My pedigree Lab, Trigger, developed bad elbows as a pup. These days breeders check for that defect but 14 years ago they did not. He had two lots of surgery and lifetime painkillers.
Kennel club was more expensive than other pet insurers, but when we needed to claim, they just sorted everything out and paid the lions share of his operation costs, including a third operation when he was 10, that cost nearly £2000.
We are insuring our new three year old Lab with Kennel Club. We have never made a claim, but it gives us complete security.