Had cat insurance for 10 years. Started off £7.10 per month. I didn't claim anything until the last few years. Now my cat has passed away and insurance cancelled, I had a summary and it showed I had claimed roughly £500 in total. It rose a few pounds over the years, in the later years I rang up, said I'm not happy with the renewal and they dropped it. In the last few years, it rose from £14-17-£26. I didn't argue the last one as I had claimed and I thought meh, leave it. I did not have any problems claiming. I simply gave the form to the vets and they dealt with them.

You have to go into Pet Insurance with your eyes open. It is really only there for the low probability high cost issues. If you claim for small things expect your premium to go up. The key things are 1) the overall limit, 2) Is it continuous cover? 3) Do they pay up? M&S passed on all of these points: £7,000 cover and ongoing. So when our Dachshund had a prolapsed spinal disk they paid out £3500 with no trouble. Then the following year he did the same thing to his neck and it cost £6700 to save his life, which they also paid. In between, the premium doubled, but who cares? It was worth it. Of course now the premium will go into the stratosphere...

We have been insured with M&S since our dog was a puppy and I have to say this policy has been a godsend. Our dog was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and therefore has to be medicated for life using expensive drugs (on average £60 per month). We were also covered for MRI scans etc which cost in excess of £2000 and several out of hours visits. Our policy has risen from £13.99 to £26.99 over the past four years but I don't think this is unreasonable considering the cost of this treatment every month.

I do think however M&S could handle claims a bit more efficiently and pay out more promptly. My vet fills out my claim form straight away but its always around 4-5 weeks before my claim is settled. Also I'd prefer to have my costs reimbursed directly to my bank a/c instead of by cheque as its quite awkward for me to get to my bank (internet banker) to cash it (plus you have to wait another 3 days).

I've only had one run in with M&S so far - due to me changing my bank a/c and them taking my premium from the wrong a/c (despite me telling them). I received a threatening letter telling me if I didn't pay within 7 days my policy would be cancelled so for goodness sake don't ever miss a payment.

All in though, quite happy and they've never refused to pay out...touch wood!!!! I'll give 4 stars based on the fact that they are a bit slower to pay out....otherwise I'd give them 5 stars.

I insured my dog with M&S Pet Insurance when she was seven in 2005 and was very glad that I did that because she developed a squamous cell carcinoma in her mouth a couple of years later and there was expensive treatment to cover, M&S were great and I have been recommending them ever since. When they changed the underwriters the policy premiums soared but I stayed with them. Now my dog has been referred to the specialist because she has a lump in a different part of her mouth which may or may not be cancerous. I telephoned M&S to see if I was covered and I was told I wasn't because I had only been insured since 2008 as my policy had "migrated" from AXA and she was not covered because she had been treated for cancer before the "new" plicy started under the new underwriters.

When I argued that I had been insured with M&S Pet Insurance all along I was transferred to someone else who had all my M&S insurance details and she said that it should be OK as there had been no break in my insurance with M&S even though the underwriters had changed, but there is still a question mark and I have the extra worry about the possible cost of treatment which annoys me as I had accepted the very high premiums because they were supposed to save me that worry.

IF when it comes to it they refuse to pay, then I shall take the matter up with the insurance ombudsman and would advise anyone else that believes that they had a genuine claim that was refused or that they were misinformed. Now I keep copious notes and read all the small print.

I work in a vet practice and so have experience of dealing with a lot of pet insurance companies. M&S are one of the *better* ones, ie. they don't tend to quibble about paying out.
My own cat just had to go to an emergency clinic over Easter and they have paid up promptly.
The reason I won't give them 5/5 is that they want you to ring their vet advice line before going to an emergency clinic and I think this is wrong- the emergency clinic is in a better position to decide if your pet needs attention- and also points are deducted for discontinuing the "excess buyout" that they used to have.

I found them very reasonable priced, we had an English Bulldog from a pup that suffered with ailments right from when we had her...epilepsy, allergies, skin complaints chest infections. Unfortunately it was all a bit too much and she passed away only 2yrs old. However MandS were very good through all her ongoing medications and paid the maximum claim on her early death, with no hassles. There were no difficult phone calls, letters, it was all done through the 'insurance' clerk at the vets