Pet Health Plan

[Vinty]

Pet insurance could be a template for a "reformed" NHS.
My daughters dog started limping, took him to the vet, the vet said he needs an Xray(my daughters dog, not the vet i hasten to add).
Anyway it turned out it was a cruciate ligament problem.
Once the diagnosis was confirmed by xray, Rocky, my daughters dog was scheduled for an operation the next day.
The operation was successful but i thought to myself if my cruciate ligament went snap would i be treated as quickly on the NHS.

 

[securespark]

Well, just finalised the refund. We are getting a sizeable cash refund and they will give us an annual check and two vaccinations, plus a batch of flea and worm treatments.

 

[JP_]

Ask for all the treatments that you should have had.
Sell them half price on Facebook

 

[securespark]

I'll keep them for the cat.

 

[mattylad]

I'd rather have the money than the treatments.
I would not fancy having a lot of pesticides delivered to me.

Dog treatments should not be used on cats (vis versa).

 

[FiremanT]

Yes, as said, it's not an insurance policy, but a Pet Plan to spread the cost of flea and worming treatments and annual jabs across the whole year.

I haven’t read everything but unless there is a discount for effectively paying upfront why take out a plan just to smooth costs?
Frankly, that is for people who cannot manage their financial affairs.

The provider cannot lose - you can. Death of a pet, you moving home, you being dissatisfied with the service, countless reasons will cost you.

When I was SE, I offered service plans (nit breakdown cover) for exactly those reasons. It guaranteed work.


Insurance is different though. Having said that, when the kids had ponies, the insurance had so many restrictions and holes that we never bothered. At the time, even a big problem would not have broke our bank - but, fortunately, we got away with it. Just paid for regular treatments as they became due

 

[securespark]

It wasn't insurance. Just a way to spread the cost of treatments over the year.

We were annoyed (and let them know) that we were never given reminders by phone once we were in "the plan". Whereas, before, if we were due treatments or jabs, they would ring and remind us.

They said they had sent emails, but when we searched our systems for the keywords used, nothing came up.

 

[FiremanT]

Pet insurance could be a template for a "reformed" NHS.
My daughters dog started limping, took him to the vet, the vet said he needs an Xray(my daughters dog, not the vet i hasten to add).
Anyway it turned out it was a cruciate ligament problem.
Once the diagnosis was confirmed by xray, Rocky, my daughters dog was scheduled for an operation the next day.
The operation was successful but i thought to myself if my cruciate ligament went snap would i be treated as quickly on the NHS.

How much does the Insurance cost, is there an excess, are routine medications ir procedures included?

Does the insurance cost more as time goes by, and what is the age limit for a new plan?

After considering that, do you still se it as a NHS format?

 

[Mottie]

Insurance is different though. Having said that, when the kids had ponies, the insurance had so many restrictions and holes that we never bothered.

One of our friends had a horse and had made several claims throughout the years so there were exclusions. At one point, only one of its four legs were covered!

 

[Mottie]

Does the insurance cost more as time goes by, and what is the age limit for a new plan?

Our dog is 10 now and obviously, the insurance premium increases. This year the premium has gone up to £50 a month from £43. We have to pay the first £75 (which is normal) but from now on we have to also pay 10% of the rest. We used to pay the premium in full each year but as there is no discount for that, we switched to monthly.

 

[FiremanT]

One of our friends had a horse and had made several claims throughout the years so there were exclusions. At one point, only one of its four legs were covered!

 

[FiremanT]

My point really was in response to Vinty suggesting that the insurance scheme should be a template for the NHS.

Apples and Oranges:

Insurance does not cover routine stuff .
It does not cover anyone unable to afford to pay
There are excesses
The vets can provide a quicker service as they charge for everything, the demand per professional is lower
I am guessing animal ops are carried out by one vet and maybe an assistant? A heart op requires 8 to 10 skilled specialists and that is after all the diagnosis staff

@Mottie post sums up how NHS & Vets are not comparable

 

[noseall]

Pet ownership, pet care, fodder, feed etc is going to suffer in the coming months. Shelters will be overwhelmed come mid winter.

 

[FiremanT]

Pet ownership, pet care, fodder, feed etc is going to suffer in the coming months. Shelters will be overwhelmed come mid winter.

I took the grandkids to Rutland Fsrm at Rutland Water on Saturday. If used to be called Bugtopia, and rather than animals is snake and lizards etc.

It is ran by a private couple, a bit obsessed by bugs. I was talking to the lady and she was saying that they have had a sharp increase in calls from the public unable to care for their creatures due to rising costs. They turn no one away, but us a bit sad when folk have to give up their pets. (Although some may be bored livjdowned people who never thought beyond that crisis).

She did say that if I hear of anyone struggling to pass their details - they can’t afford a proper website yet,so rely on Facebook.

 

[noseall]

Pet insurance could be a template for a "reformed" NHS.
My daughters dog started limping, took him to the vet, the vet said he needs an Xray(my daughters dog, not the vet i hasten to add).
Anyway it turned out it was a cruciate ligament problem.
Once the diagnosis was confirmed by xray, Rocky, my daughters dog was scheduled for an operation the next day.
The operation was successful but i thought to myself if my cruciate ligament went snap would i be treated as quickly on the NHS.

Probably a shorter waiting lists for pets. The truth is, pets can be destroyed rather than pay a hefty vet's bill. Lots of pets go untreated too. Your comparisons are nonsense.