[Nickho]

Does anyone have experience of trying to get working dog insurance, in particular for sheep dogs, I have googled it and seem to find a number of forums that state there isn't much in the way of working dog insurance, or the premiums are high and that normal pet insurance wont cover working dogs. Insurers seem to be few and far between as well.

Rather frustrating so any advice or brokers that do working dog insurance would be great.

Many thanks.

[Moleskins]

Have you tried the NFU I can't imagine that with the cost of a sheep dog nobody offers insurance for them.

[shropshire_blue]

Ours is covered under our contents policy from NFU

[Nickho]

I'm waiting for a call from NFU to give me a quote, I just cant believe they are the only ones or there are only one or two that specifically cover working dogs. After many trawls through the internet most pet insurance quotes don't cover a dog being used as part of a business i.e. sheep dogs, sniffer dogs, rescue dogs etc.

[SallyintNorth]

Please let us know how you get on with the NFU, Nicko.  We have farm insurance with them, and I asked our rep about veterinary insurance for the working collies but couldn't get him to offer a quote, from which I concluded it must be ludicrously expensive for collies working on a hill farm. 

[YorkshireLass]

My colleague has petplan, but when I looked around the insurance was over £1k

[Calvadnack]

The NFU refused to insure my flatcoat puppy when I told the rep I was considering working him when he was older.  I didn't expect the NFU of all people to just turn us down, otherwise I wouldn't even have mentioned it.

[kaz]

Has anyone tried the Kennel Club? I know lrmsliabilityplus.co.uk offer working dog insurance as I just googled that company.

[Nickho]

lrmsliability cover liability and not illness etc. I asked for a quote from them and they replied at what level of liability I wanted>

[Bramblecot]

I could never get insurance for my working police dogs (because I was not the owner).  By the time they retired the cost was ludicrous and they had pre-existing conditions ,  - so I just always foot the bill.

[st2020]

 Sorry rather late post but it might be worth trying Cliverton Insurance Brokers. I have a Explosive Detection Dog and had similar issues with no one covering a working dog, inc NFU Cliverton have covered him for about £230 though cover is much more limited than pet cover.

I agree it is mad, I think that a working dog is much less lightly to suffer ailments than a unfit overfed pet!

[SteveHants]

Do you think the pet insurers check the collie works? I'm sure a vet who liked to see his bills paid would back up your 'its a pet collie, honest' story.....

[doganjo]

In my opinion dogs that work occasionally should be classed as pets.  Only those working almost every day can be classed as working dogs.

[Mrs Snoodles]

I went to a working dog injury seminar earlier on this year by a vet who had carried out a fairly ind depth study with a large sample base. Basically, injuries for shoot dogs are roughly 25%. 

I wonder how pet insurance classifies working tests?

[doganjo]

Working tests are no less dangerous than trials/shoot days/rough shooting/falconry.  Dogs run the same ground and risks, apart from the minimal risk of being shot.  They'd have to be among really bad shots for that to happen - or look like a fox without a tail like Allez