Things to look out for when buying pet insurance

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Pet insurance is there to give you peace of mind that if Tiddles, Rover or Cedric ever need to take a trip to the vet, the cost of any expensive treatment is covered, after all, your pets are part of your family. However there is more than one type of pet insurance on the market, so which one do you buy?

 

We have compiled a list of things you should take into account when buying pet insurance to ensure you buy the right level of cover to suit your requirements.
 
  1. Read the small print and compare prices. When comparing pet insurance you must read the small print as each insurer will differ in the health conditions they cover, the excess you will have to pay, the type of cover and the price. E,g, If you make a claim for a health problem, will that health problem be excluded for any future treatment?
  2. Check that the policy excess is affordable. If you have to make a claim on your policy you will be required to pay the excess to your insurer. The policy excess may change depending on the health condition you are claiming for and in some cases, a percentage of the fees may be charged which can run into hundreds of pounds.
  3. Ask whether the policy offers lifelong cover for each condition. Lifelong cover can be confusing as insurers use the term in different circumstances. Generally insurers use this term for an annual policy that will continue to pay out for ongoing health conditions for the life span of your pet, but you guessed it, this type of insurance is a more expensive option.

This is how it works:

There will be a set amount that the insurer will pay for each health condition and you will have to pay the excess each year for each condition, however it is the most comprehensive cover you can get for your pet.

Some insurers refer to their cover as lifelong however they actually offer the following:

  • Financially capped cover or annual cover - this means that there is a fixed total amount the insurer will pay out for a health condition and once this amount has been used up they will stop paying for that treatment and you will have to pay for all other treatment yourself.

  • Time capped cover or Individual cover – each new condition is only covered once under the policy and is then excluded from further being insured. If your pet has an ongoing condition you would have to pay for medical treatment for the rest of the pets life.

 

The advantage of these types of policies are that they are cheaper and any short term illnesses should be covered. The disadvantage is that if your pet is diagnosed with a long term illness you will run out of cover and it will be more expensive to insure your pet in the future if it has a known health condition.

 

  1. Check that the policy covers for Euthanasia or Death from accident or illness. A dreadful subject we know, but if you are in this situation the last thing you will want to be faced with is an astronomical vets fee. Not all insurers will cover for euthanasia however many will cover for death from an accident and some will cover death from illness. You will need to ask the insurer for more details about their exact level of cover.

  2. If you intend to travel with your pet check that travel insurance is included. The Pet Travel Scheme (PTS) allows pets from certain countries to travel to the UK without going into quarantine and it allows pets from the UK to travel to these countries and return without going into quarantine. To get a passport your pet will need to be checked and vaccinated by an authorised vet and it must have a microchip inserted. Only approved transport companies and authorised routes should be used. More information is available at DEFRA Pet Travel Scheme.

 

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