Gundog Insurance

[jimmyb79]

I have two working dogs amongst my four dogs that I own, and currently three out of four are insured with Direct Line. My fourth, a cocker spaniel is insured seperately and is due for her policy renewal next month. To try and keep things simple, I phone direct line to see how much it would be to add the cocker onto the other policy. When asked if she was used in connection with any work etc, I told them she was a working gundog but unpaid and non-competitive.

The lady asked how many times a year she was used as a gundog and I replied that most likely at least once a week during the season, so probably around 20 times at a sheer guess. I was told that they regard that to by highly excessive and that their underwriters believe that anyone with a gundog who uses it as a 'hobby' pastime will only use their gundog no more than 3 times a year!

 

Needless to say, I was quite surprised by that, and after explaining that she is currently insured with MoreThan, who simply state that providing being a gundog isn't part of paid employment or competition they'll insure her with no limit on days used etc, I was told that there was no way they were going to insure her! My response was to say to expect all my dogs to be insured with someone else when the next renewal comes around - but what a load of cr*p - I've never heard anything so ridiculous!

 

Just wanted to share my rant with someone - and the wife isn't home! Oh, and if any of you do insure your working dogs through Direct Line - remember, they only work 3 days a year max!

[al4x]

simply put don't ask the question, they are pets you take shooting, working dogs work for a living and most of us don't work them to that level however people answering the phone in a call centre don't know that. Most injuries will be the same whether out for a walk of out shooting and vets aren't there to give you the third degree to try and invalidate cover. When you look about there is a serious increase in premium for "working" dogs and there probably should be, however dogs that come out with you for the day aren't true working dogs. Get a quote from petplan who I think are ok with dogs that go shooting but you'd best be sitting down with 4 of them!

[jimmyb79]

I did explain this to them, but they do make a distinction between working dogs and pet gundogs as it were. They point blank refuse to insure working dogs where they are worked for pay, but they also regard dogs that you take shooting as a working dog, and will insure them providing you don't take them shooting more than 3 times a year.

Fortunately, MoreThan are happy to insure them with no limit on days taken out shooting providing they're not being used in the course of paid employment, and their rates are the same as for a normal pet dog.

[Ozzy Fudd]

why get worked up over it? not her fault, she's just following the rules laid down to her

 

any anyway, whos to say your dog will be out 2 times or 20 times? not as if its something that would be kept track of....

[kent]

In some respects she did you a favour. It's common place for insurers to refuse to pay out or pay a reduced persentage on cliam because of silly exclusions. I desided not to bother when i looked at the anual cost exclusions and how much i have spent on vets bills in the past. I wouldn't keep a crippled or unsound "working dog" anyway no matter how much i care for them. Also vets put the costs and amount of work you should have done to an animal once they find you have insurance, ever taken a Car in for a bit of paint etc. and got advice and costs both ways, when i was i the car trade bodyshops used to phone regular for valuations prior to quoting insurance companies on the repair costs wanting as much cash as they could for the job without the insurer writing the car off