Pet Insurance Comparison

In 'What Is Pet Insurance?' we considered the reasons for having pet insurance and mentioned some of the types of benefits you need to look out for. Here is a summary of the type of cover to expect but what you need for your own dog or cat will depend on its age, your family situation and the type of dog it is. See the article 'What is the age expectancy of my dog or cat?'

Vets Bills

We mentioned the importance of looking for the highest cover for vet's bills as they can be thousands of pounds for a simple broken leg. Policies vary but most cover around £5,000 per year.

Look out for restrictions by age and by type of illness. Some insurers will exclude particular illnesses and all will exclude spaying and neutering as these are not emergencies.

Third Party Liability

We also pointed out the importance of the third party liability for dogs. In most policies this will be a standard £2m.

Complementary treatments

Not all pet insurance covers complimentary health and this area is increasing amongst vets as it is amongst humans. Many pet owners prefer not to use medicines on their pets, especially if they themselves favour homeopathy or herbal treatments. This type of treatment tends to be much cheaper than conventional drugs so cover could be around £1,000 a year.

Behaviourist

Like children, pets can have behavioural problems sometimes and not all pet insurance policies will cover this. Look for cover of about £250 per year

Dietary Food

If your dog is ill and has to have a special diet, these foods are never cheap! If you are on a pension or limited budget the extra cost can be considerable out of your monthly food bill. Elderly dogs are often excluded from pet insurance cover but if you can, try to look for a policy covering about £250 per year on this benefit.

Lost or stolen

If your pet is lost or stolen you can claim for the cost of replacing your pet from the pet insurance company up to a limit of course. If you have a pedigree dog or a rare pet you will need to make sure the cover is sufficient. You will also be able to recover the cost for advertising for a missing pet and offering a reward.

Death

If your pet dies as a result of an injury or illness you can similarly recover the cost of replacing your pet from the insurance company. Naturally enough they limit this to younger pets so you should compare policies to get one that covers your pet's age. Most won't cover older pets as I've said. If you have children check out the article 'Children and the death of their pet'

Emergency kennels

If you have to go into hospital and cannot care for your pet, it will have to go into kennels or have a pet minder. Most policies cover this and limit it to around £70 per week or £750 in total.

Holiday cancellation

Some insurers will cover you for the possibility that if your pet is ill you won't be able to go on holiday. If you are a large family or go on expensive holidays this could be important to you.

There are loads of insurance policies to choose from, all with online discounts and some have discounts on offer if you insure more than one pet with them. Take time to consider which will suit you and your pet.

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