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Rabbit insurance

steveg

Warren Scout
Yes or no?

In two weeks I've spent three figures on vet fees alone on ten week old bun.

I don't grudge the money one bit but, from experience on here, is it a good idea and rougly what are monthly premiums?

i guess like all insurances, it's a safety net and you can't tell if it'll work out cheaper but was just wondering......
 
I'm with Petplan. It's about £12 a month for a single rabbit. The sooner you take out some kind of insurance the better, as they tend to exclude any conditions the animal has been prone too. Spenser has had gut stasis twice, and each time Petplan paid most of the cost of the out-of-hours treatment he needed. I'd recommend insurance as rabbits need treatment very quickly if they stop eating and it is not advisable in most cases to wait until morning if they take ill at night.
 
You'll get plenty of differing opinions - but mine is a resounding yes - one of mine has run up bills of £3000+ in the last 18 months which i could never ever have afforded or saved up for.

i think people with lots of buns or who have sick buns tend not to take it out but if you only have a few then i wouldnt be without it - Petplans the best as you get cover for life and if you have more than one bun you get a multipet discount :wave:

Just thought to add - you won't get cover for anything pre-existing only new illnesses that may occur
 
My two cost me £600 in the first 3 months!! I then insured them both with petplan, which costs £9 per bunny per month. As has already been said, they don't pay out for anything that the bun has already suffered with before the policy is taken out. But I had to take Honey to the out of hours vet last month as she had a tummy blockage, and it cost £200!! I had to pay the excess of £55 and petplan paid the rest :) it's definitely worth getting insured! What has Peter been to the vets for so far?
 
I personally don't. I have a savings account and try to ensure I have around £200-300 at all times in case of emergencies. Insurance would cost me nearly £50 a month and if I had to claim I'd still have to pay £65 and they do try to wriggle out it seems, many clauses. Mischa wouldn't be covered for very much cos he had head tilt which could've been E.C. or ear infection, he's had a precautionary dental, there was questions about his waterworks, etc. None of these things, aside from the ear infection, were ever major things but they would be excluded now. Also Smudge would be excluded for stasis. The past few years I've paid out less to vets than I would've to insurance companies.

So if it was for a pair of bunnies that I'd just got, yes I would. But for me personally it's better for me to save up and just pay it myself.
 
Petplan costs me £8.99 a month for one bun, £14.99 a month for 2 I think, theres a discount for the second. I think the price varies on where you live.

Pets at Home insurance is £5.99 a month per bun and also APPARENTLY covers dentals (pet plan doesnt cover 'burring or rasping of teeth') but the terms and conditions are not clear. Its a new insurance though so I'm staying clear until I can see on here if they are any good to claim from, if they are then I may move my bun that hasnt been ill yet over to them.

Now whether its worth it will depend what they will exclude from the policy because the bun has already been ill. If you ever get another bun I would insure from day one.
 
I personally don't. I have a savings account
and try to ensure I have around £200-300 at all times in case of emergencies. Insurance would cost me nearly £50 a month and if I had to claim I'd still have to pay £65 and they do try to wriggle out it seems, many clauses. Mischa wouldn't be covered for very much cos he had head tilt which could've been E.C. or ear infection, he's had a precautionary dental, there was questions about his waterworks, etc. None of these things, aside from the ear infection, were ever major things but they would be excluded now. Also Smudge would be excluded for stasis. The past few years I've paid out less to vets than I would've to insurance companies.

So if it was for a pair of bunnies that I'd just got, yes I would. But for me personally it's better for me to save up and just pay it myself.


I think this is the key bit. It may not be worth it if you will have a lot of exclusions. In which case its probably better to put away say £50 a month and let it build up, or more if your bun is prone to illnesses.
 
Definitely Yes. I pay about £8.50 per bunny with PetPlan, and they have paid put on everything I have claimed so far. This year I've had a bun with Bloat which with emergency visits, hospitalisation and x-rays cost around £900 in the end, and another bun with corneal ulcers must have racked up £3-£400 of treatment too..

It takes away the worry of whether or not to treat a bunny when they are ill, you can just tell the vet to do whatever they can.

I would always recommend insurance!
 
Petplan costs me £8.99 a month for one bun, £14.99 a month for 2 I think, theres a discount for the second. I think the price varies on where you live.

Pets at Home insurance is £5.99 a month per bun and also APPARENTLY covers dentals (pet plan doesnt cover 'burring or rasping of teeth') but the terms and conditions are not clear. Its a new insurance though so I'm staying clear until I can see on here if they are any good to claim from, if they are then I may move my bun that hasnt been ill yet over to them.

Now whether its worth it will depend what they will exclude from the policy because the bun has already been ill. If you ever get another bun I would insure from day one.

No I dont think they do, it specifically says only if the dental is required as the result of another problem! I'm with P@H as it was just under £14 for my two. I also put away money each month for other potential problems.
 
No I dont think they do, it specifically says only if the dental is required as the result of another problem! I'm with P@H as it was just under £14 for my two. I also put away money each month for other potential problems.

Mmm yeah we discussed it on my thread a while ago after I rang up and the man said he thought they would be covered but he couldnt say for sure :? I think we came to the conclusion that it would cover like dental absesses etc but not your standard malcolusion (sp?) of teeth leading to needing dentals.... I THINK thats what we figured.... I guess noone will know for sure till someone has their claim rejected/approved.


eta - OP heres the thread if you want to know more http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=288140
 
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No I dont think they do, it specifically says only if the dental is required as the result of another problem! I'm with P@H as it was just under £14 for my two. I also put away money each month for other potential problems.

Thats how I read it too, but Petplan also do pay out for dentals if they are needed because of something else - Joe had one when an abscess misaligned his jaw meaning his teeth overgrew and again when he had stasis as they discovered sharp bits on his molars which they say was a possible cause of his stasis as he would have not been eating because of the teeth, it did say each time they were one off payments so if the dentals had then been ongoing they wouldn't have been covered.

Also the Pets at home insurance has a yearly limit of £1500 as opposed to petplans £2000 and that £500 could make a big difference with a poorly bun.
 
Peter had had two vaccinations, the second of which has caused him to be extremely poorly.

At the VHD jab yesterday he also got some eye drops as he had crusty eyes, the vet said probably caused by some dust.

I took him to the vet today 'cos he had barely eaten anything for 24 hours and he was given 'critical care' mix and a gut stimulation injection.

I have spoken to the vet and she said today's visit is purely a reaction to the vaccination and not a condition so no problem there, but because he was given eye drops yesterday she thinks they wont cover any eye conditions.

At this moment in time I'm not bothered, I just desperately want him to eat something. I don't know how long we've got left. He had his injection yesterday morning at 10am and pretty much nothing except three dandelion leaves today.
 
Peter had had two vaccinations, the second of which has caused him to be extremely poorly.

At the VHD jab yesterday he also got some eye drops as he had crusty eyes, the vet said probably caused by some dust.

I took him to the vet today 'cos he had barely eaten anything for 24 hours and he was given 'critical care' mix and a gut stimulation injection.

I have spoken to the vet and she said today's visit is purely a reaction to the vaccination and not a condition so no problem there, but because he was given eye drops yesterday she thinks they wont cover any eye conditions.

At this moment in time I'm not bothered, I just desperately want him to eat something. I don't know how long we've got left. He had his injection yesterday morning at 10am and pretty much nothing except three dandelion leaves today.

Are you liqiud feeding him the critical care or recovery at home? You need to keep his gut moving.
 
I got 4 weeks free petplan insurance when I joined our local vet with Benjamin. Its about £14ish I think a month, but is pretty comprehensive.
When we got Evie the cat she got added on and though she costs about £20 a month, she reduced the cost of Benjamin's.
Seems more animals you have with a company the cheaper they get as n individual.
Think its well worth it especially as rabbits can live to a very old age (8 isn't that uncommom with some reaching mid to late teens or even twenties!), then the insurance can help pay for the long term illnesses and complication rabbits can suffer as they age.
Benjamin is the first rabbit I've ever insured, but wasn't really available when I owned Smudge and crew...

Shop around and see what each comapny will offer you for the costs you'll be paying. See if any cover dental or existing conditions. Ultimately go with the one that offers you the service and options you want at a price you're willing to pay.
 
It depends how much the premiums are going to be. I was quoted an extortionate price, way more than anyone else on here seems to pay, so I don't insure my two.
 
For my 2 bunnies at petplan I pay £16.19 (you get 10% discount for 2+ pets, and some discount for doing it online)
 
You shouldn't have to pay for any medications etc as a result of a reaction to the VHD vaccine, as the vet should fill in a form and claim it off the vaccine manufacturers as many people have done. They paid out over £200 for treatment costs of my rabbits!
 
I would definitely always insure my rabbits.

I have lost one bun to an abscess behind the eye. She had her eye removed as it was thought to be a tumour, but then they discovered it was an abscess. The whole cost of her treatment came to £800, all of which except the PTS costs and excess I got back.

My other rabbit Wolfie is currently having treatment for a jaw abscess and so far, that has cost £260 with weeks of treatment to come.

Felix is the only rabbit I have who isn't insured - he was a stray who has pre-existing problems. This year alone, he has had an corneal ulcer and an abscess inside his mouth which has just healed up. That came to over £500.

For £12 - £15 a month, it is just such a support to know that amongst all the worry of your pet being ill, the bills are being taken care of too.
 
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