Dog insurance 2010 : HOW much???

[bunn]

 Just got Mollydog's medical insurance renewal reminder.  Last year it was £312 : this year she was 11 years old in September - and it's £622.10!   That's more than my car insurance!  

Again, the dilemma: do I pay it for the peace of mind (and after all, the insurance was good to have when she knackered her leg and needed all that work done to fix it!) , or put the money in a savings account and hope?  I guess it's the leg claim last year that has pushed things skywards, though it may just be the age.   Greyhound lifespan averages about 12-14 years, but she's in really good condition, so probably has at least one more year of looning about (or in insurance terms 'potential damage') ahead. Dread to think what next year's premium might be... 

Az's premium when he was 11 was just £180 - because he is a modest crossbreed rather than having a pedigree : he's now 12(ish, probably).

If I go the savings route I should probably arrange for liability insurance just in case.  I met a friend last week who needs a knee replacement op after being crashed into by a greyhound (not my greyhound, I hasten to add, friend used to run a greyhound rescue!) 

Comments

[bunn.livejournal.com]

If you just want third party it's a lot cheaper : it's often included in house insurance. It's the medical insurance that is the pricy bit.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but the difference is often third party - which is certainly not on our household insurance. It's bad enough having a hundred thousand contents on the basis of the electronics, books, CDs, DVDs and artwork. That's just replacement.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

If third party dog cover is not on your house insurance, then join the Dogs Trust. 20 quid a year for 'third party insurance - up to £1,000,000 cover per claim if your dog causes damage or injury to another person their property or pets.'

There are other cheap third party liability only policies out there, but that one is pretty good and benefits a worthy cause.

Petplan are an excellent provider, but I wouldnt' buy a medical insurance policy if all I wanted was third party.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

We've been members of the Dogs Trust on and off but nowadays are members of Wood Green. One thousand is nothing nowadays - if a dog causes a car crash and loss of life, or damage to farm animals it can run to many thousands, as can a bite to a child.

The cat insurance, taken out many years ago, has been an absolute godsend over the last few years.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I think you have misread my comment. The Dogs Trust liability cover is one million per claim, not one thousand. One thousand wouldn't be much use, I agree: even a fight with another dog could be that much if you were unlucky (probably if your dog bit a sighthound: they tear... ).

I've never been a DT member (not for any particular reason, it's just I've never adopted from them and tend to end up donating to rescues run on a shoestring by people I know) but will probably join for the cover if I decide not to renew Moll's policy.