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pet insurance basics

Have you thought about Pet Insurance for your Pet?

Some treatment for Pets such as a broken leg can cost up to £1,000. When you are dealing with these kind of costs Pet Insurance looks a good buy.

Recent research has shown that 15% of dog owners have had to raid their own savings in order settle their pet bills.

Britain's dog owners spend more than £800 million on vet’s fees each year and almost a quarter of dog owners struggle to pay vet’s fees.

Owners face an average bill of £154 a year for treatment to their best friends. These fees have forced dog owners to take drastic action leaving seven per cent with no option but to put down their sick dog according to new research from Direct Line.

Unfortunately there is no NHS for Pets, this means shopping around for a Pet Insurance Policy.

Pet Insurance usually covers:

* Vets fees: This includes surgery, hospitalisation and treatment as a result of accident or illness.

* Third Party Public Liability and Accidental Damage: This provides up to £1 million protection in case your pet causes injury or damage to someone else or to their property.

* Boarding kennel/cattery fees: Apart from boarding fees when necessary, this can also provide home care if you are hospitalised for more than three days.

* Death from illness and loss by theft or straying: Insurer will recompense you up to the current market value or the original cost of the pet if it dies or go missing. Your pet may have to be under eight for this to apply.

* Holiday cancellation costs: If your pet has to have emergency surgery within 14 days of your holiday departure date or whilst you are away, any costs incurred will be covered by the insurer.

* Advertising and reward: If your pet gets lost, local advertising and a reward will be covered.

* Pet psychologist, counselling and alternative therapies: Some comprehensive polices cover the cost of pet psychologists, pet owner counselling and alternative therapies for pets such as acupuncture, homeopathy.

There are a great deal of difffent Pet Insurance policies on the internet. There are different types of policies depending on the type, age and breed of your pet.

When you are shopping about for Pet Insurance, please consider the following points:

* Pedigree breeds are generally more expensive to insure than ordinary or mongrel animals. Non-pedigree breeds tend to live longer and are healthier than pure breeds. Research has shown that owners who have pedigree pets are more likely to claim on their policies.

* Upper age limits. The older your pet is, the more likely it is to require medical attention and so the insurance will cost more. Most insurers will only provide cover when your pet is under 8 or 9 years old for dogs and under 10 for cats. If your pet is already insured and reaches this age then the insurer will continue to insure the animal but usually at an increased premium. Insure your pet from a young age and it is likely to be insured for life.

* Read the small print. Check limits on vets fees and excesses. You could find that you are required to pay too high a proportion of the vet’s bill to make the policy worthwhile.

* Some insurers offer different levels of cover. Make sure you understand what you have paid for.

* Check how claim payouts are managed. Some insurers pay out on a ‘per condition’ basis where pet owners can make claims up to a defined limit for each different condition. Other insurers may pay out on a ‘per year’ basis where insurance providers impose a ceiling on the total payouts per year.

* Insurers can limit the payment of a claim to a year. This is not good if your pet requires treatment over a long period e.g. arthritis, eczema, diabetes. Once a year has passed you will have to foot the bill for any treatment yourself.

Alternatively there is the ‘no limit system’ where a claim is logged and can be ongoing for many years. This is good if your pet contracts a lifelong condition.

Pre-existing medical conditions may be excluded from your policy.

Keep vaccinations up to date. Insurers can refuse to pay out if a claim results from an illness that would have been prevented by vaccination.

Pet insurance policies also have some common exclusions, including:

* Payment for the cost of routine vaccinations, worming, flea control

* Cost of any treatment not directly related to illness

* Fees incurred from spaying or castration

* Cost of having your pet put to sleep or cremated

With that in mind have a look at our Pet Insurance providers and find the best quotes on Pet Insurance for your Pet.

Related Sites of Interest

Direct Line
Marks and Spencer Pet Insurance