A guide to pet insurance

 

Pets are valued members of many people’s families, so ensuring they are well looked-after in the event of the worst occurring is important. Vets bills are not to be sniffed at, and have a tendency to hit us in the wallet without much warning. So, to avoid any nasty shocks, it’s advisable to invest in a pet insurance policy.

 

However, pet insurance doesn’t just cover the cost of vets bills: it will also provide cover if your pet is lost or stolen. Injury caused by your pet to third parties can also be covered, particularly useful if you leave your pet with a walker or pet sitter. This does not, however, apply to cats as they are deemed ‘free spirits’. That means that owners are not responsible for their actions!

 

Insurance is also useful if you leave your pets in the care of kennels, catteries and so forth whilst holidaying at home or abroad. The policy, in some cases, will cover the cost of cutting short your trip in the case of your pet being injured or falling seriously ill whilst in the care of others, or even cover the money you’ve lost on cancelling your holiday.

 

Pet insurance isn’t restricted to just cats and dogs, either. You can even get pet insurance for rabbits, birds, rodents, snakes and lizards. In fact, you can insure pretty much any pet, within reason.

 

So, what options are available?

 

There are usually three different sorts of insurance options available for pet owners, with various options on each.

 

These are as follows:

 

  A set period policy

The least expensive option. Bear in mind that if a pet is in the course of a program of treatment when the policy concludes, it will no longer be covered, even if it is renewed.

 

A limited cover per condition policy

This type of insurance will cover medical conditions up to a certain sum. Anything above will be the owner’s liability. It may not provide complete protection in the event of an ongoing illness.  

A full lifetime policy

This type of policy will cover a pet through the course of its life – provided it isn’t cancelled – with a cover limit every year. It’s the most expensive insurance option, but one which will provide pet owners with the most peace of mind.  

Further information Older pets (insurers normally regard cats and dogs aged eight years old and above to be ‘senior’ animals) attract higher premiums. Pedigree or rare breeds are also more expensive to insure due to their value to thieves, along with susceptibility to medical conditions.  

How to save on your pet insurance

Shopping around for the best deal can help get you a reduced premium. If your policy is up for renewal, and providing your pet isn’t in the middle of treatment, a cheaper policy might be found elsewhere. An easy way to do this is through a comparison website. They allow you to quickly and easily browse lots of quotes from many different insurers to see which policies offer the right price, and importantly, the level of cover that’s right for you. Some insurers will also offer an online discount due to the lower overheads of internet transactions. And if you’re able to, paying for your policy in a one-off annual sum rather than instalments will bypass interest payments. You should also consider agreeing to a higher excess (the contribution you pay towards any claim), which will make your policy cheaper. However, it should always be kept at a level you can afford.

 

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