Pet Insurance
What is ‘cover for life’?
If your pet becomes ill, you need to ensure that no matter how long your pet requires treatment for that your insurance policy will continue to cover the cost of the treatment. Some insurance policies will only cover a condition for the 12 months of the policy. This means that if your pet is still unwell or has the same condition again after the policy year is over, despite renewing your policy, he/she will no longer be covered for the condition and you will have to pay any future costs. If you have a ‘cover for life’ policy and continue to renew the policy each year, your pet will be covered for an illness throughout its life.
What is an ‘excess’?
An excess is the amount of money that you will have to pay before your insurance company will start paying out for a claim. Typically this is around £75 but the amount can vary greatly. After the initial excess is paid your insurance company covers the remaining cost of the treatment. In some policies the owner may also be required to pay a percentage of the final bill as well as the excess.
Is there a limit to how much an insurance company will pay out for a claim?
Yes, there is a limit to how much an insurance policy will cover. This can range from £500 to £12,000 or more per condition. The advances in veterinary care mean that your pet could benefit from advanced life-saving treatment similar to what you may receive in hospital and this can become expensive. It is therefore worth considering how you might budget for an expensive bill if it was not fully covered by the insurance and ensuring you obtain enough cover to fit in with your budget.
What are ‘exclusions’ and ‘pre-existing conditions’?
In the terms of the policy there may be certain conditions that are not covered by the policy, these are called exclusions. Typically they are for illnesses or injuries that your pet has had before the policy started and are termed ‘pre-existing conditions’. Some policies also have an initial period where they will not pay for any illness that occurs during the first few weeks of a policy starting.
If you are changing policies or insurance company previous conditions will not be covered.
Will my insurance cover the cost of vaccinations and worming/flea treatments?
Typically insurance companies only cover the cost of illness and injury. This means they will not cover the cost of preventative health care such as vaccinations and worming etc. Some policies require that your pet is vaccinated yearly and will not pay for a claim if your pet is not up-to-date with his/her vaccinations. It is therefore important to check the terms of your policy. Illnesses that are due to normal ‘wear and tear’ such as dental disease may also not be covered so it is important to check these at the time of taking out your policy.
Are there any other benefits to having pet insurance?
As well as covering the cost of illness and injury, pet insurance policies may also cover the cost of theft or straying, third party liability, holiday cancellations and cremation costs.
Do all insurance companies offer the same policies at the same price?
There is a wide range in the cost of the insurance premiums, excesses and what they cover. Some insurance companies may offer a discount if you insure more than one pet with them. It is therefore worth comparing costs and cover provided by various insurance companies before deciding on a final policy.
The Swanbridge Veterinary Group, Tranby Lane, Swanland, HU143NG. Tel: 01482 633888, Fax: 01482 634 576, Email: