Amanda Jvv Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 The usual M&S Pet Insurance Rant!! Got a renewal quote for Charlie - up 65%!!! £171 increase to £433.08 a year! George has a 50% increase: £145 increase to £433.08 Apparently Charlies went up because of a small claim. I said that they could not use that excuse because George had no claims and his went up. They claimed the usual excuses (just as they did last year and I reminded them of that) vets, insurance premiums and the newest ones - apparently male labradors are prone to more claims than anyone else!! Last year I negotiated my rates down this year they said policy has changed and they will accept my cancellation instead. I will still write but frankly I have had enough of M&S!! Unfortunately I am stuck for Charlie because of pre-existing conditions of fatty lumps and teeth. George has only ever had a claim on an accident he had with glass so that should not count as a pre-existing condition. Only thing I liked about M&S was their annual cover per illness every year. But the thieving greedy @@**!! Have had enough of my money now. I have already cancelled my cats and will look to at least take George and the new addition Maya elsewhere. Rant over. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Outrageous, do they seriously think people will accept that, Daisy is with M&S and I've claimed for her, but her premiums didn't go up, I expect they will this year though, they will be told to shove it where the sun don't shine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pboae Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 That's interesting, beause when they hiked my premium by a similar amount they specifically told me that they didn't put premiums up because you'd made a claim (even though I had). But they couldn't tell me why it had gone up, and they couldn't say whether it would continue to go up every yeay (I've had 50%, 100% and 300% increases in the last 3 years). This year it is just worth me staying with it, but another hike like this and it won't be. As someone pointed out (I forget who!), with so many premium hikes, anyone who's dog doesn't have existing conditions will jump ship, so soon they will only be left with people with expensive ongoing conditions, and premiums will have to keep rising to cover the costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 I've got one policy with M&S still and won't be able to move that one but I doubt I'll take another policy with them again. Sorry you're having problems I can understand them adding/changing things on new policies but it really bugs me that they can change existing policies on renewal because we take out the bl**dy policies because of what they offer at the time we take them out, not what they're likely to offer years down the line when they know they have you over a barrel. Grrrr. and the newest ones - apparently male labradors are prone to more claims than anyone else!! Maybe that's because Labs are the most popular dog (twice as many labs registered with the KC in 2008 than any other breed) Doesn't mean an individual lab is more likely to get injured does it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 You have my sympathy - imagine our shock when Boysie's renewal came through yesterday at nearly £800 Double last years. He is an 11 year old cocker spaniel, no ongoing conditions but has had plenty of 'one offs' which would no doubt mean lots of exclusions if we moved. At his age we feel no option but to continue cover, just in case he develops something that needs lots of treatment Unless anyone knows of an insurance co that isn't so rigid...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I moved all mine apart from Max from M&S to Axa - similar policy coverage. I had to keep Max with M&S because of pre-existing conditions and I expect my coverage will have a huge hike this year due to claiming approx £3k in fees for his recent illness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Like Alex, I'm with AXA for Mal and Kiera. Their premiums have gone up but not by half as much as the ridiculous rates that M&S are thieving! Plus they paid out about £4500 for Mal's treatment last year without any problems at all. Recommend them to anyone who can get away from M&S! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I changed mine to the Halifax because they don't have an age limit and if you claim on something one year it is not excluded in the future. I know westies often suffer from bad skin so I wanted a policy that would cover her for life and not just one bout. I have Kizzy,Pixi and Millie insured with them but not Ebbi,I cant get her insured anywhere unless I pay an arm and a leg !! x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I wonder if it's the dogs age that M&S are taking into account ? Daisy's only 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I wonder if it's the dogs age that M&S are taking into account ? Daisy's only 3. I think at age 9 they bump the premium and change the excess to add a % as well- they doubled when Boysie hit 9. It stayed more or less the same last year, but it has nearly doubled again this year. Axa (if they would insure him without exclusions, which I doubt) would be £560, but Greenbee (John Lewis's insurance arm and underwritten by Axa) quoted over £800 and a £100 excess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda Jvv Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I wonder if it's the dogs age that M&S are taking into account ? Daisy's only 3. they used that excuse this time too but my dogs are only nearing 7yrs old plus I have had the policy for 3 years and they have increased it by over 50% each time. I only stayed because I was able to negotiate them back down to something reasonable. Now they are not budging. Also pblaming the underwriters. Well I found out More Than are under written by the same people and are £120 a year cheaper! the sooner I can get out the better but unfortunately I am stuck for Charlie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantan Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 I changed Archie from M&S last year after a huge increase in his premium and went with AXA. The last 12 months cover with Axa cost me about £80, it's gone up this year to £130 despite no claims but as it's still reasonable I'll renew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 how awful, i was always led to believe that everyones insurance went up regardless of if they claim or not, we claim a lot for one dog and when we claim for the other it tends to be for a lot of money in one go as he can never have anything simple and straight forward my eldest dog is 8 and she is a bit knackered really and in all honestly i can say that petplan have been very decent and fair with us and her policy has gone up by about £5 a month, they have increased her excess by £15 per condition but overall not too bad so i don't think that M&S could use a dogs age to support the increase. does your dog have an ongoing condition?? if not could you say you are going to take your business elsewhere and see what they can offer you?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodies Mum Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I too have had a run in with M & S. As many of you know Mabel has not been well and we put our very first claim in to help with her vet treatment. Her policy is up for renewal and had jumped from 16.99 to £25.99, Not too bad you think, but on reading the policy, her date of birth had been changed (she was 8 years old according to them, in real life nearer 11 or 12) and her name spelt wrong. So on the 22 January when I received all the paperwork for this years policy I informed them of this and it was agreed that I needed a new quote, and the mistake must have happened when the underwriters changed. Today I have had a letter back from the claims department telling me they have sent a payment to our vets for £44.50 bearing in mind that the bill was £125.63. The deductions were £70 excess and 20% of the vets bill because her age. They also informed me that as the policy was up for renewal it is classed as the start of a new policy and I would again have to pay the £70 excess for any further treatment for Mabel. I rang today (twice) as the policy is due for renewal on Saturday and they still don't know what they will be charging me, they have had over two weeks to get this sorted and no one has bothered and according to their records the request for review was only put into today. I feel that I have been conned out of all this money with no service and very little payout. So I have instructed my bank to cancel the direct debits and have transferred my payments into an ISA. I have since found out that we are covered for public liabilty for the animals on household contents insurance, which I must admit was my main worry and all we can do is hope that the vet bills wait for the trust fund to build up. Please send us lots of stay healthy vibes. Either way I have been/will be foolhardy, but at least I will not be lining the pockets of Marks and Spencer any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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