Why Insure?
Pet Insurance is one of the ways that, as a responsible pet owner, you can ensure that you are able to provide the necessary care for your pet throughout his/her life.
As well as helping to pay for Veterinary treatment, Pet Insurance policies often provide cover for other things such as kennelling should you be hospitalised, help with the costs of recovering a lost pet and cover should your pet cause damage to someone else’s property.
Advances in Veterinary science mean that our Vets are able to offer your pet increasingly sophisticated treatments to help keep them healthy and pain-free. However, some of these treatments can be expensive and for this reason we encourage all pet owners to take out Pet Insurance to cover against unexpected illness and injury. Having your pet insured allows you peace of mind when it comes to making decisions about your pet’s wellbeing.
Did You Know?
1 in 3 pets may require unexpected Veterinary treatment each year. Whilst advances in Veterinary Medicine mean we can do more for your pet, treatment costs can soon mount up. We suggest insurance to all our clients to help cover unexpected Vet’s bills.
You may be surprised to hear that you are more likely to claim on your Pet Insurance than your car or household policies (Allianz Insurance plc). In fact, in our experience, if you are one of the few people who does not need to claim on your Pet Insurance then you really are very lucky indeed!
Things You Should Check About Your Policy
Check the Policy Type: Some policies cover a condition for a year, others for the pet’s lifetime. Lifetime Policies have a new ‘pot’ of money to claim from every year, whereas 12-month policies only allow you to claim for a condition for one year, while others limit the claim to a fixed sum of money regardless of the time period.
Check the Policy Excess: This is the part of the claim which is payable by the policyholder and not the insurance company – all policies have an excess but the amount may vary between different companies and over time as your pet gets older. Your excess may also include a variable amount based on a % of the total invoice. Details of your excess will be found on your Insurance Certificate or Schedule.
Check the Policy Limit: Every policy has a limit on how much you can claim for Veterinary fees. This limit varies between companies and between policies. It is very important that you are aware of this limit as you will be liable for any expense incurred above this limit.
Check for Exclusions: Certain conditions may be exempt from insurance cover. This is often the case if you have moved from one insurer to another or if cover is taken out later in your pet’s life and your pet has pre-existing conditions. If you are unsure if your pet’s previous history will affect your current claim, you should contact your insurers beforehand and seek pre-approval for the treatment. Routine preventative health care such as vaccinations, food, flea and worm treatments, neutering, dental scale and polishing or services such as euthanasia and cremation or home visits are usually excluded from insurance cover.
Check the Monthly Premiums: How much will the policy cost you each month and how will it change as your pet gets older or after you have made a claim?
All insurance policies vary and although we are happy to help you making insurance claims, it remains your responsibility, as the policyholder, to check the level of cover that you have in relation to any treatment we agree to provide. The Insurance Contract exists between you and your insurance company and queries about your Policy should usually be directed to them.