Health insurance

On May 3, 8:01*am, "MatSav" wrote:

Indeed. Our paths just may have crossed. Way, way, back in
1977/78, I worked as a "casual" Administration Assistant for
DHSS,

I was based at Canning Town office from 77-79- I also used to have to
open the post with the door locked behind me as it was quite odd what
people would put in our letterbox- I got used to dog mess but the
worse one was when someone poured a pint of milk in it on the night
before Good Friday so the box wasn't opened for 4 days-it had been a
warm few days and the smell was about the worse thing I have ever
smelt before or since.

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Christina Websell wrote:
How many of you take this out for your cats?

I've never seriously considered taking out insurance for the cats,
especially after I've looked a little closer at some policies. Most of
them seem to stop at around 8-10 years, which is exactly when cats often
start to develop more serious conditions. I understand that show cats
have to have insurance, but I don't see the point of insuring other cats.

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban.
In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

"jmcquown" wrote in message
...
"Lesley" wrote in message
...
On May 2, 7:51 am, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
N went to a graveyard and reinstated all the gravestones of
babies or
children she found thrown away over a wall and put flowers on
them.

That was lovely of her

I have never heard this happens anywhere else. There are
gravestones in my
local churchyard that date back to 1730. No one has removed them
"because
no-one looks after them now"


So the Victorian graves
circle the grounds then the centre is just flat grass,in the
summer
when it's too hot to sit indoors we (and many other people) often
pack
up a picnic and go over there

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs



Ah! My great uncle Andy and his wife lifed in a cemetery! And
yes, he was the caretaker/groundskeeper. This was somewhere in
Pennsylvania. I only met them once, when I was a little girl,
but I remember their house was quite nice.

Jill


The cemetery where my brother and other family members are buried
near Washington DC is huge. It was only about half a mile from our
house. Lots of rolling hills and wooded areas. Its an old
plantation that managed to escape urban sprawl long enough to get
protected status. When I was a kid, only a very small portion was
actively in use as a cemetery, but the whole place was kept mowed
and there were narrow roads and things like lakes with swans and
willow trees, etc. We would drive through just because it was a
nice drive. Picnic in the inactive areas. Ride our bikes in there
where there was no traffic to worry about. When the time came for
my brother to be buried, it was nice that it was in a place with
good memories.

Jo

On May 3, 9:22*am, Marina wrote:
Most of
them seem to stop at around 8-10 years, which is exactly when cats often
start to develop more serious conditions.

Exactly- or if they do agree to insure the premiums go through the
roof (and they only do that for cats that have been insured by them
before) and the rules about "pre-existing" conditions gets applied
with great vigour
Just out on interest I just looked at one of these compare a quote
sites- I used Sarrasine, a 7-year old spayed female, chipped (well she
will be next week), no illnesses, didn't take insurance for if she got
lost, was put down as a result of illness or accident, hasn't been
involved in any legal cases, not been aggressive, up to date with
shots and did not insure for boarding fees if I were to end up in
hospital.

Well first of all the monthly charge varies from 3.79 to 30.35! And
remember I;d need to insure for 2 cats

Funnily enough the 2nd cheapest one offers 3K cover and the dearest
6K but the 2nd cheapest only allows a claim of 500 a year, which many
of us know perfectly well wouldn't be enough to cover one moderately
serious incident whereas the cheapest, which comes from the same
company as the second cheapest covers 10K and allows 2K a year for
vets bills - Despite my specifying nothing for boarding fees, death by
accident, death by illness and lost or stolen most include it but
some of the amounts are silly like 100 pounds for boarding fees. AA
insurance for example want 14.77 a month with max vets fees for the
duration of the cats life of 1K! (and no other benefits) or 26.36
for 3K (a friend of mine told me they were a rip off and he's damn
right!) they make a big thing about chucking in free legal advice and
a "find a vet" helpline....Hello I KNOW where my vet is! (call me
cynical but if I had to use a vet they'd approved first of all it
might not be my vet, secondly I might have to travel with a sick or
injured cat further than I want to and thirdly whilst most vets I am
sure are scrupulous as with KFC we know some of them aren't I would
always wonder if the vet called and said "It'll be 3K" and the
insurance people working out they pay 1K for death due to sickness/
injury and telling the vet to tell me "Sorry the kindest thing to do
is....") (Look at the end of the day they are a business and exist to
make a profit)

The most expensive was the Halifax but that does cover up to 6K of
vets bills a year with only a 75 quid excess and 1K for boarding fees,
death due to injury, illness or lost and stolen but then you read the
small print and the 6K is the total they'll pay out for the cats
life! Okay it means if something major needed to be done- they'll pay
up but let's say it cost 5K (and all these pet insurance adverts are
full of heart rending stories about a cat/dog that got hit by a car
(one of the questions they don't ask is "Are your cats inside only?")
and getting Fido/Tibbles back to health cost 4-5K and the owners would
have had to have their beloved Fido/Tibbles put to sleep but for their
insurance) for one thing you're then left hoping nothing much happens
to Fido/Tibbles for the rest of their life

The second most expensive (pennies difference from the Halifax) has a
maximum benefit for vet's fees of 7.5K than that's it
All the same that's 60.70 per month for 2 cats or just over 700 a year

the cheaper Halifax policy 17.18 a month- only allows 1K of vet bills
in any year

I must admit the basement bargain policy doesn't look bad 45.48 pounds
a year or so - a maximum of 10K over the cats lifetime in vet fees
with up to 2K a year claimable less 99 pounds excess every year-
nothing for boarding etc but I think I'd still save the money

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Lesley wrote:

On May 3, 8:01?am, "MatSav" wrote:

Indeed. Our paths just may have crossed. Way, way, back in
1977/78, I worked as a "casual" Administration Assistant for
DHSS,

I was based at Canning Town office from 77-79- I also used to have to
open the post with the door locked behind me as it was quite odd what
people would put in our letterbox- I got used to dog mess but the
worse one was when someone poured a pint of milk in it on the night
before Good Friday so the box wasn't opened for 4 days-it had been a
warm few days and the smell was about the worse thing I have ever
smelt before or since.

Gross! I hope you were well-paid for that unpleasant task. (Dare I hope?)

Joyce

--
The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in
the morning feeling just terrible. -- Jean Kerr

On May 3, 1:14*pm, wrote:


Gross! I hope you were well-paid for that unpleasant task. (Dare I hope?)


Nope-then again you couldn't pay me enough! (Although more than what I
was getting at the time would have been a step in the right direction)

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Lesley wrote:

On May 3, 1:14?pm, wrote:

Gross! I hope you were well-paid for that unpleasant task. (Dare I hope?)

Nope-then again you couldn't pay me enough! (Although more than what I
was getting at the time would have been a step in the right direction)

I once had a job in a factory that put various liquids into aerosol cans
on an assembly line. The CFC gas (this was the 70s) was added to the can
in a separate room because of the possibility of a can being slightly
off-center. When that happened, the force of the gas being pushed into the
can would cause the liquid contents to be ejected from the can in a rather
spectacular fashion. Many of the products the company packaged weren't
safe to have spewing all over everyone. But one person had to stand in
"the gas room" (as it was called) to try to prevent these "explosions",
or to notify the foreman if one did happen, so they could stop the line.

I was assigned to the gas room on a few occasions, and did experience
one "explosion". Unfortunately, the product in question just happened to
be oven cleaner, which is very corrosive - and I got it all over me. Did
I mention this was in mid-summer, and I was wearing pretty minimal
clothing (shorts and a tank top)? Man, that stuff burned. I came running
out of the gas room and went straight for the bathroom to wash it off.
I got yelled at for not stopping to notify anyone about what had happened,
but I didn't care. My skin was more important to me! (I didn't get fired
for it, anyway.)

No, I wasn't very well-paid for that, either.

Joyce

--
The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in
the morning feeling just terrible. -- Jean Kerr

wrote in message
...
Lesley wrote:

On May 3, 1:14?pm, wrote:

Gross! I hope you were well-paid for that unpleasant task.
(Dare I hope?)

Nope-then again you couldn't pay me enough! (Although more than
what I
was getting at the time would have been a step in the right
direction)

I once had a job in a factory that put various liquids into
aerosol cans
on an assembly line. The CFC gas (this was the 70s) was added to
the can
in a separate room because of the possibility of a can being
slightly
off-center. When that happened, the force of the gas being pushed
into the
can would cause the liquid contents to be ejected from the can in
a rather
spectacular fashion. Many of the products the company packaged
weren't
safe to have spewing all over everyone. But one person had to
stand in
"the gas room" (as it was called) to try to prevent these
"explosions",
or to notify the foreman if one did happen, so they could stop the
line.

I was assigned to the gas room on a few occasions, and did
experience
one "explosion". Unfortunately, the product in question just
happened to
be oven cleaner, which is very corrosive - and I got it all over
me. Did
I mention this was in mid-summer, and I was wearing pretty minimal
clothing (shorts and a tank top)? Man, that stuff burned. I came
running
out of the gas room and went straight for the bathroom to wash it
off.
I got yelled at for not stopping to notify anyone about what had
happened,
but I didn't care. My skin was more important to me! (I didn't get
fired
for it, anyway.)

No, I wasn't very well-paid for that, either.

Joyce

That seems to be one of the life rules. Disgusting jobs really
don't pay all that well either.

Jo

"Adrian" wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On May 1, 12:10 pm, "Joy" wrote:
"Lesley" wrote in message

...
On May 1, 2:38 am, "Cheryl P." wrote:

I also have no desire or willingness to have cremains around the house
indefinitely,
It's the annual debate that comes up 2 weeks tomorrow for me. It's
come every year for the last 4 so this will be year 5. What to do with
mum's ashes?

The first year we kept them in storage at the undertakers but my
brother took them back on the 1st anniversary. I remember being quite
surprised that they came in what looked like a box you'd have boots
in- didn't think they'd be that small. The undertakers provided us
with a plain blue carrier bag and my brother wondered why they didn't
have an advert on the side! What like "Another successful
incineration by West and Coe funeral directors"? The ashes then spent
about a year sitting in the spare room of her old flat as my niece was
living there until the flat was sold when it was they were taken to my
brother's house and at last count are in the garage, apparently my SIL
doesn't mind and even sometimes talks to "mum" if she's in the garage
but I'd like them to be disposed of. The problem seems to be where?
The undertaker suggested somewhere that was important to her but none
of us has the cheek to ask the local bingo hall and the hospice whose
shop she volunteered in for over 10 years (she was still putting in
almost a full working week until 6 weeks before she died) explained it
is not their policy to allow ash scattering as it's not very nice for
the patients to look out the window and see that going on. The
crematorium (for a charge of course) can organise a scattering
service , which I wouldn't mind looking into but both my brothers seem
unconcerned

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

***

I recently went to a memorial service where the ashes were dumped into a
planter in the memorial rose garden at the church. My sister and her
husband took my mother's ashes to a place she particularly liked,
overlooking the ocean, and scattered them there.

I'd love to have my ashes scattered in Alice Springs, Australia (well,
outside the town, of course), but that isn't going to happen unless I
happen
to die while I'm there in September. If that can't be done, I don't
really
care what's done with them, as long as my kids are okay with it. I know
they won't want to keep them around.

Joy

Sorry, but I would never assume what other people would care to do
with
their loved ones' remains, in any form. Cremation is cheaper than
burial
of a comolete remains and many, me included, would want to spare my
next of kin that added expense.
I learned something in '93, when a young friend, only 23, died of
complications
from anorexia/bulimia. I have posted of her here before, but not
lately. Her
parents keep her cremains in a beautiful brass urn they keep in the
living room.
I call them yearly on the anniversary of her death, which they did not
cope with
very well....she was an only child who lived with them. Till that
happened I never
thought about much nor realized that that illness can kill you. Yeah,
it can.
They seem to receive a lot of comfort to bear her loss from that urn's
presence.
so handy to their daily lives. I remember Kim as she was when my
friend and the
many fun times we had but that is *me*, not them, and I would never
cricitize
anyone else for what they need to face loss, either of a hoomin or a
pet.
-------
When my mother died we put the box of ashes of her beloved border collie
Cassie in her coffin and had them buried with her. The dog only
pre-deceased her for a year, and mum could never decide what to do with
them.
Most of my dogs are buried in a quiet place in my garden but on a few
occasions when it was not possible I have three sets of ashes that will
go in along with me.

Tweed




One of my mother's cousins, when her first husband died his beloved cat
died a few days later, before the funeral. She persuaded the undertaker to
let her place the cat's body in the coffin with her husband so they could
be buried together. I don't know what the legal position would be but I
think she did the right thing.


I'm not sure of the legal position about putting dog's ashes in my mother's
coffin either but fortunately the undertaker was a great friend of my uncle
(her brother). When they were teenagers they used to have a jazz group and
practice in my grandfather's garage. It would have been the only undertaker
I would have trusted to leave her rings on and the opal earrings I bought
her for her birthday three months previously without stealing them.
So I was happy she was buried with them still on.
And with her dog.

Tweed

I pay an amount per month into Boyfie's account from my salary, and because
he's been healthy up to now, he has plenty for the future.
He did get bitten once by a norty cat but that's the only time I've had to
draw on it up until now.
The secret is to start up this bank account as soon as you get the cat.
Tweed




"Lesley" wrote in message
...
On May 3, 9:22 am, Marina wrote:
Most of
them seem to stop at around 8-10 years, which is exactly when cats often
start to develop more serious conditions.

Exactly- or if they do agree to insure the premiums go through the
roof (and they only do that for cats that have been insured by them
before) and the rules about "pre-existing" conditions gets applied
with great vigour
Just out on interest I just looked at one of these compare a quote
sites- I used Sarrasine, a 7-year old spayed female, chipped (well she
will be next week), no illnesses, didn't take insurance for if she got
lost, was put down as a result of illness or accident, hasn't been
involved in any legal cases, not been aggressive, up to date with
shots and did not insure for boarding fees if I were to end up in
hospital.

Well first of all the monthly charge varies from 3.79 to 30.35! And
remember I;d need to insure for 2 cats

Funnily enough the 2nd cheapest one offers 3K cover and the dearest
6K but the 2nd cheapest only allows a claim of 500 a year, which many
of us know perfectly well wouldn't be enough to cover one moderately
serious incident whereas the cheapest, which comes from the same
company as the second cheapest covers 10K and allows 2K a year for
vets bills - Despite my specifying nothing for boarding fees, death by
accident, death by illness and lost or stolen most include it but
some of the amounts are silly like 100 pounds for boarding fees. AA
insurance for example want 14.77 a month with max vets fees for the
duration of the cats life of 1K! (and no other benefits) or 26.36
for 3K (a friend of mine told me they were a rip off and he's damn
right!) they make a big thing about chucking in free legal advice and
a "find a vet" helpline....Hello I KNOW where my vet is! (call me
cynical but if I had to use a vet they'd approved first of all it
might not be my vet, secondly I might have to travel with a sick or
injured cat further than I want to and thirdly whilst most vets I am
sure are scrupulous as with KFC we know some of them aren't I would
always wonder if the vet called and said "It'll be 3K" and the
insurance people working out they pay 1K for death due to sickness/
injury and telling the vet to tell me "Sorry the kindest thing to do
is....") (Look at the end of the day they are a business and exist to
make a profit)

The most expensive was the Halifax but that does cover up to 6K of
vets bills a year with only a 75 quid excess and 1K for boarding fees,
death due to injury, illness or lost and stolen but then you read the
small print and the 6K is the total they'll pay out for the cats
life! Okay it means if something major needed to be done- they'll pay
up but let's say it cost 5K (and all these pet insurance adverts are
full of heart rending stories about a cat/dog that got hit by a car
(one of the questions they don't ask is "Are your cats inside only?")
and getting Fido/Tibbles back to health cost 4-5K and the owners would
have had to have their beloved Fido/Tibbles put to sleep but for their
insurance) for one thing you're then left hoping nothing much happens
to Fido/Tibbles for the rest of their life

The second most expensive (pennies difference from the Halifax) has a
maximum benefit for vet's fees of 7.5K than that's it
All the same that's 60.70 per month for 2 cats or just over 700 a year

the cheaper Halifax policy 17.18 a month- only allows 1K of vet bills
in any year

I must admit the basement bargain policy doesn't look bad 45.48 pounds
a year or so - a maximum of 10K over the cats lifetime in vet fees
with up to 2K a year claimable less 99 pounds excess every year-
nothing for boarding etc but I think I'd still save the money

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs