When money is tight, other ways to pay vet bills.

[Liz]

We don't have insurance - nobody will give me a big discount for 43 cats!

Sky the BC is insured as he had a heart murmer - he has now grown out of so will be cancelling that - Jazz was insured until she became 10 then poilcy tripled in price and as she isn't accident prone or costly that to was cancelled.  Sunny isn't insured as my choice

Injections and worming/Program are on our monthly bill schedule!  We pay as they and when they decide to get a disease or injure themselves - my standard response is when asked how to pay is with my OH Credit Card!

We don't have holidays and both work full time and live our life around the animals - our choice

Although 40 hours away in June for Robins Grans 100 Birthday is costing nearly £900 including flights, cat sitter and Kennels for the Boys and Grandad sitting for Jazz

[Ela]

dont approve of people who go on holiday all the time

Thats me told then. 

[clarenmax]

I have to say I wouldn't be without insurance now, knowing how valuable its been since Max's kidney and thyroid issues, and the 2-3 monthly blood tests, treatments etc.

I would have managed, I'd have taken the money out of my savings, but for the sake of £13 a month, why worry about what could be around the corner!

[Desley (booktigger)]

it was late, and I didn't make myself very clear, but I personally am not immune to the charge that it is wrong, in global terms, that  the Western world spends a fortune on pets while children die of disease and want in third world countries - I wasn't in any way criticising individuals

and it doesn't stop me pampering my two indulged furballs one bit - and when I die my money will be equally divided between three animal charities and family

but if I were the mother of a sick child in Zimbabwe, for example, I doubt I would approve of me

But you could say that about anything, i dont approve of people who go on holiday all the time and only feed their pets basic food and dont do regular vet visits, but that is their choice. There are people who spend more on gadgets than their pets, but again, their choice.

[Angeladeedah]

Both my cats are insured with PetPlan - I pay roughly £19 per month for the 2 cats.    It has been a godsend for me as Harvey has HCM so always has medication and always has check-ups.  He goes in to see the Cardiologist in a few weeks time - that alone will cost a couple of hundred pounds.    I've already saved over £1000 on vet fees for Harvey.  He's only just coming up for 3 years old.

No matter how skint I was - I would always ensure that my 2 boys were insured.  I just simply couldn't afford the vet fees without it. 

[Millys Mum]

Iv just had 2 renewals through from petplan, its increased by £1 per cat and i certainly wouldnt be without it. I could always find the money but id prefer not to be hitting the savings i have for a future home or taking out a loan just for vet bills.
In the time i have had insurance i have had back way more than iv paid out, people may see it as dead money but once you make a claim even for something quite minor you can have back a couple of years premiums. Id rather have a few hundred paid out as 'dead money' then a 2k loan racking up interest!

I thought about making a savings account but decided it would be pretty pointless if i needed to use it before a few years had passed to build it up

[Leanne]

I wouldn't be without insurance for the boys, however saying that I'd sell a kidney if I had to, to pay for any treatment they needed, they mean that much to me I'd never see them go without.

[Rosella moggy]

This is such a difficult one to call.  If I had less money, I would definitely stay with insurance for our 6 puds. 

I did however open a bank account for them 6 weeks back and have set up a monthly standing order to cover vacs, flea/worming, vets bills etc everything except food and litter really.  I intend to cancel insurance after 12 months has elapsed so at least I have a base fund to start with.  However, just got Noni's renewal thru and it's less than £70 for the year which isn't bad with a £50 excess and then I've been thinking perhaps I should wait until the little uns are a little older.......  Just feel a bit nervous about cancelling the insurance  .

I don't have any kids and, whilst not child substitutes, they get most of my love, attention and dosh.  Donations to children charities are considered after their welfare.  That's just how it is and I lose no sleep over it.

[Catbird]

I've always said that only poor people need insurance

Sorry Trigger, I don't understand/agree with that comment.  I earn a (slightly) above average salary, in London terms and would not describe myself as poor but no way could I do without insurance for Dot.  The prices for veterinary treatment are so steep these days that if Dot had some major accident or illness I would find it very difficult to cope financially after a short period of time.  Maybe the truth is, in fact, that only the rich can afford not to have insurance.

C.

[fluffybunny]

You see as we all know when money is tight insurance goes (not only in pets i suppose some people stop other insurance policies).

I would argue that pet insurance is even more essential when money is tight - if someone hasn't got the cash for £15 a month on insurance, how on earth are they going to pay for veterinary care? 

I do know some people who have a specific savings account instead of insurance and they put a set amount away each month...it can work, but - what if you have a problem next month when you only have a tenner in your savings account?  What if the cost of treatment exceeds the amount in your savings account at any time?  And then what if there's another problem shortly afterwards?  What if money gets really tight and you are tempted to dip into that savings account for another purpose?  There are lots of considerations and it really depends on individual circumstances, but as a general rule I would say that pet insurance gets more, not less, essential, when money is tight.

[Kay and Penny]

it was late, and I didn't make myself very clear, but I personally am not immune to the charge that it is wrong, in global terms, that  the Western world spends a fortune on pets while children die of disease and want in third world countries - I wasn't in any way criticising individuals

and it doesn't stop me pampering my two indulged furballs one bit - and when I die my money will be equally divided between three animal charities and family

but if I were the mother of a sick child in Zimbabwe, for example, I doubt I would approve of me

[Ela]

there is also I think a moral dilemma about paying thousands of pounds to keep an animal, however loved, alive for a few more years when children are dying every day

I am sorry but I was in no moral dilemma when we spent over £1000 trying to save my Badgers (dog) life. I am afraid had we not used the money for 'our boy' then it would have remained in the bank.

[Desley (booktigger)]

As I said on the other thread, I would always go for insurance, as I do have a bad track record with cats and do recommend it, I pay around £13 a month per cat, and I know one person who adopted from me thought that was rather high.

Trigger, I find your post very interesting - I'm not quite sure of the link between our pets and children dying, even if I felt a need to give my money away rather than helping one of my cats, who are my family, it certainly wouldnt help any children, the only thing it would do is help another cat. Morally I dont feel bad about spending £1k in vets bills a year for the animal not to have very long, when it could help others, although there are certain routes my vet wouldnt take if I didn't have them insured.

[Kay and Penny]

I've always said that only poor people need insurance

but it isn't just the huge cost of some expensive treatments - there is also I think a moral dilemma about paying thousands of pounds to keep an animal, however loved, alive for a few more years when children are dying every day -  but if it is an insurance company paying that gets round that one

[Canterbury_cats (Sharon)]

This carries on from another post i have been reading... in the Healt Section.
In our branch we have been going through abit of a time with people not able to pay vet bills for cats. This has resulted in several of them being signed over to us to treat and rehome.. Several RTAs later, at the moment we have 2 cats in our care that have only 3 legs and one puss cat with a broken pelvis.

Now i know that many of us have insurance, myself have insurance for my 2 Siamese cats, they are both 13yrs old and one has a ongoing heart condition and the other had very broken bones several years back.. In total Leos bills was over 1000 and Bellas was over 2000 and as she is on life long meds the insurance compay are still paying me her meds costs which are roughly 30 quid every 2 months (i do pay the yearly excess of 70quid though). So in a year just meds are 200 quid without the six month consult check up she has to have..So this is very expensive but even if i did not have insurance i would still be paying this amount as she is worth it and I love her dearly.

 I pay 13 per month for both cats.... and its remained kind of like that since i started this insurance around 9yrs ago.. Both cats have the same insurance company (Pinnacle insurance) and Bellas is the same as Leo despite her having the ongoing condition.. I havent claimed on Leo insurance for some years..

So.. if i avoided or decided not to keep the insurance going but put say that money away in a bank account soley for the use of the cats would i save anything or would be worth doing? Bearing in mind the pitfull saving rates lately even in a high interest on line account? However, i would not be lining the pockets of an insurance company and of course i would be still able to use "Leos fund" if need to help Bella..If i decided to set up a different fund for both cats that is.

When a routine consult fee is arond 24 pounds this way before any meds are due or aftercare.. would it work?

You see as we all know when money is tight insurance goes (not only in pets i suppose some people stop other insurance policies)...and then we you maybe decide to start it again when you do have money the animla may of had a pre existing condition so it want be covered.. Difficult ongoing conditions such as a diabetic cat treatment is perhaps one reason some rescues have seen more diabetic cats being put up for rehoming.. Bredhurst AC in kent currently have cats in their care with heart conditons both senior cats, both owner could no longer afford to treat but didnt want the cats to be PTS.. But what hope is there of finding them a home...

From what i know rehoming wise in our area, difficult cats with conditions have always been difficult to rehome, but now even more so... and the vets charges and prices are not helping..As a branch we will support difficult cats with conditions, such as diabetic, but if donations and our funds reduce then we may not be able to do that long term...and i am sure other branches have equally thought about this issue.

Our catchment area backs onto Thanet has always been a "deprived" area of the SE (with lots of ongoing Government EU funding to help employment etc in the area) and from what i know about SE rescues its suffering big time at the moment. With many years of good work on the neutering side being undone due to people not neutering cats or not being able to afford treatment of a cat... despite the vets prices in the area being reasonable... and lots of independant rescues cover the Thanet area (but no CP but there is a RSPCA). I have routinely getting calls from Thanet residents to say that no one is returning callls and can they get a cat from us!!

Anyhow.. just goes to highlight the knock on effect we may all be seeing in rescue and the ways it has an impact on us all.