Insurance question...

[Ellie]

Yeah tvhinking about it I think you're both right, I'll wait until I actually get them.  I was getting a bit carried away trying to sort things out before I go away! 

I will wait till I get the boys too Helen. I checked the site and it's more up to date than it was when I insured Rascal.

Muppet's renewal is cheaper this year £68 and no excess  I was chuffed 

[Millys Mum]

Helen i had some refer a friend & get £10 pound off vouchers, they expired but il see if i can get more 

Im sure the getting cheaper will only apply for a couple of years lol, Milly shall probably go up as she hits the next age bracket now.

[Desley (booktigger)]

That's surprising, I know when I first looked into it, only Pebbles was insured due to the cost, then when I looked into it last year, they had changed their policies, and Ginger then worked out at half the price they had quoted me the year before, so they have all been done since. Sainsbury's pay £100 for vetinary diets I think, but it might have gone up when I got Tiger's policy - if I Can be bothered, I Shall walk downstairs and check!!

[Tiggy's Mum]

Yeah tvhinking about it I think you're both right, I'll wait until I actually get them.  I was getting a bit carried away trying to sort things out before I go away! 

[Millys Mum]

With M&S a young cat gets cheaper as they age, Simons quote at 10 months was higher than when he was 1 year, hes more expensive than my 8 year old! They decided young cats and males were higher risk 
M&S also pay £200 a year towards veterinary diets which many policies dont.

I would do it in 3 weeks too then you know its all straight forward!

[Desley (booktigger)]

For what it's worth, I would do it when you get them - it only takes minutes on line, and with Sainsbury's you do get the confirmation e-mail with your reference in less than 15 mins - for young cats, I would always advise to go with M & S, despite being with Sainsbury's myself - I think £6500 is adequate for oldies, but would want that extra £500 if they were youngsters. I can check my Sainsbury's paperwork if you want.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Thanks Milly's Mum.  If you could find it that would be great, just had another look online and can't see anything obvious about it.  Hopefully I will be able to do it today as then that's one less thing to worry about.

[Millys Mum]

3 weeks hee hee   

Il try to find it my terms book, i can remember it saying that if you transfer ownership then the insurance isnt valid.

[Tiggy's Mum]

I agree with Susanne just phone m&s when they are fully vax'd, they can just alter the computer records.
One thing that the insurance states is that the animal has to belong to you, so not sure how that works as you dont have them yet.
How long til trouble hits your curtains?!

Hadn't seen that on the website, I'll look into that and if that's the case I'll just have to do it when I pick them up.  I'm sure they are perfectly healthy anyway it's just me being ultra paranoid after all Tiggy's (uninsured) problems 

3 weeks and counting! 

[Millys Mum]

I agree with Susanne just phone m&s when they are fully vax'd, they can just alter the computer records.
One thing that the insurance states is that the animal has to belong to you, so not sure how that works as you dont have them yet.
How long til trouble hits your curtains?!

[Tiggy's Mum]

I think I'd say not vaccinated then when they are ring them up to tell them they've now been vaccinated and get it altered.

Thanks Susanne, that's what I'm going to do (as soon as I can drag myself away from Purrs).  Hopefully once I've told them that they are vaccinated they will then be covered for related illnesses too.  Was going to go with Sainsburys instead as they don't specifically ask the vaccination Q, they have a £50 excess compared to £0 with M&S but was prepared to go with them still.  I was all set to sign up with them and then saw that you can't postdate the cover - you can only apply when they are 8 weeks old.  I'll be away when they turn 8 weeks and I don't fancy inputting my bank details in some dodgy internet cafe in Thailand 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Hmm, not sure what to suggest since you can't ring M&S (which would be what I'd advise) and you need to sort this out now.  It must be something that happens a lot as no kittens of that age will be vaccinated since vaccinations are usually at 9 and 12 weeks.  Can't remember whether I was aksed about vaccinations but Jaffa was a bit older when I took out his insurance so he'd had his jabs and Mosi, of course, had his when he was still with the breeder.  I think I'd say not vaccinated then when they are ring them up to tell them they've now been vaccinated and get it altered.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Ah right!!

[Ellie]

Cheers Helen I didn't know that although it's a while since I insured Rascal so haven't look at the website.

Hi Desley well I was lol ... however..... Susan fell in love with Charlie now called Hobnob so we are now having double trouble 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Vaccs should be done at 9 weeks old, not 10. If you insure them as unvaccinated, you will have to change it to vaccinated when they are done though, or any cat flu etc when they are older wont be covered. I do find it odd that they ask, as Sainsbury's dont.
Ellie - Sainsbury's give a 5% discount for ordering online and then a 5% discount for multiple pets, which is why mine are so cheap, Molly actually has a 15% discount, cos they were doing a deal when she was done, so hers might go up a lot next year! I thought you were only getting one kitten??

[Tiggy's Mum]

Thanks Desley, I think I will insure them from 8 weeks as unvaccinated.  I was really trying to weigh up the risk of vaccination related illnesses or a random illness picked up when they do get vaccinated, depending on when the insurance starts one of those wouldn't be covered.  They won't be vaccinated when I get them as they will be too young (fairly sure my vets vaccinate at 10 weeks) - that would have been the ideal solution!

Ellie, I spoke to M&S yesterday when they were open top ask whether I could start the policy now with cover beginning when they were 8 weeks, they said that if you put the first 6 letters/numbers (don't know which as I haven't got a ref no yet!) of the reference number in online then you get a 5% discount anyway for applying online which is the same as you would get ringing up for multiple pets. 

[Ellie]

Helen I am reading this with interest as I have been wondering about my two new arrivals. Muppet and Rascal are both with M&S and I had to phone Rascal through seperately as then they only did one cat at a time 

They will have their first vacs with Teresa, so, I think I will wait till they have had then I will ring up and insure them too. You used to get a discount for an additional pet, don't know if they still do that though.

Like you I have been wondering about this   

[Desley (booktigger)]

Yeah - seriously, the chances of them having something is incredibly slim, even if the vet picked up on a heart murmur, a lot of murmurs picked up at that age are juvenile ones that they grow out of. Am confused by your second bit, I meant that illnesses arising from them not being vaccinated are so slim in an 8 week old kitten that you prob wont deal with it. Are the people you are getting them from not doing the first vaccs? If you can get them to do that, then you can insure them as vaccinated, as they have had half the course, and will have already been seen by a vet.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Ah, a third option!  Do you mean insure them when they reach 8 weeks of age and tick the box to say they are vaccinated as they will be in a week or so?  Not sure I'm entirely comfortable with that though as I am bound to get found out if something went wrong! 

If the above isn't an option do you mean you would go for insuring them from 8 weeks (unvaccinated) and risking not being covered for vaccination illnesses rather than risking other illnesses not being covered by insuring them after a vet visit for vaccinations?  Sorry, can't think of a better way to word it and am confusing myself, let alone anyone else 

 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Ah right. I would sway towards saying they are vaccinated, as it isn't like it is something you are going to ignore - and the chances of them getting something that would be covered by vaccinations that young is very slim, it is more not covering for treatment for cat flu in adult cats cos you didn't bother to get it done.

[Tiggy's Mum]

Thanks Desley, With M & S online you can choose what date to start the policy from so I would have it begin when they are 8 weeks, it's more a question of whether I insure them pre-vaccination and risk not being covered for illness arising from not being vaccinated or after vaccination and risk the vet finding something which wouldn't be covered as it would be a pre-existing condition.  Decisions, decisions!

[Desley (booktigger)]

I haven't had to state whether any of mine have been vaccinated or not, just that I accept if htey aren't, they aren't covered for any illnesses arising from it. I Actually would insure them when you pick them up, not only can you not insure unless they are 8 weeks old (is the person you are getting them from not doign the first vacc?), but you are goign to be paying from today, and not have them for 2 weeks.

[Tiggy's Mum]

I will be insuring Kali and Riley with M & S.  I'm in a bit of a catch 22 situation though and wanted to know what you'd do if you were in my shoes....

If I insure them now (before I go on holiday) I have to tick 'No' to the question have they been vaccinated.  This means that any claims arising from illness related to not being vaccinated is NOT covered.

or

If I wait and insure them after they have been vaccinated the vet may pick up on some type of illness that isn't obvious to the eye (heart murmur etc) and then obviously that wouldn't be covered as it would be a pre-existing condition.

Also, if I do insure them now and say 'No' to the vaccination question do you think they will be covered for those illnesses at the next renewal - by then they will have been vaccinated.  M & S is closed today and doesn't open until 9am tomorrow so I can't ring and ask them, I leave for the airport at the crack of dawn tomorrow so need to make a decision now!