# Animal Friends vs Pet Plan insurance?



## Melissa85 (Apr 28, 2010)

Sorry, I'm full of questions today...

I recently took out a policy with Animal Friends, it was a Superior policy which gives a lifetime guarantee for each condition, up to £2000 per year and £20,000 in their lifetime. It's £30 a month for both my dogs and has a £100 excess and you also pay 30% of the vet fee balance. I figure this won't be a huge issue as they are both very young and aren't likely to rack up huge bills.

However, I'm starting to doubt myself and wondering if I should switch to Pet Plan. I think I would go for their middle policy, which covers the conditions for life and gives £4000 per year with a £75 excess, however it is £50 a month for both of them.

The fact that Pet Plan is double the price is making me wonder whether it's so much more expensive because it's far more comprehensive/less loop holes, or is it just an expensive insurer? I would be more than happy to shell out the extra cash each month if I knew I was getting solid cover with no loop holes. It's also important for me to have a cover where the vet can claim the expense direct from the insurer, which Animal Friends say they can do, but I'm reading things on the forum about a lot of vets only accepting Pet Plan for this method.

I'm basically really confused as I appear to have a really good deal with Animal Friends, but I'm so worried about being in the position where I need to claim and being denied. I live pay cheque to pay cheque and never have a lot of spare cash, so it would be a huge problem for me to be in the position where my insurance company is being difficult.

Can anyone help me out with this and offer me their opinion? I'm getting myself all confused


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## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

I dont think that animal friends one is too great?
I haven t looke dinto the policy, but on ly 2k cover for the price your paying i get 7k per year lifetime.
Also 30% of vets fees would soon add up, thats £600 quid in every 2k?

Have a look at argos platinum see what you think
xxx


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## Melissa85 (Apr 28, 2010)

babycham2002 said:


> I dont think that animal friends one is too great?
> I haven t looke dinto the policy, but on ly 2k cover for the price your paying i get 7k per year lifetime.
> Also 30% of vets fees would soon add up, thats £600 quid in every 2k?
> 
> ...


Wow the Argos one looks really good, only £65 excess per condition per year, that's brilliant! And it'd be £10 cheaper a month than Pet Plan. Do you know if the vets can pay them directly? No nasty loopholes? xx


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## babycham2002 (Oct 18, 2009)

The paying directly is to do with your vets not the insurance usually, 
argos would be happy to deal with your vets direct.

When my last dog got ill I was with Tesco, we paid about the first £600 of his fees until the insurance claim was approved and then the vets and tesco just dealt with each other.

I went over and over various policies before I decided on argos and I am very happy with their level of cover. Even with Willow just being a pup I am very aware of the what ifs? IYKWIM
Also each time I have had to ring them just to clarify things in the policy they have been very helpful.


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## dinks (Apr 10, 2009)

Agree animal friends doesnt sound great - to keep it simple they are still putting restrictions on the amount you claim in a lifetime so in effect its not actually life cover- Petplan dont have that cover just the yearly maximum but then that is renewed every year and the condition covered for life.When you reach the £20 limit with animal friends that condition would no longer be covered.Insurance is minefield and you are right to be concerned - there are better policies out there!Petplan only deals with pet insurance unlike any of the other companies.They are very straight forward to deal with and thats one of the main reasons many vets will only accept direct claims from the purely down to their reputation!Vets will accept claims from other companies to but usually only if a pre- authorisation facilty is in place - if you dont go with petplan ask the insurance company if this is something they do as some do not do this - and again these would be ones to steer clear of.


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## julianne (May 3, 2009)

I'm with Animal friends ,with 2 dogs,and i don't pay 35% excess on my vet bills.As far as i know thats on the older dog policy only.
Which policy have you got ?

From there site:-

Note on Vets Fee Excess  Please note that in order to keep premiums low for older pets (over 8 years) our Excess is £99 plus 35% of the remaining claim. In this way those who dont claim are not paying higher premiums.


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## Agadoo (Sep 27, 2009)

that's correct. the 35% excess should only be for older pets.

if you want lifetime pet insurance there are other suppliers too like argos (platinum cover only), homebase and marks and spencer for instance.

get a few quotes to compare both price and excess.

good luck


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## Melissa85 (Apr 28, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies guys, must have read the terms and conditions for Animal Friends wrong, what a numpty  Still toying between Argos Platinum and Pet Plan, will have to have a think xx


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## dodigna (Feb 19, 2009)

julianne said:


> I'm with Animal friends ,with 2 dogs,and i don't pay 35% excess on my vet bills.As far as i know thats on the older dog policy only.
> Which policy have you got ?
> 
> From there site:-
> ...


Julianne, may I ask how you find Animal Friends? I am with them, but the one claim i attempted to do they rejected, it would have been a life time one as well which left a pretty sour taste in my mouth; I am toying with the idea of switching to some one else especially because I have not heard of anybody with one good thing to say about AF as yet  and I am scared they will act they way they did if ever I was to attempt a claim.


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## Melissa85 (Apr 28, 2010)

dodigna said:


> Julianne, may I ask how you find Animal Friends? I am with them, but the one claim i attempted to do they rejected, it would have been a life time one as well which left a pretty sour taste in my mouth; I am toying with the idea of switching to some one else especially because I have not heard of anybody with one good thing to say about AF as yet  and I am scared they will act they way they did if ever I was to attempt a claim.


Oh no  Why did it get rejected, if you don't mind me asking?


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

We are with Argos Platinum, just like babycham IMO they are the best for most people at the minute in terms of they cover everything and are usually very reasonable, they were underwritten by a new company in Jan, used to be AXA like most pet insurance companies hence why they were all a similar price bracket, but due to the new company they are charging lower prices now, I won't go with anyone else, second on my list was Greenbee by John Lewis


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## hobo99 (Aug 18, 2008)

I also have gone with the Argos Insurance after trawlling loads of differant companies, they did seem to come out the best for the lifetime cover.


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## slakey (May 9, 2009)

My boys are on Pet Plan, but that needs to be renewed in August, think they're knocking it down to £31 a month for me  and that's for the middle one, forgot what it's called.


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## julianne (May 3, 2009)

dodigna said:


> Julianne, may I ask how you find Animal Friends? I am with them, but the one claim i attempted to do they rejected, it would have been a life time one as well which left a pretty sour taste in my mouth; I am toying with the idea of switching to some one else especially because I have not heard of anybody with one good thing to say about AF as yet  and I am scared they will act they way they did if ever I was to attempt a claim.


Can i ask why they rejected it ?

I have had no problems with Animal Friends paying out.I Lost 1 dog last year with Lymphoma and he had chemo and they payed out nearly £2000 for him plus I got some money on his death .
I also have a dog that was misdiagnosed with DCM and they have payed out for all his tablets and tests within weeks.His last test cost nearly £400.00 and it was payed out within 10 days.

The only problem i have at the moment is before he was examined by a specialist he was put on tablets for a year at £60.00 a month and now they have put the premiums up(from £25 -£40) to cover this and now he has been took off all tablets.
Hopefully Animal Friends will review the situation next year and my premiums will go back down.I'm going to phone them before my renewal to see !!!!


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