PetPlan - a life saver (Pet Plan)

Member Name: briggzy

Product:	Pet Plan
Date:	23/02/08 (89 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Deal direct with your vets so no need to pay out then claim back.

Disadvantages: May be more expensive than others (but you get what you pay for)

We have had a PetPlan policy for our labrador for two years. For her they have been an absolute life saver.

We took out our policy in March 2006. Our lab Harriet was 7 and we felt we should get her some cover as she was getting older. We were advised by a vet that we should waste no time in getting her insured as it is almost impossible to start a new policy on a dog once they hit 8yrs. The vet also advised us that the only insurance company they can deal with direct is PetPlan (i can't remember why now, but it was explained to us).

All this was good advice - Two months after taking out a policy, Harry started limping on a regular basis, following her walks. A trip to the vets diagnosed an unstable knee on her hind leg and arthritis and followed with a prescription of Metacam (anti-inflammatories) and Seraquin (Glucosamine).

We paid the £90 excess on her policy, which covered her initial consultancy, her medication and anything else relating to this knee problem, from there on. (The prescription on its own would have been £30 plus the consultancy on top - so not alot more really).

Harriet remained on this medication for 1 year. I would phone the vets for a repeat precription, and when it was ready just fill in a PetPlan Claim Form at the vets to cover the bill. It was as simple as that. No having to pay for it up front and then go through the hassle of claiming it back. - Who wants to (or can afford to) do that on a monthly basis!

However, her limping gradually got worse. Sometimes she was uable to put any weight on her leg at all. So following another trip to the vets (with no additional bill, as it was covered under the initial excess) and he decided that he'd X-ray her and probably operate on her knee.

To cut a long story short, the very same day Harriet underwent a cuciate ligament repair on her hind leg to the tune of £3400. I asked the vets if they wer going to call PetPlan to check they'd pay her bill and the vet said assured us we wouldn;t have any problems. Harry is now 100% better now - like a new dog. Waht a relief, us for not having to find such a huge some at such short notice. Imaging having to pay that up front before trying to claim it back - a problem for most I would imagine.

That's what I like about PetPlan. You always know where you are with them. Following a claim being made at the Vets, we would receive a statement saving what was claimed for and for how much so we were able to keep a record of everything. Even for Harrys knee op everything was itemised and accounted for - the anaestetic, the titanium pins, the sticking plasters ... everything.

Petplan may be more pricey than other companies - but your can't put a price on the peace of mind knowing that you won't have any problems claiming from them. As with car insurance companies - we know some are all too willing to take your pennies but when the time comes for htem to make a payment, they use every trick in the book to get our of it. Not so with PetPlan. I'd only had the policy for 2 months before we made Harriets first claim. That first year she cost the nearly £4000. This years she's cost them nothing. Out policy payments have gone from £17 to £19, and our excess is now £95. A few pennies more than other but well worth it. We had no quibbles from them, just honest, polite service. Worth its weight in gold.

Thank you PetPlan. You've made my dog a happy one. :0)

Summary: Top-class professional service.