[Closed] Pet/Dog insurance any reccomendations ?

We use animal friends because they are cheap and payout without problems. Have three dogs and have made a number of claims - Still v cost effective.

PetPlan here

Petplan. Always been very good for us.

MoreThan here. The main thing to look out for is whether you're getting 'lifetime' cover or single year cover. 'Lifetime' basically means that if they get something - a chronic condition for instance - that lasts for more than a year, you can continue the insurance. If it's an annual policy only then you might struggle to get future cover. Note that 'lifetime' doesn't mean you are locked into that provider, you can still get quotes every year and change (assuming you're not claiming for a lifetime condition).

Marks and Spencer, excellent at the payout bit if required, in my experience.

Whichever just read the docs thoroughly, as fionap says annual, lifetime etc. do vary.

Self insure. Its worked for us for the last six years.

I struggle to say that as its been a particularly painful year, could have bought a couple of top end bikes for the vet fee's...but overall we are still ahead and we have a (dwindling) pot of cash labelled 'vet fund'.

When I say 'particularly painful', read three separate incidents that could have bought a very nice full susser each time!

Pet plan Lifetime.
Seemed like a waste of money for the first 5 years, then thousands of pounds worth of treatment last year for collapsed disc, him eating a wad of baby wipes found in the woods & needing surgery plus the diagnosis of hip displasia and subsequent ongoing drugs make me glad we have it. We have definately had more than his premiums back in claims.
All paid quickly and efficiently, our vet deals direct with them.
Luckily the couple who own the 3 Labradors who attacked him on Saturday have insurance and we got their details, as we are now claiming for the vet treatment for the various bites from them. £300 and counting....
Only thing we have now that he's been diagnosed with chronic complaints is that we won't be able to insure those risks elsewhere so we are sort of stuck with Petplan and at their mercy if we want to continue insuring.
On the flip side, when I was younger our beagle wasn't insured but the a gain apart from the usual check ups and boosters she never went to the vet in 16 years.

Also, avoid E&L.
According to my vet they are terrible at actually paying out, even if they have agreed to, which they aren't that great about.

Even though I'm a user of their service I can't help but think that pet insurance and vet bills is a bit like car body shops and insurance claims.
If they know it's going to be an insurance job, how easy is it to chose the best/most expensive treatment route? Some of the bills would be horrific if we actually had to put our hands in our pockets but I'd be interested to see if they would have been quite so steep if they didn't know we were insured...

Sainsbury's here. Used to have M&S, but the Sainsbury's deal was better as it covered conditions for future years after they happen. Some only cover for the year it's found and then won't renew. Something to think about!

Thanks all.