National Society

Having a pet can be a very rewarding experience, but whether the owner is a dog person, a cat person or a reptile enthusiast, keeping a pet is a big responsibility. Pets can also be expensive and quite often people do not consider the fact that they not only need regular feeding, but also their health needs to be taken care of. Vets’ bills, depending on the problem at hand, can be enormous. For a pet that needs regular treatment due to illness or injury the costs can escalate to sometimes unmanageable proportions. This is where pet insurance comes to the rescue.

Taking out insurance on a pet means just a small monthly premium, but the policy will cover many of the medical expenses required to keep the animal fit and healthy. Each policy will be different and some companies may cover treatments others will not, so it is wise to shop around to ensure the correct insurance policy is purchased.

Opting for pet insurance means peace of mind for any pet owner, particularly when times are tight financially within the household. Having to pay for unexpected veterinary bills when a household budget is already stretched to the limit can cause massive problems for any family. The stress and worry about how to manage the cost of animal care is one of the main reasons people take out pet insurance.

There are many reliable insurance companies available, but for anyone unsure of which to use, discussing the issue with their vet is a good idea. They may be able to recommend an insurance company they know to be reliable.

There are various types of pet insurance policies that can be taken out, just as with human life insurance policies.  There are two types of policy: a lifespan policy or a limited time policy. The limited time plan will cover the animal for a pre-fixed amount of time, typically a year, and it has to be renewed for the following year to cover treatment if the pet requires it.  The lifespan policy covers an animal for the rest of its life as long as the policy is renewed. This will cover the costs of treatments up to a certain financial limit that the policy will provide (until it is renewed).
    
The type of policy depends on the owner and pet’s specific needs.  Owners must first check to make sure that their pet will be covered by a plan, as some exotic animals and smaller animals, such as rabbits or guinea pigs, may not be insurable.  Cats and dogs are the most common animals that insurance companies will definitely cover.  The policy will vary depending on the animal. Lifelong cover may set a limit on the age the animal will live to.  Cats generally live slightly longer than dogs so the number of years they will be covered for is more than for dogs.

What is covered depends on the policy.  Some plans will include the costs of treating a pet if it becomes ill abroad, some will cover the actual cost of your pet if it dies unexpectedly, and some will even cover the cost of any holidays cancelled if your pet needs emergency treatment preventing you from going on that holiday.  The latter may only be covered if your family travels regularly and you are therefore unable to leave the animal at home with a sitter or at a kennel. Some plans may only cover emergency medical treatments and not routine events such as vaccinations and health checks.

Illnesses or incidents that are usually not covered by insurance policies may include anything that occurred before the insurance plan was taken out, pregnancy or birth, and, as before, any routine events such as nail clipping or flea removal. This will have to be thoroughly researched by enquiring with Insurance companies or searching to internet to make sure your plan will cover everything that you require.

Pet insurance is becoming increasingly popular, especially in the UK.  It is particularly beneficial due to the rising costs of pet healthcare and this includes unexpected veterinary bills.  There are various insurance companies to choose from and even leading supermarket chains are offering pet insurance.  It is best to compare prices according to what your priorities are, whether it is an accident plan you want or lifelong cover for your pet.  There are several reasons why it is beneficial to have a pet insurance plan in place. Some of these are discussed here.

Emergencies

Emergency treatment for an animal is expensive and can cause worry if the owners are not particularly financially well placed.  An unexpected illness may occur which needs a trip to the vet.  If an insurance plan has been put in place it will usually cover the animal for any emergency treatment it may need (subject to excess).  

Accidents

As with emergency illnesses, unexpected accidents may occur such as an animal may be involved in a car accident or incur injuries from another animal.  An accident insurance plan will cover for any indoor or outdoor injuries that may occur and often will include any long-term ailments due to a previous injury.  This is also an important plan for older animals, as they are more likely to have accidents due to old age.  For example, a short-sighted animal may walk out into a road and be hit over by a car.     

Preventing Financial Hardship

Unexpected illnesses may cost a lot of money to treat in the long term, particularly sustained illness and diseases such as diabetes or heart problems.  This will result in constant medical bills and may put a strain on your finances. Insurance plans for pets only incur a monthly payment and, as long as they are renewed, will provide a certain amount of funding to cover these recurrent costs.  This will work out cheaper in the long term and families are less likely to suffer financial hardship due to the costs of medical treatments for their animals.  

Preventing Animals Being Put to Sleep

If financial hardship does occur due to the lack of a pet insurance plan, there may be an incident where treating an animal for an illness may not be affordable.  In some cases, this may result in the pet being put to sleep instead of being cared for; this is especially distressing for the family.  Pet insurance plans will cover any such costs of treatment.  Doing some research into the types of plans available and their cost, also helps in deciding which suits the animal and the owner best.

Many pet insurers will only offer policies for cats and dogs, but there are some who will insure horses, guinea pigs, rabbits or even exotic animals such as snakes and lizards. If you want to insure an animal that is not a cat or dog, it is worth finding insurance companies that specialise in pet insurance. They are more likely to have a policy to suit your animal.

Your pet must usually meet certain requirements when you take out insurance for it. Firstly, there is usually an age limit since older pets are more prone to medical problems. For cats the maximum age is usually ten years, and for a dog seven years. If the pet has a pre-existing medical condition, it may be refused insurance altogether, or the policy may exclude the condition and will not pay out if the pet requires treatment for the pre-existing condition.

Pedigree animals can be insured but the premium will be far higher than for non-pedigree pets, for two reasons. Firstly, pedigree pets are prone to inherit medical genetic conditions and are more likely to need expensive treatment. Secondly, pedigrees are expensive to buy and if they are lost, stolen or unexpectedly die, the insurer will have to pay out a larger sum in order to cover the cost of purchase.

Bear in mind that the breed, age and medical history of the animal will affect the cost of the premium and level of cover required. Most pets can be insured, but check that you are taking out a policy that adequately covers you and your pet before you buy.

Insuring your pet is an important part of pet ownership, as you need to ensure that you are financially prepared for any costs that may occur related to your pet. These costs are typically associated with veterinary fees through illness or accident. Pet insurance can not only be taken out when the animal is young (although this is advisable) but it can be taken out for older animals too – although the premium may be higher. It is always preferable to get cover as soon as possible for a young animal, but if this isn’t possible the option of insurance is still available.

Pet insurance can pay for the majority of vet fees incurred for illness and accidents, reducing financial stress in these instances and also allowing the best treatment for your pet to be an affordable option.  There are also pet insurance options available on the market that provide cover beyond the pet itself, taking into consideration additional eventualities. This can include the cost of advertising and the reward for a missing pet, accommodating a pet whilst the owner is ill and incapable of caring for the pet them selves, and can even extend to cover costs incurred by your pet such as damage to property. 

There are many levels of pet insurance cover available on the market to suit the owner’s exact needs. Online methods are a quick way to source a range of quotes and can also provide the option of instant cover, which can be very useful. In general pet insurance has a low premium so it can be easy to get exactly what you need in terms of cover for a reasonable price.

Owning a pet is a serious commitment and it doesn’t matter what type of animal it is. A dog is for life, as the saying goes, and the same is true for any pet. Looking after a pet takes time, dedication and, perhaps above all, money.

Apart from the money required to feed a pet and provide other basic needs like a basket or a cage, leads and collars, the most expensive aspect of owning a pet will be the bills for veterinary treatment. This is why pet insurance should be a very serious consideration for anyone deciding to have a pet, and it will be important to explore all the possibilities in the market place to ensure that the very best insurance policy is chosen.

There are many places where pet insurance policies can be sourced. Online sites are a straightforward way of getting the required information, and comparison sites for insurance can be very useful. Insurance policies for pets vary in relation to the type of pet owned, the sort of cover required, and often the age of the pet, especially if it is a first time insurance policy.

It is vital to ensure that the cover offered by an insurance company is going to provide reassurance that the pet will be cared for in any eventuality. There are many options that can be decided upon in consultation with the insurance company. A vet will also be very useful to talk to as they will know what the most common problems are for various animal species.

It is worth taking time and doing some careful research when exploring the best type of insurance for a pet. There are many good providers of pet insurance, but not all policies are the same and it is important to ensure that a policy is fit for the purpose and at a premium that can be afforded.

Always study a pet insurance proposal carefully before making a final decision, and it is sensible to do some shopping around to compare policies and premiums. It is easy to overlook the fact that although some prices will be lower than others, the policies may not cover exactly what is required. For example, insuring an exotic animal is very different to insuring a gerbil. Discounts and other types of incentives can often be found and these offers can be very worthwhile, but once again it is very important to check that the appropriate type of cover is going to be provided for the pet.

It may be much more difficult to insure a pet if it is relatively old. This will, of course, depend on the type of pet to be covered and it is worth checking with various providers what their regulations are. The safest way to ensure that the pet’s needs are met and are not a financial drain on the owner if illness, accident or a long term debilitating condition occurs is to insure at the earliest stage possible. Most providers will then continue providing cover for the whole life of the pet.

Owning a pet costs more than just the initial expense of food bowls, collars, and leads.  Vet bills can mount up very quickly.  There is nothing worse than worrying about your pet’s health, and not being able to afford the cost of veterinary services.  Even if your pet is healthy, there is always the possibility of injury, which could result in your pet requiring stitches, antibiotics, or x-rays.  .

Pet insurance helps you manage the financial cost of owning a pet.  Pet insurance policies require payment of a monthly premium, as well as an excess, a portion of a bill that you agree to pay, before claiming from the insurer.  Paying this small amount each month does mean that, should your pet be injured or become unwell, the treatment costs will be covered.

As well as helping with the cost of emergency veterinary treatment, some pet insurance companies offer cover for pets with ongoing health problems, such as arthritis or diabetes.  Others policies help with the cost of kennels, or cattery accommodation, should the pet owner need to go into hospital.  There are also some policies that cover the cost of advertising should the pet go missing.

Pet owners know how worrying it is to have an animal that is unwell, and many will appreciate the financial concerns as veterinary bills mount.  Anyone thinking of getting a pet should consider the lifelong costs of pet care.  Pet insurance is certainly an option for managing pet health expenses.

When selecting pet insurance for your pet there are two main methods you can use.  You can call different insurance companies for a quote over the telephone, or you can search online.  Searching online tends to be the most popular choice, simply because it is easy and can be done at any time of the night or day. 

When you carry out a search or speak to the company you must ensure that you give them all the correct information.  The slightest wrong detail could lead to any claim being refused at a later date.  The correct details will also ensure that you get an accurate quote for your insurance.

It is important to compare the different policies that are on the market.  You can do this easily by using one or more of the several comparison websites on the internet.  Comparison websites list different policies side by side so that you can compare the price, conditions and benefits of each one.  This way you can ensure that you get the policy which most closely matches your criteria.

Checking the terms and conditions of each policy is essential.  Some policies will cover pets for pre-existing conditions, although there are normally limitations on the amount that can be claimed.  Most policies will not cover pets for pre-existing conditions, so if your pet has any health issues then this could affect the terms and conditions of the policy.

It believed that there are over six million cat owners in the UK.  That equates to a lot of cats and the numbers for dogs will probably be up there as well.  This equates to a large market, one that insurance companies are happy to cater for by providing policies.  Many owners question the worth of pet insurance, but with the price of vet treatment soaring it is worth checking out a few aspects of covering your non-human family members before taking the plunge.

More people are spending money on pets, but in these times of economic austerity it may be a more difficult decision than before.  As with many other types of insurance, what is and is not covered varies hugely.  Some plans cover way more than vet visits; there are boarding costs, advertising and reward costs in case your pet goes missing or is pet-napped, even holiday cancellation in case your pet becomes ill.  Many do not cover pregnancy, vaccination or spaying and neutering, but it is important to check with the provider.  One other common exclusion is pre-existing conditions.

The devil is in the proverbial detail and the fine print on such policies is no exception.  The small print needs to be read carefully before signing any policy.  Some stipulate that your pet must be vaccinated every year.  Certain exotic and rare breeds may not be covered; even so called dangerous breeds of dog might be excluded.  Age is also an important factor as premiums are lower for younger animals.