Pet Insurance: The General Consensus

[**Super_Dogs**]

I am definetly for pet insurance. I took it out as I never want to be faced with a decision about vet care based on money. We have had great value with my youngest dog - a lab. The most recent incident was getting into a large amount of chocolate!

I am with Medibank. As I have my health insurance with them I get a discount - which made the policy cheaper than others. I also like that you can choose your excess and 100% refund (just minus excess). I have had no problems with there service.

[**Super_Dogs**]

This has sparked me to review my policy, so I have just done some homework you may be interested in.

Bow Wow Meow, Medibank and PIA are all cost about the same per dog and the plans are also almost identical. For illness and accident cover PIA annual benefit limit is 15K instead of 12K with Mebibank and Bow Wow (Bow Wow also have a 8K option for cheaper monthly fees).

If you are already a Medibank Health insurance customer you get a further 10% discount- so this makes it the cheapest option for me.

They do all have different multi dog discounts (which makes a difference to me with 4 dogs). Medibank is 5% discount per additional pet, Bow Wow is 10% and PIA starts at 5% per pet up to 15%.

One thing I like about medibank is you pay the excess per accident or injury - not per treatment. So if you have to go to the vet multiple times for the same accident or injury, you only pay the excess once. I am not sure if the other are the same.

I also checked Pet Plan and it is more expensive. However there policies have public liability where the others do not so I am guessing you are paying extra for this.

[D4DOGZ]

We currently pay $118 per month for 3 Dogs through RSPCA -Pet sure. ( I think it is under written by Allianz )

We have the 80% Level and Buster has used it the most 2x Snake bites 5 days apart, first bill was $1200.00 ( got 80% back ) second was $2600.00 only got about $1200 back ( From memory ) due to reaching a limit on certain charges.

I would like to find an Insurance that covered better, perhaps one with an excess but a higher limit.

[**Super_Dogs**]

We currently pay $118 per month for 3 Dogs through RSPCA -Pet sure. ( I think it is under written by Allianz )

We have the 80% Level and Buster has used it the most 2x Snake bites 5 days apart, first bill was $1200.00 ( got 80% back ) second was $2600.00 only got about $1200 back ( From memory ) due to reaching a limit on certain charges.

I would like to find an Insurance that covered better, perhaps one with an excess but a higher limit.

I also have 3 dogs, 2 labs and a rotty, and pay $82 per months with Medibank (this is after my discount as I have my health insurance with them). I have the silver cover, which is claims up to $12K per year. I pay a $200 excess then get 100% refund. So when they pay me they just take the $200 off. This $200 is per accident or illness - not per treatment. This is good if you need mutiple treatments or vet visits.

I would say an excess works better, especially for the large vet bills like yours.

[OSoSwift]

With Petplan you have your cover for the year, there are no sub limits within that amount. You could claim it all for surgery, all for medication ect. That and the fact they cover diseases up to the limit each year is the reason I went with petplan even though they were a little more expensive on the yearly premium

[Elsha_UK_AU]

Our 2 have Mediank Private "Golden Paws" insurance. It costs us about $35 each dog per month (I think), We got discount for being Medibank Private members and then a 2nd discount for insuring a 2nd Dog. We've made 1 claim so far, when our younger boy was desexed and needed a hernia repaired at the same time. The refund was really quick...within 14 days.

Overall, for my own health insurance (and the Dogs), I am really happy with Medibank Insurance.