them) and i'm sure many others do insurance for your pet - but what the fcuk is it!?! 
now i love my cat dearly
, he's the silliest bugger 
i know and a great mate! he knows when me+or my mum are upset and does the best a cat can to comfort us and he's one of the nicest cats i've ever known but i would never think about insuring him... 
i mean what would i be insuring him against? unless he died in my house, garden or maybe street i wouldn't even know about it ffs... its not as if the police are going to knock on the door and call me down to the morgue to identify the body...
so that pretty much rules out accidental death, so what does that leave, me dropping something on him, or standing on him!?! i bet they wouldn't pay because i was being careless...
so all i see pet insurance as, is alot of money spent every year for no practical use. although i understand perhaps if you had a prize racing horse or something you would have it insured, but then surely you would have had it insured for years and pet insurance is a relatively new thing.
perhaps someone out there could help me understand this..
oh, i wonder if you get NCB on your cat, or have to pay more when your 17 if you have a dog rather than a hampster because its more dangerous/faster/more desirable...
now i love my cat dearly
, he's the silliest bugger i know and a great mate! he knows when me+or my mum are upset and does the best a cat can to comfort us and he's one of the nicest cats i've ever known but i would never think about insuring him... i mean what would i be insuring him against? unless he died in my house, garden or maybe street i wouldn't even know about it ffs... its not as if the police are going to knock on the door and call me down to the morgue to identify the body...
so that pretty much rules out accidental death, so what does that leave, me dropping something on him, or standing on him!?! i bet they wouldn't pay because i was being careless...
so all i see pet insurance as, is alot of money spent every year for no practical use. although i understand perhaps if you had a prize racing horse or something you would have it insured, but then surely you would have had it insured for years and pet insurance is a relatively new thing.
perhaps someone out there could help me understand this..
oh, i wonder if you get NCB on your cat, or have to pay more when your 17 if you have a dog rather than a hampster because its more dangerous/faster/more desirable...
It's pet *medical* insurance, like BUPA for moggies and dogies 
My Springer of 6 years old has just had to have a very serious neck operation (badly slipped disk plus vertebrae damage) and wasn't insured.
£3500.00, thank you very much.
Luckily he's fine now but if I'd had the insurance...
Alan.
My Springer of 6 years old has just had to have a very serious neck operation (badly slipped disk plus vertebrae damage) and wasn't insured.
£3500.00, thank you very much.
Luckily he's fine now but if I'd had the insurance...
Alan.
Yep, have two (used to have three) cats and all are insured. Saved me a small fortune so far and would recommend it to everyone. Ok, so they dont payout as well as you might hope - but for the piece of mind to have big bills sorted then its worth it....
No where are my shoes - need to kick the cat
Cheers,
Paul
No where are my shoes - need to kick the cat
Cheers,
Paul
well, perhaps i think its a little strange because although kiwi is approaching 11 the only bills we've had to pay for him is to get neuted (sp.?) and £70 for two trips to the vets recently because he's been in fights
(getting older you see, new cats muscling into his territory... but don't tell him that as he's some sort of godfather round here - even has cotton wool in his cheeks sometimes)
(getting older you see, new cats muscling into his territory... but don't tell him that as he's some sort of godfather round here - even has cotton wool in his cheeks sometimes)
Our cat, Harry, has insurance, but cunningly enough his only vet bills so far have been just under his 'excess' so we couldn't claim. Should be thankful he's never been really ill, though; he's just had a few fights while claiming his territory, which seems to encompass most of Milton Keynes.
Oh God, he's looking at me. I think he knows he's being typed about...
Oh God, he's looking at me. I think he knows he's being typed about...
My neighbours pet insurance is loaded due to my big ginger moggy - They have an excess on stiches and the replacement of extremeties such a tail ends and ears.
The most affectionate and loving cat( I have 3 and she adores her house mates ) turns into the most horrid ball of spitting, scratching and biting fluff. For any other animal trying to get a hold on her its like sticking thier head in a food blender - Would have called her Taz when she was a kitten if I'd have known.
The most affectionate and loving cat( I have 3 and she adores her house mates ) turns into the most horrid ball of spitting, scratching and biting fluff. For any other animal trying to get a hold on her its like sticking thier head in a food blender - Would have called her Taz when she was a kitten if I'd have known.
When I got my dog we thought about the idea and decided against it. Basically I have House insurance because I couldn't afford to put it right should the worst happen i.e. hundreds of thousands (plus the mortgage company made me ) I have car insurance because I have to and again it would really hurt financially if I didn't and the worst happened. My logic on pet insurance is that the insurance companies must make a profit or they wouldn't do it, so can I afford to cover my own risk ? well probably but sods law says that I'd need the money at the worst possible time so when we very first got the dog I looked at the average premium for him and found it to be about £20/month, with that logic I opened his own bank account (it was pre 9/11 so the money rules were slacker and a mate took a few key strokes to create Sydneys own bank account and get cheque book / debit card issued) we've put in £20 a month ever since and he happily builds his own little nest egg and retirement fund, so far out of his money I've paid all his routine jabs and to have his knackers cut off. If the worst case happened tomorrow he'd have about £400 credit the rest we'd just need to find, as he gets older (currently 3) his account grows as does the likelyhood of needing it. Also it always gives me a giggle when he get post and offers of loans and credit cards 
In fact I might start building up a credit rating, get a mortgage and buy him a house before defaulting and seeing what happens...
) I have car insurance because I have to and again it would really hurt financially if I didn't and the worst happened. My logic on pet insurance is that the insurance companies must make a profit or they wouldn't do it, so can I afford to cover my own risk ? well probably but sods law says that I'd need the money at the worst possible time so when we very first got the dog I looked at the average premium for him and found it to be about £20/month, with that logic I opened his own bank account (it was pre 9/11 so the money rules were slacker and a mate took a few key strokes to create Sydneys own bank account and get cheque book / debit card issued) we've put in £20 a month ever since and he happily builds his own little nest egg and retirement fund, so far out of his money I've paid all his routine jabs and to have his knackers cut off. If the worst case happened tomorrow he'd have about £400 credit the rest we'd just need to find, as he gets older (currently 3) his account grows as does the likelyhood of needing it. Also it always gives me a giggle when he get post and offers of loans and credit cards In fact I might start building up a credit rating, get a mortgage and buy him a house before defaulting and seeing what happens...We have two cats and pay about £12 a month insurance. Casper had an operation in December to remove a lump - thankfully it was nothing more than fatty tissue (he is a bit of a lardy). Saved ourselves £300. My mates cat recently got hit by a car and broke it's jaw. So far the treatment has cost £3,000 and they are having to buy special mushy food for the rest of it's life. Their cat was not insured so bang goes their holiday this year.
Insurance is one of those 'Sods Law' things that if you have it you don't often make a claim. Without it you will find yourself with a hefty bill.
Insurance is one of those 'Sods Law' things that if you have it you don't often make a claim. Without it you will find yourself with a hefty bill.
About 9 years ago I had a Springer that underwent cancer treatment at Cambridge Vet Uni. Cost about £550 then. As we had inherited her, we had no insurance so had to pay plus all the other bills. (She died 6 months later)
Now inherited another Springer with new G/F. She comes with full medi ins. @£15/month which is probably just as well since she has twice been in for stitches to a cut pad since I have known her. Had a hernia op too as a pup.
The point that Ins Co must make a profit makes sense though, often thought of just putting money in a pot.
Now inherited another Springer with new G/F. She comes with full medi ins. @£15/month which is probably just as well since she has twice been in for stitches to a cut pad since I have known her. Had a hernia op too as a pup.
The point that Ins Co must make a profit makes sense though, often thought of just putting money in a pot.
I had insurance for my dog. It cost about £100 per annum and provided him with full medical cover including cheomtherapy and radiograpy. It also provided £2 million for third party risks (the main reason I took out the policy). Pretty good value for money if you ask me. This was a policy usually aimed at dog breeders but anybody can have it. Some of the thrills included in the policy were of no use to me but the important bits really mattered.
I agree with Mel (yeah Fcuk off Bonce 
) No not that the animal thing.
We have two dogs and of course Frank the bloody cat, to insure them all would be about £45 per month and the policies I have looked at do not pay out that well. Even with Franks accident last year which cost in total over £650 we are 'in pocket' by not having insurance. Also we would not have got the whole £650 back for Frank.
We will be insuring the dogs as they get older and I must say I do like Mels idea. So thanks Mel.
D.
) No not that the animal thing. We have two dogs and of course Frank the bloody cat, to insure them all would be about £45 per month and the policies I have looked at do not pay out that well. Even with Franks accident last year which cost in total over £650 we are 'in pocket' by not having insurance. Also we would not have got the whole £650 back for Frank.
We will be insuring the dogs as they get older and I must say I do like Mels idea. So thanks Mel.
D.
Nice one Mel, that is bloody fantastic
W'eve got 2 dogs, Lewis (11), Pete (3).
Lewis has had to operations on his back legs and various other treatment for athritis, the total cost in the last 3 years has been somewhere around the £3500 mark, he wouldn't be around if he wasn't insured.
Pete has cost nothing though.
Seems to me that statistically speaking your pretty much OK getting away with not insuring them till they're getting on a bit, and maybe putting away £10 a month for the first 5 years would be a good idea.
The only problem is allowing for the unexpected, we certainly couldn't afford to shell out thousands if Pete got run over or something, as much as we love the little bugger he'd probably have to get put down, thats why he's insured.
>> Edited by dave_s13 on Friday 14th February 09:21
W'eve got 2 dogs, Lewis (11), Pete (3).
Lewis has had to operations on his back legs and various other treatment for athritis, the total cost in the last 3 years has been somewhere around the £3500 mark, he wouldn't be around if he wasn't insured.
Pete has cost nothing though.
Seems to me that statistically speaking your pretty much OK getting away with not insuring them till they're getting on a bit, and maybe putting away £10 a month for the first 5 years would be a good idea.
The only problem is allowing for the unexpected, we certainly couldn't afford to shell out thousands if Pete got run over or something, as much as we love the little bugger he'd probably have to get put down, thats why he's insured.
>> Edited by dave_s13 on Friday 14th February 09:21
littlegearl said:
(getting older you see, new cats muscling into his territory... but don't tell him that as he's some sort of godfather round here - even has cotton wool in his cheeks sometimes)
forgot to mention, i sometimes catch him sitting at the head of our dinning table with 5 other 'hencecats' speaking in a funny accent stroking a small italian man thats sitting on his lap!!!
luckily he's currently outside, otherwise he would be giving me such a beating at the moment!!!
ROTFPML What are you going to call it "DunBarkin" ? 
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