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The pitfalls of elderly dog insurance | The pitfalls of elderly dog insurance |
(4 months later) | |
It is so difficult to concentrate with a poorly, whimpering dog lying or tottering about. What a heartbreaking sound. My poor dog Violet has just had a foot operation. Upon her return home from hospital, she cried non-stop for eight hours, then intermittently through the night and next day. | It is so difficult to concentrate with a poorly, whimpering dog lying or tottering about. What a heartbreaking sound. My poor dog Violet has just had a foot operation. Upon her return home from hospital, she cried non-stop for eight hours, then intermittently through the night and next day. |
It's getting difficult for either of us to remain upright. Every couple of hours we hobble out for a mini-walkie, and as well as the worry about Violet's pain, boredom and misery, there's the added little worry about dog insurance. We have none. | It's getting difficult for either of us to remain upright. Every couple of hours we hobble out for a mini-walkie, and as well as the worry about Violet's pain, boredom and misery, there's the added little worry about dog insurance. We have none. |
This is why. Last year the dog insurance people demanded £1,800 to cover Violet for one year. Yes. EIGHTEEN HUNDRED POUNDS to insure one boxer. I could have bought several more dogs instead. "Ridiculous!" said the vet. "Don't pay it. Put some money aside every week in a separate account, just in case." | This is why. Last year the dog insurance people demanded £1,800 to cover Violet for one year. Yes. EIGHTEEN HUNDRED POUNDS to insure one boxer. I could have bought several more dogs instead. "Ridiculous!" said the vet. "Don't pay it. Put some money aside every week in a separate account, just in case." |
I did. Lucky me, I don't smoke, drink, go on hols, buy clothes or go out, so I have money to spend on dog savings. Then, swipe me! The minute I stopped my insurance, Violet developed two long and complicated illnesses: an eye one and a foot one. | I did. Lucky me, I don't smoke, drink, go on hols, buy clothes or go out, so I have money to spend on dog savings. Then, swipe me! The minute I stopped my insurance, Violet developed two long and complicated illnesses: an eye one and a foot one. |
And here's the big snag. Even if I wanted to insure her now, I couldn't. Because she's too old – nearly nine. It costs a banker's bonus to insure an elderly dog, which I suspect is all part of a clever plot by insurers. | And here's the big snag. Even if I wanted to insure her now, I couldn't. Because she's too old – nearly nine. It costs a banker's bonus to insure an elderly dog, which I suspect is all part of a clever plot by insurers. |
This is how it goes. As your dog gets older, whether you've made no claims or a hundred claims, your insurance premium will zoom up until it reaches a joke amount that no sane person will pay. Then you might do what I did, hoping that your darling dog eventually pegs out painlessly in its sleep. Fat chance. The robber insurers know what really happens – old dogs grow sicker and cost squillions of pounds – so they charge a colossal fee to get shot of you before the mega-illnesses take hold, then they're off the hook, just when they're needed, and you're stuffed. | This is how it goes. As your dog gets older, whether you've made no claims or a hundred claims, your insurance premium will zoom up until it reaches a joke amount that no sane person will pay. Then you might do what I did, hoping that your darling dog eventually pegs out painlessly in its sleep. Fat chance. The robber insurers know what really happens – old dogs grow sicker and cost squillions of pounds – so they charge a colossal fee to get shot of you before the mega-illnesses take hold, then they're off the hook, just when they're needed, and you're stuffed. |
Or you could learn from my mistakes. Avoid pedigree dogs and rescue a mongrel. | Or you could learn from my mistakes. Avoid pedigree dogs and rescue a mongrel. |
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