Hi all. I know this question was asked a couple of years ago and the consensus was it’s not a big thing in France but perhaps it’s more common now? I have a large mixed breed ( cane corso / staff / mastiff ) Chienne of 19 months. Signs of hip issues in the way she runs … So any suggestion of pet insurance really welcome. Thanks Claire
Hi,we had an email the other day from our AXA insurers telling us that they have just started to offer pet insurance,might be worth asking if you have an AXA near you.
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Why not ask your own Insurance folk… the ones who cover your house/whatever…
and I wonder if @fabien covers this area of risk
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We are quite doggy people, and there is no-one in our 150 strong dog club who bothers with pet insurance.
Start putting a bit of money aside every month and you will probably end up better off.
I think a basic policy is around 20€/month but that will only allow about €1500/year to be eligible for 80% reimbursement. So for major issues you may be very disappointed.
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That’s what we do as well for our 9 cats and dog.
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We have just had the yearly policy from PetPlan through for our 14 year old cat. It is £500 for the year. Not sure what our dog’s is but it’s cheaper. Obvs standard vet charges like vaccination are on top. Together they add up to our largest direct debit.
Neither of them have had much cause to use it. We now think we’ve been completely bonkers and if we’d put the money aside we’d have been rolling in it. If our cat lives to 20 (which I hope she does) like other (uninsured) cats I’ve had she will cost another £3k in insurance at today’s prices…
If we ever had another animal we would definitely put money aside…
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Insurances are businesses, they have to make a profit. So it figures that someone has to pay. Which means the balance of probability is that you will not make a gain!
Of course some people do have some huge problem where the insurance is invaluable, or even smaller problems but don’t have the finances to pay a larg’ish amount suddenly,
But in general I will only take out required insurance. My health piggy bank from not having a mutuelle is relatively plump now.
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I have never voluntarily had pet insurance, simply not worth it for all the reasons above, but I was forced to take it for my so-called ‘dangerous’ Rottweiler, Boss. A legal requirement to have 3rd party cover (they are specifically excluded from house insurance) the only company that would do it only did it on the condition that I took general insurance for him too. Cost €25/month of which only €5 was for the required 3rd party and did not even cover his annual vaccinations. A sheer waste of money and, as the Maire did not check the 2nd year and Boss hardly ever left home, I did not bother to renew it.
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Like all insurance, it’s the ‘what if?’ question, so I suggest you at least discuss the options (cover/cost) with a specialist insurer, Claire. If your young doggie is already exhibiting ‘hip issues’, you could be in for some very expensive surgery down the track.
We have used SantéVet with complete satisfaction over the years - prompt payment, never any query. You can read all about it here - www.santevet.com
How about a photo of her?
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And have you made a profit?
Surely if the dog already has hip issues the insurer will refuse to cover it as it is an existing ailment.
Don’t know how to add a picture!!
During my time working as Veterinary Surgeon in the UK , I have had many dealings with insurance companies, both as a pet owner and in making claims on behalf of clients. If there any evidence that the condition (eg hips) is pre-existing, then it’s unlikely any insurance company will be willing to cover your pet for that condition. I know that Pet Plan in the UK will offer sometimes offer cover conditional on the dog not having problems within a defined period, eg 1-2 years.
Generally, I am a big fan of pet insurance, especially in the first couple of years of life when many accidents and development issues can occur requiring lifelong care.
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Pet Plan in the UK for us was absolutely fantastic and essential. One of our Airedales at the time came to us as a rescue and he had been very badly treated - among other things he had major skin problems due we suspect to an appalling diet as a young dog and later in life he tore a cruciate ligament. We were able to afford the Super Vet (at the time he was just known as a good surgeon in the area, none of the TV stuff). Our other Airedale had heart trouble. It meant we really didn’t have to worry.
With Vita (our latest Airedale) here in France and no insurance, she gets the treatment and the medicines, we live on beans on toast. 
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Do you know how much the cruciate ligament problem cost Sue? My Jules has been diagnosed with that at 8 years of age but it does not bother him, he has a slight limp when walking but still runs like the wind.
He is owned by an association, but as a ‘panier retraite’ remains with us for life with us paying only for his keep, vet bills are down to them. They do not seem inclined to do anything about it and, as he is in no way suffering, I am not inclined to push it.
No idea David. It was a long time ago. In fact I gather there is a question mark over the op for large dogs and the fact that Jules is living with it means probably there is no need. For our Airedale Smudge it came on top of hip dysplasia (probably due to early poor diet) which he was coping with so in order for him to have greater mobility we went for the op. In fact it was very hard for him. He was in a cage if I remember for something like a month / 6 weeks and he could only be taken out for walks for 5 minutes at a time in the beginning. We brought the portable TV down into the dining room where his cage was so he could watch TV!
About the hip dysplasia, our very wise vet at the time said: don’t look at the X-ray, look at the dog after I had freaked out seeing the state of his hips.
Smudge
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I don’t know whether dogs in any way mirror humans but OH has a ruptured ACL and he was advised physio and exercise to build up other ligaments, muscles etc to stabilise the knee. He has not had surgery and has managed for 16 years.
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Isn’t she georgeous - what a perfectly conditioned coat! Thank you.
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