How To Find The Best Pets Insurance Deal
The world of insurance is a complicated and confusing one. With a seemingly never-ending list of companies offering it, how do you know which one to choose? Well, for starters do not just pick one at random, if you are going to spend the money it is important to take the time and make sure you have the right policy for your pooch.
Taking out insurance for your pet can feel like a waste of money when you have a young and healthy animal, which is why many would still rather take the risk. But what do you do if the worst happens and your dog gets an illness or injury out of the blue and you can’t afford to do anything about it? It is estimated that almost half the nation’s dogs don’t have insurance; are these owners barking mad when vets fees – which can already be in the thousands – are continuing to rise?
It is important to be covered, but it is equally important to have the right cover at the right price. If something happens to your beloved pet you want to feel safe in the knowledge that your insurance will help you get through it and not have financial stress on top of worrying about your pup’s health.
A comparison site is the best place to start; here you can put in all your pet’s information and get quotes to help towards finding the right insurance for you. Policies vary massively between insurance providers, so whilst this is helpful, it is also important to bear a few things in mind to ensure you choose one to meet your pets needs:
Take it out early
Whether you get a newborn puppy from a private breeder or a slightly older dog from Freeads, the first thing you need to do is insure your pet whilst they are young and healthy. If you wait till they are older and have health problems you will find getting covered more difficult and expensive. Some insurers will only let you take out a new policy if your dog is under eight or nine years of age – even younger for some breeds.
Know the different types of cover
There are essentially three types of cover; basic, medium and high. Basic is ‘accident only’ or ‘time limited’. It is the most affordable but accident only doesn’t cover you for any illnesses or medical conditions that your pet may develop. Time limited will only pay out for a certain amount of time, if vet fees continue after this time, you must pay the costs. Medium or ‘maximum benefit’ is similar to time limited in that vet fees for each new condition are covered up to a financial limit, but it does not have a time restriction.
A ‘lifetime’ or high-level policy is the most comprehensive (but most expensive) and will cover most if not all vet treatments and fees regardless of the number of conditions, costs and time. Many companies also offer additional extras including liability, loss or theft and death by illness or accident. Ultimately it is in your best interests to choose a policy that pays out throughout your pet’s lifetime and that will cover conditions that need treatment year after year.
Excess
Most pets insurance companies do charge excess for claiming, but this can vary greatly between providers. The comparisons sites will show you what each company charges. Excess for pet insurance is static so changing it will not change your premium.
Breeds
Some breeds are known for specific health traits. Rottweilers are one of the most expensive dogs to insure based on their history of medical complaints. It may be worth asking a breeder’s association for recommendations based on this.
Where you live
Where you live can affect premiums largely due to the cost of veterinary treatment. A vet in Wales, for example, is likely to charge a lot less than one in London. Some insurers also make assumptions on quality of life based on your location.
As pets insurance depends on several factors it is important to take each individual dog into account when choosing which one to go with.
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