Carrot's vet trip

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by be-bop

Vets bills can be a joke sometimes, My Border terrier Archie is nearly 12 and in the last month we've had to pay in the region of £700 for pain relief blood tests etc etc.
I have insurance but the excess is £180 and they don't cover lots of things so we'll be lucky to see about £150 to £200 back if that.
Still we can't see the old guy in pain but he's aged so fast in the last year I wonder what's going to be the next ailment.

It's crazy isn't it? But what can you do? Like you say, you can't see the old guy in pain. I remember during Pilau's later years we spent a small fortune at the vets. He wasn't insured, but most of his treatment wouldn't have been covered anyway because of the excess rules - the excess tends to be per condition and he seemed to have a rolling list of shit that went wrong with him.

Carrot is insured, but his excess is £90 per year per condition - also I daren't use it for anythng hip related now, as there is a 4k lifetime limit per condition, and he's already had about £1200 of that during the first year after diagnosis. What's left needs to stay untouched in case he needs a hip operation in the next few years.

I can't jump him up to the gold level pf insurance with its 7k lifetime limit, because it would count as a new policy and his hips wouldn't be covered at all as they're a pre-existing condition.

For the last 18 months or so, I've been in the crazy position of paying out £40 every month to keep insured for the future whilst not being able to afford basic shit like worming and vaccinations, or visits to the vet when he's in pain.

There have been times I've had to borrow from friends and family to eat but his insurance has been paid. I dread having a hip operation suddenly drop on us and not have any way to pay for it. As it stands I'd probably still have to borrow a chunk, as it is likely to be more than is left on the insurance, but better to be trying to find a couple of grand than five. By that time I should have my credit rating sorted out to a degree and have access to credit cards at least. Plus Jude and Janet would likely help with some of it.

[xoxoxoBruce]

£4000 max hips - £1200 collected hips = £2800 left hips

4.5 years X £40 = £2160 paid in premiums

4? more years X £40 = £1920 paid in premiums

Total est = £4080 paid in premiums

I hope you're getting other benefits from that policy.