2 questions - vet and insurance

brumb11 · 16-02-2008, 04:43 PM

I have had my horsfield a few weeks and just need to know of a recomended vet to register him with. I am in Sunderland in the north east so if anyone knows of a good reptile vet nearby that would be great.

Also, I was thinking of getting insurance for Terry. Can anypne recomend an insurance company ? thanks.

gtm · 16-02-2008, 04:55 PM

Try the xxxxxxxxxxxxxx website for specialist vets.

sandy · 16-02-2008, 05:00 PM

As for insurance, its better to open a bank account and put money in monthly, to cover bills.
Insurances wont cover tortoises vets bills.

hbvet · 17-02-2008, 01:28 PM

There are a few companies that do reptile insurance: from my experience they are incredibly expensive. However reptile vet bills can also be very expensive! I think putting money in a bank account is a seriously good idea, it does require discipline.....

petplan, stoneways, exotic direct are the three I deal with.

hannah

lilacgeorge · 18-02-2008, 07:49 PM

HI, I took out insurance with exoctic direct but will be cancelling it very soon. I have since started up a mini isa account into which I'm putting £50 a month - this is savings for me but also 'spare' cash if I need it for vet bills. Once I've got a couple of hundred quid in it I shall cancel the insurance.

For theft - you have to prove that someone has gained forced access THROUGH your property to steal your torts - they won't cover it if they 'jumped' over a fence to get in, ie, they have to come through your house.

death - you have to have a pm done by a vet in order for them to pay out and the death has to be from natural causes - PM's are expensive and chances are you won't get paid out

vet bills - there's an access plus if you have more than one tort the max amount you can claim is spread between them all so although you have to pay extra for each tort for cover, you're not actually getting extra cover for them - just existing cover between them!!!

Its a con in my opinion!

brumb11 · 19-02-2008, 08:03 PM

Thanks for the info. I really dont have much spare cash so might have to get insurance until I can get some money put away. Its more the medical care as opposed to theft, death etc that Im concerned about. I would hate for him to take ill and not have the money to do everything possible to help him so need to make some sort pf provisions.

nina · 19-02-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brumb11

Thanks for the info. I really dont have much spare cash so might have to get insurance until I can get some money put away. Its more the medical care as opposed to theft, death etc that Im concerned about. I would hate for him to take ill and not have the money to do everything possible to help him so need to make some sort pf provisions.

But won't the insurance cost you money? If you can possibly do it, then I would definitely get a instant access cash ISA or something else that is tax efficient and earns you interest. The insurance not only won't give you interest, but if your tort is well and doesn't incur vet bills, that money has sort of gone out the window. With savings, that money is always yours, and if your tort stays well, you can always withdraw some and use it for a treat for yourself or your tort. Even if you put in £10 a month, that is £120 plus interest after a year (but I'd put in more if you can).

brumb11 · 19-02-2008, 08:46 PM

But I would be worried if he took ill when I didn't have enough in savings. I guess I will find out the costs and weigh up my options from there.

lilacgeorge · 19-02-2008, 09:02 PM

Trust me - when you need the money the insurance never pay out anyway!!!! I speak as someone who was stung bigtime with pet (dog) insurance and left with a vet bill of just over £2000 plus as an ex vet nurse that had to deal with people who found themselves in the same position!!!! I know I've taken out the insurance but thats cos I had 5 torts and haven't got a 'local' reptile vet so was worried about how much it would cost me IF I was landed with a bill (plus one of my torts wasn't eating and I was worried in case she needed vet treatment

) but as it happens so far I've paid out about £100 on insurance in 5 mths (which has gone in their pocket) and in 2 mths have that in my savings account!!! Of which I will benefit from in the long run!!

But as Nina said, even if you put the £13 (which the insurance will cost you) in a mini ISA account every month at the end of the year that £156 (plus interest) will be in your pocket not theirs! Worth thinking seriously about.........

dizzywend · 20-02-2008, 09:39 PM

Hiya

I put money in an ISA every month, when I got my dog 10 years ago I took out insurance for him. Then I took him to the vets and he had one testicle, heart murmur and mites. vets said he was prob bought with all these and refused to pay out...so 1k later i cancelled the insurance and now put money in a ISA every month, more beneficial as if you don't make a claim you can spend it on something nice!

Wendy

16-02-2008, 04:43 PM	#1
brumb11 Member Hatched Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 305	2 questions - vet and insurance I have had my horsfield a few weeks and just need to know of a recomended vet to register him with. I am in Sunderland in the north east so if anyone knows of a good reptile vet nearby that would be great. Also, I was thinking of getting insurance for Terry. Can anypne recomend an insurance company ? thanks.

16-02-2008, 05:00 PM	#3
sandy Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 12,146	As for insurance, its better to open a bank account and put money in monthly, to cover bills. Insurances wont cover tortoises vets bills. __________________ < > 60+, keeping ibera, graeca and box turtles \0/ /_\ http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/tortoisefriends

17-02-2008, 01:28 PM	#4
hbvet Member Hatched Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Madeley, Cheshire Posts: 449	There are a few companies that do reptile insurance: from my experience they are incredibly expensive. However reptile vet bills can also be very expensive! I think putting money in a bank account is a seriously good idea, it does require discipline..... petplan, stoneways, exotic direct are the three I deal with. hannah __________________ hb

18-02-2008, 07:49 PM	#5
lilacgeorge Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: May 2007 Location: Surrey Posts: 1,130	HI, I took out insurance with exoctic direct but will be cancelling it very soon. I have since started up a mini isa account into which I'm putting £50 a month - this is savings for me but also 'spare' cash if I need it for vet bills. Once I've got a couple of hundred quid in it I shall cancel the insurance. For theft - you have to prove that someone has gained forced access THROUGH your property to steal your torts - they won't cover it if they 'jumped' over a fence to get in, ie, they have to come through your house. death - you have to have a pm done by a vet in order for them to pay out and the death has to be from natural causes - PM's are expensive and chances are you won't get paid out vet bills - there's an access plus if you have more than one tort the max amount you can claim is spread between them all so although you have to pay extra for each tort for cover, you're not actually getting extra cover for them - just existing cover between them!!! Its a con in my opinion! __________________ Dawn 2.1.2 ~ THB Frank ~ Tallulah ~ Grace ~ Archie ~ Teefa ~ Mollie 0.0.1 Bearded Dragon ~ Freckles

19-02-2008, 09:02 PM	#9
lilacgeorge Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: May 2007 Location: Surrey Posts: 1,130	Trust me - when you need the money the insurance never pay out anyway!!!! I speak as someone who was stung bigtime with pet (dog) insurance and left with a vet bill of just over £2000 plus as an ex vet nurse that had to deal with people who found themselves in the same position!!!! I know I've taken out the insurance but thats cos I had 5 torts and haven't got a 'local' reptile vet so was worried about how much it would cost me IF I was landed with a bill (plus one of my torts wasn't eating and I was worried in case she needed vet treatment ) but as it happens so far I've paid out about £100 on insurance in 5 mths (which has gone in their pocket) and in 2 mths have that in my savings account!!! Of which I will benefit from in the long run!! But as Nina said, even if you put the £13 (which the insurance will cost you) in a mini ISA account every month at the end of the year that £156 (plus interest) will be in your pocket not theirs! Worth thinking seriously about......... __________________ Dawn 2.1.2 ~ THB Frank ~ Tallulah ~ Grace ~ Archie ~ Teefa ~ Mollie 0.0.1 Bearded Dragon ~ Freckles

16-02-2008, 04:55 PM	#2
gtm Member Hatchling Join Date: May 2007 Location: Surrey Posts: 659	Try the xxxxxxxxxxxxxx website for specialist vets.

19-02-2008, 08:03 PM	#6
brumb11 Member Hatched Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 305	Thanks for the info. I really dont have much spare cash so might have to get insurance until I can get some money put away. Its more the medical care as opposed to theft, death etc that Im concerned about. I would hate for him to take ill and not have the money to do everything possible to help him so need to make some sort pf provisions.

19-02-2008, 08:46 PM	#8
brumb11 Member Hatched Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 305	But I would be worried if he took ill when I didn't have enough in savings. I guess I will find out the costs and weigh up my options from there.

20-02-2008, 09:39 PM	#10
dizzywend Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: North West Posts: 1,678	Hiya I put money in an ISA every month, when I got my dog 10 years ago I took out insurance for him. Then I took him to the vets and he had one testicle, heart murmur and mites. vets said he was prob bought with all these and refused to pay out...so 1k later i cancelled the insurance and now put money in a ISA every month, more beneficial as if you don't make a claim you can spend it on something nice! Wendy

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