Recent research shows that around 6 out of 10 households are homes to at least one cat or dog. That’s pretty definitive proof that we are a nation of animal lovers.
Consequently, the market for pet insurance products has exploded which can make it hard to find the best provider for you. Pet insurance is a significant purchase for every responsible pet owner that can save heaps of money should anything happen to your animal.
In this article, we take a closer look at one insurance provider in particular in comparison with others: Bought by Many. We hope that this will provide you with enough information to find the best pet insurance provider for your own needs.
Bought by Many is a relative newcomer to the pet insurance market, having entered the scene in 2012. However, the brand has achieved a great deal of awareness due to clever marketing that has made Bought by Many a strong contender among pet owners.
Bought by Many claim to provide an ‘owner-friendly’ service, creating plans that provide covers where other providers don’t. One example is cover for pre-existing conditions and another, a money-back policy if no claims are made.
Table of Contents
About Bought by Many Pet Insurance Policies
There are five different Lifetime cover options with Bought by Many, together with a Liability Only policy.
These are the five Lifetime Options:
- Complete: £15,000 Lifetime cover, including cover for dental illness
- Regular: £7,000 Lifetime cover, with an option to pay no excess
- Money Back: £7,000 Lifetime cover, 20% of premiums paid back each year that a claim isn’t made
- Pre-existing: £7,000 of Lifetime cover, including pre-existing conditions
- Value: £3,000 Lifetime cover for those on a tight budget
Lifetime Limit Pet Insurance Explained
The majority of providers offer Lifetime Annual Limit policies, which allow you to claim up to a set amount each year and re-set on an annual basis. If you choose to have more than one pet included on the same policy, you’ll get a 15% discount on the premiums but the limit will apply to all pets covered.
One lifetime policy that is relatively unique to Bought by Many is its pre-existing conditions plan. This is specifically designed to cover your pet if it has been treated for any condition within 24 months of making the first application. However, something to note when applying for this policy is that Bought by Many will only cover a pet on its pre-existing policy if they have not received treatment, medication or advice for 3 months prior to making the application.
Bought by Many Pet Insurance and Pre-Existing Conditions
There are a few aspects of Bought by Many policies that make the provider stand out from others. These include such things as euthanasia cover, free unlimited video calls with a vet available 24/7 and the inclusion of pets with pre-existing conditions. Many of the customer reviews we saw said that the video helpline gave them huge peace of mind when they were dealing with difficult events involving their animal friends.
Pet cover for animals with pre-existing conditions is quite hard to come by as the vast majority of providers do not offer this service. This places Bought by Many pet insurance in a very small niche of providers as they are one of the few exceptions to this rule. On the whole, most providers will not provide cover at all for an animal with pre-existing injury or illness or if they do, it’s so basic as to be pointless.
Bought By Many Customer Reviews
When considering any insurance product, it’s always a great idea to find out what existing customers have to say. We’ve searched around the internet to find some to give you a better idea if Bought by Many is any good as a pet insurance provider.
This one is from TrustPilot and refers to the reasonable cost of Bought by Many pet insurance:
“I was with Morethan pet insurance and every year they increased their premiums. This year they wanted £1312, but enough is enough. I didn’t think another company would insure me because I had made a claim in 2018, but I decided to have a look around online. I found Bought by Many and they gave me the same amount of cover, with £350 less excess for £585. So I have gone with them.”
Another review focuses on Bought by Many’s efficiency at dealing with claims:
“Unfortunately we have had to make a claim due to our pup being poorly but I can not recommend Brought by Many enough. They kept us updated throughout the whole process and paid with no problems whatsoever. So easy to deal with. Great company.”
One reviewer on petinsurancereviews.co.uk highlighted a potential drawback of Bought by Many’s pre-existing illness policy:
“Having submitted a very uncomplicated claim I have had to chase and chase this claim. They confirmed all info was received 8 weeks ago. I asked for a call back from manager on the phone number associated with my account and then they want you to confirm who you are. Beyond irritating. If I could leave I would but now my dog has a pre-existing condition it’s not so easy.”
Generally speaking, Bought by Many has more positive customer reviews than negative ones, with 83% of reviewers awarding the provider with 5 stars on feefo alone. However, something that could be an issue is if you have a pet with a pre-existing injury or illness and you’re unhappy with the service Bought by Many provides.
Bought By Many Excess
There is a standard rate of excess on all Bought by Many policies, which is currently set at £69, (plus 20% of claims beyond the age of 9). The pre-existing policy has a fixed excess of £99 (+ 20% of claims at age 9), and the Regular plan has a no excess option although that is reflected in the cost of the premium.
Bought by Many also offers an option to pay more than £99 excess or co-pay 20% of vet bills for pets younger than 9, which both reduce the price of premiums by a nominal amount each month.
There isn’t an upper age limit for pet insurance with Bought by Many policies and the complete range of Lifetime plans are available even when your pet is older when you first apply.
The excess options together with the pre-existing conditions policy is definitely a boon for owners of older pets. That said, it is worth having a contingency fund because you are much more likely to be paying more towards vet costs than if your pet was younger.
As your cat or dog gets older, they become increasingly vulnerable to health problems. The way Bought by Many structures its excess means that they expect you to contribute more to the cost of care as your animal ages. For younger animals, the 20% contribution doesn’t apply, which very often means you can save money with Bought by Many.
Bought By Many Prices and Quote Comparison
In terms of cost, Bought by Many is one of the cheapest providers around. However, that doesn’t always mean that you’re getting as good a service as another more expensive provider. It’s always worth checking the policy documents to find out exactly what you’re getting for your money before making a commitment to a trusted pet insurance provider.
The fact that different insurance providers have varied features, coverage levels and excess amounts makes it hard to draw direct comparisons. However, research shows that as an average across all policies, Bought by Many is around 26% cheaper than other providers in the UK market.
Bought By Many Claims Process
There is a simple online claims process with Bought by Many pet insurance cover, which involves just a few clicks to complete. When making a claim, you should have your vet’s details to hand together with the amount you are claiming for and a photo of the relevant itemised invoiced.
From the point of initiating a claim, Bought by Many make contact with your vet and keep you in the loop by texting regular updates. There is a telephone number customers can also use if they encounter a problem as the claim progresses.
Bought by Many allows for claims up to a year after the injury or illness was caused. This compares advantageously with other pet insurance providers, with many requiring claims to be submitted individually, even if your animal requires ongoing treatment. Some insurance providers have a window for submitting claims of as little as 60 days.
Types of Bought By Many Policies
There are two tiers of cover on offer from Bought by Many – Lifetime and Accident Only. Generally speaking, lifetime policies offer better protection against the potential cost of recurring or chronic illnesses or injuries during your pet’s life.
Bought by Many offers six different types of policy designed to take care of a variety of needs. They offer plans ranging from budget to premium and even one that offers money back if there is no problem with your pet’s health. Here is exactly what Bought by Many policies offer pet owners:
Bought By Many’s Complete Policy
This is the highest-tier policy providing the most comprehensive cover of up to a vet fee limit of £15k including dental expenses (as a result of accident or injury), lost or stolen cover and £2,500 for overseas travel with your pet.
Bought By Many Regular
This plan pays to a UK registered vets fee limit of £7,500 each year and if your pet is younger than nine, you have the option of no excess which is reflected in your premiums.
Bought By Many Money Back
You get 20% of the premiums you have paid back every year that you don’t have to make a claim on your pet insurance. According to customer reviews, the payout is on average £69. The Money Back policy provides lifetime vet fee cover of up to £7k annually.
Accident-Only Insurance
Bought by Many offers an accident-only policy that provides a fixed amount of cover ONLY for any accidents your pet may have. This policy doesn’t cover on-going, pre-existing or one-off illnesses and if you have a young pet, an accident-only policy can be prohibitively expensive should they develop any health conditions. This is possibly the cheapest pet insurance solution but requires consideration before opting for an accident-only policy.
Bought By Many Pre-Existing Conditions
If you have an older pet or a cat or dog with a health issue you are aware of when you apply for pet insurance, you need a specific policy for that type of cover. You’ll get £500 of cover for pre-existing health conditions as long as they have NOT been receiving treatment or advice for 3 months prior to applying. If you do not make a claim within 3 years of holding this type of policy, you can change your policy to another in the Bought by Many range.
In Summary…..
Bought by Many vet fee cover is competitively priced and offers a comprehensive range of cover plans. The provider is particularly known for accepting older pets and those with existing health conditions, where other insurers don’t. One aspect of the pre-existing policy that proved popular was the fact you can change your policy to another in the range should your pet not require treatment for a period of 3 years.
Generally speaking, Bought by Many pet insurance policyholders seem to be very happy with the excellent service they’re provided with. A high percentage of the Bought by Many pet insurance review sites we found praised Bought by Many’s simple and efficient claims process and also the fact vets are paid directly. This represents a considerable saving when making a claim, particularly for ongoing or chronic illness or injury.
Another unique offering from Bought by Many is it’s moneyback policy, which returns 20% of the premiums you’ve paid if your pet remains healthy and without injury for the year. In fact one of Bought by Many’s key selling points is that it offers a good variety of pet insurance policies to suit every budget.
FAQs
Who underwrites Bought by Many pet insurance?
Bought by Many entered the insurance arena in 2012, launching their own brand of pet policies after five years in the business. Bought by Many policies are underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance SE which is part of Munich Re, a leading global provider of reinsurance, primary insurance and insurance-related risk solutions. Bought by Many is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, (FCA). Bought by Many has been awarded the Platinum Trusted Service Award.
Will Bought by Many pay my vet directly?
Yes. This means that you won’t be settling your vet bills and then waiting around for reimbursement payments. Bought by Many has a policy of paying claims based on the actual cost of the care required, rather than making an assessment of how much they think it should cost.
How good is Bought by Many pet insurance
As our research on customer reviews showed, Bought by Many delivers a positive customer experience more often than not. Although we found some criticisms in the claims process, particularly for pets with pre-existing conditions, around 70% of customers reviewing Bought by Many pet insurance gave at least a four star recommendation.
Does Bought by Many offer multi-pet discounts?
Yes, Bought by Many offers a 15% multi-pet discount if you include more than one cat or dog on the same pet insurance policy.
Is pet insurance really worth the money?
Owning a pet is a big responsibility that we take very seriously. It makes sense that there are likely to be health issues or accidents involving your pets at some stage in the future. There really isn’t any better peace of mind than knowing that the cost is covered should the worst happen to your beloved pet. Most pet insurance policies offer free 24/7 support for customers so that you can quickly get to a professional in case of emergency.
