Why should I insure my pet?

1. There is no state support for veterinary medicine; it is essentially private healthcare that reflects the true cost of medical equipment, facilities, drugs and expertise.
2. Veterinary treatment for your pet is usually unexpected and without pet insurance your decisions might be compromised by cost factors. Insurance enables you and your vet to choose the best treatment option for your pet, regardless of cost.
3. If your pet is injured, for example in a car accident, it is a distressing time. This affects your decision making. Insurance removes the anxiety of the cost implications of your decisions. It is one less thing to worry about at a difficult time.
4. Advances in veterinary medicine are astounding. Hip replacements are widely available; life saving procedures that were unthinkable even a few years ago are now feasible; management of relatively common problems like Diabetes have improved drastically, extending the expectation for survival from 1-2 years to many years; drugs for controlling chronic conditions such as heart problems, arthritis, skin problems, are better than ever. But…. progress comes at a price; pet insurance gives you the options for the most up to date treatments.
5. Whilst less dramatic, chronic problems are often the most expensive. Ongoing treatment in the form of check-ups, blood tests and drugs can really add up. Skin problems, ear infections, tummy upsets etc; simple conditions can sometimes require lifelong treatment.
6. We strongly recommend pet insurance and suggest you simply ask yourself: “Can I afford not to?” An cat or dog injured in by a car, sustaining internal damage and/or broken bones can often be restored to full health, but the eventual cost can be several thousand pounds.

What are the pitfalls?

• Not all policies are the same. We are not allowed to recommend insurance providers but we can answer many of your questions. Also talk to friends,  contact a reputable broker, use the internet, especially consumer sites.  Breeders often release their puppies with a short (6 week) period of cover. Whilst it is simple to extend this into full cover, it is always worth checking other providers.
• Most policies will not cover a problem that starts within two weeks of the commencement of the policy date.
• Policies do NOT cover routine procedures such as spaying or castrating.
• Dental procedures are NOT always covered. It depends on the insurance company and the nature of the problem.
• Most insurance companies allow you to present a “pre-authorisation” claim; this enables you to find out whether a condition will be covered.
• Some policies will only cover a specific problem for twelve months. This may not sound a big deal, but chronic, lifelong problems are common in dogs and cats. eg skin conditions, arthritis, heart problems and the cost of treatment can be very high. A good quality anti-inflammatory drug for a 30 kg Labrador will cost £45 per month. With the minmum, legally required two check-up a year, that’s £630 per year. It is not unusual for such a case to require treatment over 5 years; that’s a minimum of £3150 !!
• All policies will levy an excess; this is usually a fixed amount per condition or a percentage of the total cost. With older pets, you might have to pay a combination of the two.
• Some policies require that your pet has an annual vaccination.

Be aware of the pitfalls and small print, ensure you understand the extent and nature of your cover and please, please phone us for help if you are not sure about any aspect of insuring your pet. We advise you select a policy that provides lifelong cover with either an unlimited amount for each condition or a generous amount (at least £5000) per condition, that amount being renewed each year.