Hello everyone!
I've got a problem. My 7 year old cat had a tumor diagnosed in May last year. Since then we've been already through 3 surgerys as it is very agressive type and keeps coming back. My vet is trying to get rid of it and every time we are counting for a luck that this time we will remove it all.
Unfortunately I wasn't clever enough to check my insurance policy properly when I was taking it 7 years ago. Now I know I should go for a Pets Plan, not for a Direct Line as they cover the same condition only for a year and up to 4000 pounds. Pets Plan is the best. All vets recommend it. It would cover my cat for as long as it needed to be covered.
But now it's too late. We had another surgery today and used the rest of this 4000 pounds.
My question is what do we do if this bastard come back? I can't afford to pay a thousand pounds from my own pocket.
Does anyone has any idea what to do in that situation? I know there is RSPCA but the quality of their service is very poor. You have to wait for hours in a que to even see a vet and then probably months for a surgery.
I'm really terryfied.
Can anyone please help?

I'm really sorry to hear you are in this predicament

Unfortunately, unless you receive certain benefits there is no help for pet owners who have run out of money. I would suggest you start selling things you no longer use etc to build up some savings x

not sure what advice I can give you but I have moved this to the cat section in the hope that someone will be able to help.

__________________

How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Hi

I'm sorry to hear about your cat's tumour.

I'm not quite clear what you mean about Direct Line vs Pet Plan. I've only used PetPlan, but I was in a similar position with my previous cat.

I understand it as:

• To now you have spent £4000 on the tumours
• From May 2012, you will/should have a return to the £4000 limit if you renew the insurance.

If this is right then some answers could be
Pay in installments - My vets will carry out surgery and let you pay back in installments, so you could take this option if your vet is the same as mine. The vet's Practise Manager can answer this if you give her/him a call.
Vharity help - I beleive PDSA will help if you are on certain benefits - some other charities may help locally too
Can the surgery wait till May 2012, when the insured amount goes back up that you can claim (new claim year)?

hope this helps a bit

The Direct Line website says:
on the cheapest option, so I presume this is what the OP is referring too.

This is the problem with this type of insurance - Direct Line's 'Advanced' policy isn't much better, offering a total of £6000 for each condition but with no time limit.

As said, the PDSA may help, if you are on a qualifying benefit. Otherwise you could appeal to vets and animal charities around you to see if there are any grants or help. I'm sorry to hear your cat is so ill, all the best. You could also try the RSPCA, but both them and the PDSA may be unable to help if it is a very aggressive, terminal cancer - they have strict rules on this type of thing, so you'd be appealing to their better nature.

It's horrible to have to prepare for, but it's worth knowing in advance so you can try to budget for this.

And that's why I try and explain to people that unless you have 'lifelong' insurance on your pet you might be letting yourself in for some bills you really don't want. Annual and 'per condition' policies are fine up to a point. Reach that point and they suddenly become worthless - and lock you out of anything better.

__________________
Things you should know before insuring your pet can be found at Important Facts about Pet Insurance. I can also try and answer questions about Pet Insurance via PM. I am not an insurance broker.

Thanks a lot for your reply. It helps a lot, especially that I didn't even know about the PDSA existence. It is definitely worth to try.

The point about my insurance is that this is exactly the huge difference about the PetPlan and Direct Line.
Of course I took the cheapest option. You never think about your pet to get the cancer. (Well, I would right now, but not when I was 24 careless girl).
The problem is my insurance will cover one disease ONLY for one year and up to 4000 pounds. You can't renew it. You also can't take any other option from them or any other insurance as they won't insure a pet who is already ill - of course. So you are stuck!

So everyone, PetPlan only please - for the future!
Too late for me but might be not too late for you.

To make it worst - just before I discover my cat was ill, my insurance with Direct Line was about to finish. I was going to change it for petplan then but it was only one month too early. Then we had to start to treat her and I couln't change it once she was diagnosed. What a tough was that??!!!

Well, too late to regret now...
But we,ve got a little bit of housing benefit right now so maybe PDSA will help.

Thanks everyone for your posts and help.
Hope your pets will always be healthy!