coogie Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 For sure westie, I just meant given the option between insurance and a credit card, a more expensive premium may still be your better option. :) Haha who needs new floorboards when you've got a Mac dog? :D I'm sure he is worth every penny! Absolutely on both counts. And for my other old girl I continue to pay her Pet Plan premiums as she's too old to change now. As for Mac, I've borrowed from my mortgage, lived on rice and lentils and stacked up credit cards to the point I'm sure I could have had a year in first class on the Queen Mary for what I've spent! But he's my boy, my heart dog, my first, my 'floorboards' () and while he still has good quality of life I'll continue to hand the credit card over... and close my eyes and sign... This pretty much sums up how I feel with Issy. We call her our "new roof" rather than floor boards though. One of her ops was $6,000.00 dollars. Her hip joint on the other side is just as bad so I will give up a lot before I have to let her insurance lapse. I definitely think she is worth it whilst she has good quality of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 I emailed them yesterday to ask if they will send me the renewal with plenty of notice in case it goes up, and that I expect if they withdraw the amount on the renewal without me having received it that they will refund it if I choose to cancel. I got a reply saying they send them out with plenty of time and that if I haven't received the paperwork and they charge me for it then they will fully refund if I cancel the policy. So I will hold them to that if it comes in as expensive as what the quote said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 For sure westie, I just meant given the option between insurance and a credit card, a more expensive premium may still be your better option. :) Haha who needs new floorboards when you've got a Mac dog? :D I'm sure he is worth every penny! Absolutely on both counts. And for my other old girl I continue to pay her Pet Plan premiums as she's too old to change now. As for Mac, I've borrowed from my mortgage, lived on rice and lentils and stacked up credit cards to the point I'm sure I could have had a year in first class on the Queen Mary for what I've spent! But he's my boy, my heart dog, my first, my 'floorboards' () and while he still has good quality of life I'll continue to hand the credit card over... and close my eyes and sign... This pretty much sums up how I feel with Issy. We call her our "new roof" rather than floor boards though. One of her ops was $6,000.00 dollars. Her hip joint on the other side is just as bad so I will give up a lot before I have to let her insurance lapse. I definitely think she is worth it whilst she has good quality of life. Exactly coogie who needs a roof or a floor anyway!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah82 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 So old or middle aged people can change health funds and not incur extra loading as long as you can prove you have been insured before. But once a dog reaches 8 you're locked into a insurance provider simply because other insurance companies won't touch them at that age, even though they might live another 8+ years. Something doesn't seem right about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 So old or middle aged people can change health funds and not incur extra loading as long as you can prove you have been insured before. But once a dog reaches 8 you're locked into a insurance provider simply because other insurance companies won't touch them at that age, even though they might live another 8+ years. Something doesn't seem right about that. Dogs have a much higher risk of dying after 8. It doesn't make business sense gor companies to insure old dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FHRP Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 (edited) So, as I feared, today PetPlan has withdrawn payment from my bank account for my second dogs renewal at an an even more increased price than my first, without notification This is despite me calling them last Tuesday when my first dogs renewal notice finally arrived (a month late) and specifically asking them to inform me of my second dogs premiums at renewal, before deducting anything. I then followed this up on the weekend with an email. I have received no email back, and I have received no paper renewal notice. Before I was disappointed and angry, now I'm fuming. I will never recommend Petplan ever again. I was considering keeping my second dog with them due to his age, but with this stuff up and premiums going from $49 to $86 a month, no way. Edited May 21, 2014 by FHRP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 FHRP, I think the financial ombudsman deals with insurance matters, maybe lodge a complaint with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Good advice Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 (edited) We were with Petplan for a couple of years (policies for two dogs, then one), but cancelled the last policy about 5 years ago - their admin and customer service were pretty woeful at the best of times, but the last straw was when my credit card had to be cancelled due to some fraudulent activity. I had a number of direct debits on that card, so immediately contacted the companies concerned, including Petplan, to advise the card had been cancelled and that I would send through the new card details ASAP (which thanks to NAB, took three WEEKS to get!). I initially contacted Petplan by phone, but had to leave a message. Followed up by fax and email, tried to call them again, again went to answering machine, sent further fax and email when the new credit card details arrived, but I could never get anyone from Petplan to call or email me back. No money came out of the credit card the first month, and again, more fruitless attempts to get hold of someone at Petplan. Then two months later, I received an EXTREMELY nasty letter from them demanding the outstanding premiums otherwise they would cancel the policy. I was so fed up by that point that I sent a rather terse reply by snail mail AND email, telling them to go right ahead and cancel the policy, listing all the attempts to contact them (dates, times, methods etc), and that I didn't wish to continue to hold a policy with an insurance company whose admin department was so incompetent. I asked them to confirm in writing that the policy had been cancelled, but of course never received any reply. Judging by some posts in this thread, it doesn't sound like things have improved much! Edited May 21, 2014 by spikey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliwake Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 When I spoke to them on the phone on Friday, they assured me they were sending out 'another' copy of the renewal documents for me straight away, and I still haven't received them. As far as I know most mail should only take 2 days... Will be interesting to see if/when it actually comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogie Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I'll just have to see how ours goes. We currently have a claim in, they have always paid fairly promptly before. I got a text on the 9th of May to say the claim was received and last night they emailed me an additional form for more information. I don't know what I will do if they start mucking us around. I really need to keep issy's cover high. The claim is for an attack so hopefully that's the reason for the extra request, although I sent a vet report,reference number for the council report and the ranger's name. The other owner left so don't have their details . I can stand the premium hike (just) but will be annoyed if they up the premiums and then start refusing claims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 (edited) I'm getting mucked around. Doesn't make it easy that my boy's issues are undiagnosed as to cause and yet gives off quite a variety of symptoms. PetPlan regard each different symptom as a different issue and most of my claims (although there's quite a few) are denied as being "inside excess". And yes - premiums have been shooting up throughout, especially over the last two to three years. I'm now at the point that when I go to the Vet for my boy's ongoing issues, I never really know until I've had the Vet service and paid the bill, whether I'll be covered by insurance or not. In addition, my boy is hypothyroid, yet my claims for the fees for the yearly bloods I have to have drawn to be tested each year are also denied as these are categorised as "maintenance" rather than an on-going condition. Edited May 21, 2014 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I've gotten about $6000 from them without hassle? That included getting Lucy's blood sent off to the US and physio for fergs. The first claim took a while but it had been smooth sailing after that. My premiums are the same and they renewed a while ago - but my dogs are small do I think they're lower risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canisbellum Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Just received my notification in the mail my 2.5 yr old Shar Pei with no claims in the 12 months we have been with them has had an increase from $62 pm to $88 pm. WTF? Sent from my Galaxy S5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliwake Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 That sux At least you were notified though - did they tell you before or after they took the new amount out of your account? I still haven't received my renewal - it's been a week since I called them now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cointreau Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 My premium went up over $42 without notice, I am not in a position to change policy because my girl is nearly 10. I had no notice either when I rang they emailed the new policy to me and I have received 2 in the post for my dog and 2 for my cat. They also said it was the underwriters who wanted the substantial increase and in future it won't be so high, I will believe that when my next policy renewal is due. Vets charging high fees and suggesting unrealistic treatment and tests because they can have a lot to answer for as it is just pushing the premiums beyond reach for most people. I do understand vets need to charge reasonable amounts but perhaps the industry needs to look into what is acceptable mark up and what is just lining their pockets with gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 The clinic I work at absolutely does not charge any more for insured animals, nor do we recommend a different treatment plan. I think most vets would be the same and I think it is unfair to claim they are trying to make more money from insured clients. I called Petplan last week to find out what the increase would be for Jolie's insurance (thankfully my policy doesn't expire until January). If I was due to renew now, it would go from $49.95 to $65, but it could even increase more between now and then. What q crock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 My vets do not charge more for insured animals, the costs are the same. However for me having my animal insured means quite often I do go the more expensive option first as their is not the monetary consideration that there would be if I didn't have insurance. Prime example, lame dog, fat swollen toe. Options, painkillers, strap and rest and see how it went over a few days. Xray to rule out a Fx. I went straight to xray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaCharlie Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 For the people who have already received their premium increases, which policy have they put your dogs onto? Do they just choose the one that seems closest to what you previously had and stick you on it? If that happens and you would rather a lower policy, can you elect a different one or does that change the whole "continuous policy" thing and everything becomes pre-existing as per their PDS? The reason I ask is because both Shock and Whip are due for their renewals in July. I have previously paid yearly but will be switching to monthly payments. I think my old payments were $45 a month and after hearing all these horror stories I did a few dummy quotes to see what I would be up for in the future. It seems "medium" sized dogs aren't as severely affected by the price hike, as it will only up my premiums for those 2 dogs to $53 a month (so only an extra $8pm), Delta is $61pm month for the same coverage, but she is 7 and I think they are upping the price each year after 5. That price is for the Classic 1 policy, if they switch them to another policy then my premium will go higher. I don't mind an extra $8pm, and it certainly doesn't compare to the increases that others are experiencing, but I don't want to be going too much higher than that if I can help it. Not when I don't believe that either dog requires higher coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PooMother Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I'm scared now. I currently pay just over $200 a month for 3 border collies and a gsd. There was no breed specific policy when I joined 6 years ago are you all saying they are now charging different prices depending on the breed? I have top cover for my guys. Tried to look AT&T heir website but it's currently down for maintenance.....50% increase shudder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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