Pet Insurance M&s Helpppp! Pllleeaasse

[catmadjax]

Ive just had the sock of my life! My renewal through M&S for my old cat Kitty! its gone from £11.54 per month to £20.00!! how the hell can the justify this? I could get her insured with Bupa for less!!

Kitty is a 17 year old puss, she had a thyroid op a couple of years ago, no medication needed, just an optional blood test twice a year which checks for all old cat ailments. This costs around £100 per year. I could pay this myself, but ive been claiming it back through the insurance, simplybecause I CAN.

I may have made a claim, but how on earth can the justify this??? GOD IM MAD! and of course, I do know a couple of insurance companies that will insure her (obviously not for the bood tests because its linked to a pre-condition). The best and cheapest i could find was sainsburys.

The best of it is, is that I have to pay an excess of £50.00 a year with M&S, before I can carry on claiming for her blood tests!

WHAT TO DO???:roll: M&S WHAT A RIP OFF!

[Jac]

To be honest at 17 with an on going complaint you would be hard pushed to get an insurance company to take you on. I would just pay it myself and stuff the insurance.

[Kay]

Have to agree with Jac on this one. You would be better off putting the money it to a 'kitty bank' yourself. At our vets you can set up a monthly paymant with them for general things like vaccinations, flea treatment and worming it might be worth asking if you vet would do the same and add on the two blood tests then it is spread out over the year.

[catmadjax]

I do think your both right, but the thing is, ive shopped around and the cheapest i can find is £15.00 and that wont cover the thoyroid blood tests. The other thing is that Kitty is getting stiff on her old joints and will need treatment for that probably too soon. I think the "age related" conditions are starting to kick in. Im wondering whether to stick with it for another year and get what i can out of them. I am writing to complain about it tho, that hike in premiums is unreasonable to me.

[Kay]

I would definitely write. Tell them you have been a good customer for x years and that you are very upset by this. It worked for my mum with telewest. Worth a go.
Let us no what response you get.

[catmadjax]

I did forget to mention, i had two cats insured with them, but i had to cancel the other one as they wanted £8.40 a month for her and she is only 5 with a clean bill of heath. I thought i might insure her when shes a bit older, before shes 9 and go with petplan. I couldnt afford the total of £28 a month for both cats, but i do have some emergency money put aside in the region of about 4000.00 which ive had in an isa for years, and i would remortage the house if i had to ! Ive cancelled some not so important direct debits today also, including, unfortunatly £3 a month to WSPA which i had been paying for 7 years and have never had so much as a thank you from them. and £5.00 a month for the house alarm maintenance charge which i cannot see the point of as it works fine. At the moment Kitty is the priority to be insured due to her age, and the other cat, missemoo would never go without vet care, but at the time of taking the insurance out, they gave me a discount for the 2.

[Kay]

I let all my kittens go with 6 weeks insurance with Petplan and the majority of the new owners continue the policy. Two of them have had to claim but have never had any problem with them and I know of other people who haven't had problems either. Obviosly there are going to be some that have had, no insurance company is completely good.
Definitely write to them though. Do it when you have a clear head and not all riled up and just put down the facts to them. You never know till you have tried.

[catmadjax]

Thank you Kay, ive done the letter,just finished it. Looking back to my previous payments, ive found another error, they have taken payments twice out of my account in 2004and did not refund it.

The other error they have made, is sending me duplicate renewal documents for each cat for 2008, with TWO different amount on each of them! not much between the two prices, but different all the same!

so ive addressed all 3 issues.

[Kay]

Good for you. Let me know how you get on. Fingers crossed.

[tilly]

Best of luck. It does sound quite expensive. My two are insured with petplan and the excess is £110 but they both have a multitude of problem and are only 10yrs.If they didn't i would be tempted to just put the money away.

Sally

[catmadjax]

UPDATE. Hi everyone, i have written a letter to M&S regarding their extortionate increases. They cant help, and cannot lower the premiums. Ive now got to write to AXA. Will let you know how i get on with them, dont hold your breath!

[Kay]

Fingers crossed.

[charliebubs]

I have to say that I was with M&S and changed when my renewals came up. Initially they did a no-excess policy, but they have now stopped that and the excess is £50. But, aside from that, the premiums had all gone up and my cats aren't particularly old or ill :shock:

I have actually now changed to AXA (who underwrite the M&S policies) and by going to them direct have saved a lot of money.

However, in your case, I agree with Jac and the others.........maybe don't bother with insurance at all and just put the money to one side.

Let us know how you get on with your letter though. :)