# Best dog insurance for French Bulldog?



## katiebe (Apr 9, 2014)

The vet recommended PetPlan, I guess they're all the same, but I'd like to hear your thoughts. 

Shes' 5mths old


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## Lizz1155 (Jun 16, 2013)

PetPlan is one of the best in that they'll deal directly with your vet if your dog needs treatment. Whereas with most insurers you'll have to pay, then reclaim the cost on your insurance. With Petplan you seem to get what you pay for.

I didn't go with Petplan because it was out of my price- range. The lowest cost insurers seem to be Morethan (who I'm with. Costs about £9 per month for a young small crossbreed dog). Argos also seem to be budget friendly.


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## Guest (May 3, 2014)

I have been looking at pet insurance since adopting in 4 weeks I don't what peoples experience with Animal Friends is but its much cheaper by about half then say Pet Plan but their information is quite long winded it they don't explain things very well what the insurance covers and their is lots to read through to see what they cover.


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## Buzzard (Aug 10, 2012)

Prowl said:


> I have been looking at pet insurance since adopting in 4 weeks I don't what peoples experience with Animal Friends is but its much cheaper by about half then say Pet Plan but their information is quite long winded it they don't explain things very well what the insurance covers and their is lots to read through to see what they cover.


I have gone with Animal Friends. The superior plus is what we have £4k per condition per year lifetime. I have gone through the policy documents ans it seems good cover. Petplan was a bit too expensive for us. Animal friends superior plus doesn't cover behaviour issues though. Their Prestige cover does but that was mega bucks.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

katiebe said:


> The vet recommended PetPlan, I guess they're all the same, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Shes' 5mths old


One of mine is covered with Pet plan, and regards to paying out the are good.
They are one of the more expensive ones, but then again a cheaper policy tht doesnt cover you for so much or doesnt pay out isn't cheaper in the long run.
Pet plan do two types of policies covered for life and essential. I would go for the covered for life, the essential only covers you for 12 months, from diagnosis of illness or accident, meaning if you get a re-occurring illness, a similar illness, an ongoing life time condition requiring meds and testing or later complications from an accident or injury after 12 months you cant claim any more. With a Lifetime policy, it doesnt matter what you have claimed for in the previous year, or how much you have claimed even up to the yearly monetary limit of cover, as long as you stay with them and renew, the full amount gets re-instated the next policy year to use again.

Like others one of mine is with Animal Friends and has been with them since a pup for over 5 years. They have been very good too and shes had a lot of claims including a lifetime condition requiring meds and blood tests since she was two, and I haven't had any problems with claims. The premiums tend to be cheaper too. Like pet plan they also do limited 12 month policies, and covered for life policies, so again I would always go with a lifetime policy.
Would add too the AF lifetime policies are covered for per condition amount per year, where as the PP is only one monetary figure for all veterinary treatment per year.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Argos seems reasonably priced and they will pay the vet directly too.


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## Sally Hayward (Apr 14, 2013)

Pet insurance is definitely not all the same. Cover levels are very different. Exclusions are different. It is most definitely something that you should not buy on price alone!

There are many insurance companies which are willing to pay Vets direct. However not all vets are willing to accept direct payments from all pet insurance companies. So before you select a policy you should check with your vet whether they would accept direct payments from them.

Only Animal Friends Prestige policy is a true lifetime policy. As has been mentioned above their Supreme have a maximum amount per condition.

The Animal Friends policies have a number of exclusions which are not found in some other policies particularly with regard to third party liability but also for vets fees.

You can check out the details of any policy and see policy reviews and assessments on my website. The link is in my signature below.


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## Buzzard (Aug 10, 2012)

Sally Hayward said:


> Pet insurance is definitely not all the same. Cover levels are very different. Exclusions are different. It is most definitely something that you should not buy on price alone!
> 
> There are many insurance companies which are willing to pay Vets direct. However not all vets are willing to accept direct payments from all pet insurance companies. So before you select a policy you should check with your vet whether they would accept direct payments from them.
> 
> ...


I can't find anywhere that the Animal Friends superior plus has a limit per condition? It says £4k per year per condition with no mention of a maximum. Unless that is an older type of policy they used to offer. Confused now.


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## Kirstyrebe (Jan 20, 2014)

I went with pet plan it seemed the best for me and I have Ronnie covered for everything and up to £7000 a year if I remember correctly, but it's pretty pricey a nice £64 a month but I knew this before we bought him!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Sally Hayward said:


> Pet insurance is definitely not all the same. Cover levels are very different. Exclusions are different. It is most definitely something that you should not buy on price alone!
> 
> There are many insurance companies which are willing to pay Vets direct. However not all vets are willing to accept direct payments from all pet insurance companies. So before you select a policy you should check with your vet whether they would accept direct payments from them.
> 
> ...


Superior, Superior plus and Prestige are all life time policies,
With an annual per condition limit of 2K, 4K and 6K, they all have an unlimited 
Lifetime condition limit. There is no overall annual total limit either. The only limitations are the per condition individual yearly amount.

Lifetime Pet Insurance Cover | Animal Friends - Animal Friends


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## AlbertRoss (Feb 16, 2009)

katiebe said:


> The vet recommended PetPlan, I guess they're all the same, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.


And, by any chance, did your vet tell you that he could probably sign you up on the spot? Vets seem to have 2 links to Pet Plan - a) they sell the policies, for which they receive a commission and b) the majority of vets trust Pet Plan to pay them directly, and quickly!

However, they aren't the only game in town. Have a quick look at my website (link in sig) to see which companies behave ethically with people that claim (Pet Plan is there  ) and also have a read of my "Buyer's Guide". It'll pretty much tell you everything there is to know about pet insurance including tips on saving money.


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## petitsfilous (Jan 25, 2013)

I've got Bernie with More Than, recommended to me by other Frenchie owners from a fb group.

£22.39 a month for their Premier cover (£12,000 limit a year)

Or they have one that covers £8,000 for each illness/injury for £17.26 a month.


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## DirtyGertie (Mar 12, 2011)

petitsfilous said:


> I've got Bernie with More Than, recommended to me by other Frenchie owners from a fb group.
> 
> £22.39 a month for their Premier cover (£12,000 limit a year)
> 
> *Or they have one that covers £8,000 for each illness/injury for £17.26 a month*.


Is that £8000 for each illness/injury replenished every year, as in lifetime insurance, or is it that once the £8000 is used up for a particular illness/injury then that's it, there's no more ever available for that illness/injury again. If it's the latter then the £8,000 could be used up quite quickly and if it's a lifelong condition the ongoing cost of regular medication and tests could be quite expensive.


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## AlbertRoss (Feb 16, 2009)

petitsfilous said:


> I've got Bernie with More Than, recommended to me by other Frenchie owners from a fb group.
> 
> £22.39 a month for their Premier cover (£12,000 limit a year)
> 
> Or they have one that covers £8,000 for each illness/injury for £17.26 a month.


Have you, by any chance, looked to see what happens to the excess payments when he gets to be 9 years old? Or, if you have the 'voluntary excess' cover, that you pay 10% of the vet's bill on top of the fixed excess?

Mind you that's with the current RSA cover. It was much worse with the previous underwriter.


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## Haley 80 (Mar 11, 2013)

Im with more then premier cover to. 9 pound odd a month for lifetime cover up to 12000 annually. I do pay 75 excess ( which goes up to £150 once she turns 9) and 10 % voluntary excess. My vet expects all fees to be paid up front unless she needs to see a specialist when they will deal with the insurance company. But does cover behavior problems and hydrotherapy and special diets.


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## AlbertRoss (Feb 16, 2009)

Haley 80 said:


> Im with more then premier cover to. 9 pound odd a month for lifetime cover up to 12000 annually. I do pay 75 excess ( which goes up to £150 once she turns 9) and 10 % voluntary excess. My vet expects all fees to be paid up front unless she needs to see a specialist when they will deal with the insurance company. But does cover behavior problems and hydrotherapy and special diets.


Any cover which expects you to pay a percentage, rather than a fixed fee, is dubious. That's why most insurers don't do it.


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## Lizz1155 (Jun 16, 2013)

Haley 80 said:


> Im with more then premier cover to. 9 pound odd a month for lifetime cover up to 12000 annually. I do pay 75 excess ( which goes up to £150 once she turns 9) and 10 % voluntary excess. My vet expects all fees to be paid up front unless she needs to see a specialist when they will deal with the insurance company. But does cover behavior problems and hydrotherapy and special diets.


Just to point out - MoreThan only covers additional veterinary treatments such as hydrotherapy if they're performed in the same location as the veterinary practice. Quite a few people get caught out on this.


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## Haley 80 (Mar 11, 2013)

Lizz1155 said:


> Just to point out - MoreThan only covers additional veterinary treatments such as hydrotherapy if they're performed in the same location as the veterinary practice. Quite a few people get caught out on this.


 Just a tad misleading! How many veterinary practises has a hydrotherapy pool? Mine doesn't.


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## Lizz1155 (Jun 16, 2013)

Haley 80 said:


> Just a tad misleading! How many veterinary practises has a hydrotherapy pool? Mine doesn't.


Mine doesn't either. But Ted's not a water-loving dog, so I'm just hoping he never becomes arthritic cos he's not going to appreciate swimming... :ihih:


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## Sally Hayward (Apr 14, 2013)

Lizz1155 said:


> Just to point out - MoreThan only covers additional veterinary treatments such as hydrotherapy if they're performed in the same location as the veterinary practice. Quite a few people get caught out on this.


Not sure where this info comes from but maybe from an older policy document. More Than issued new policy terms last year (these will not necessarily apply to those who had a policy under the old terms so check your own policy documents).

The new policy defines complementary treatment as "we will pay for acupuncture, homeopathy, chiropractic manipulation, hydrotherapy, osteopathy and physiotherapy carried out by the treating vet or on the recommendation of the treating vet"

There is no reference to where the treatment is carried out.

In the older policy there was a clause which said it would not pay for the hire of hydrotherapy pools etc... but still says they will pay for hydrotherapy etc with no reference to location.

If they refuse to pay you should therefore get them to be very specific about which clause it is that allows them to exclude the claim.


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## Haley 80 (Mar 11, 2013)

Thanks Sally for cleaning that up. I feel slightly better now.


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