In the last few years you will have noticed that the pet insurance market has been flooded with new providers from supermarkets to banks. It’s led to confusion and regrettably sometimes disappointment amongst our clients who want the best possible cover but at the best price. So if you are thinking of taking out insurance, changing providers or just want reassurance then we have collected together some of our experiences to help you make the right choice for your peace of mind.
First of all, as vets we do not get commission from any cover you take out, even if you picked up a leaflet from the surgery. However, we only hand out information on policies which, experience tells us, best serve our owners and their pets by settling claims most reliably.
We have all been “sold” insurance that we didn’t think we needed so why do we encourage you to take out cover?
Pets benefit from insurance because it means that we can give them the best and most suitable treatment without burdening you with the worry of cost. We have a responsibility to spend your money with consideration when treating your pet, and sometimes, in an emergency, consulting you at each stage can slow down treatment. There is no NHS for pets - if there was none for humans either would you take out insurance?
A pet insurance policy is an agreement between you and the insurer. You pay the bill for any treatment and then claim it back. Some insurers will only talk to you about your policy so if there is a problem with your claim we may not be able to help you sort it out. However, there are some companies with whom we do have long standing relationships and you may be able to arrange for them to pay us direct for particularly large bills.
Many people who took out insurance a few years ago have found that their pet has reached a “certain age” and their premiums have gone up. That’s because most of us get sick as we grow old. If you are considering changing to a different policy then check that you will still get the cover you need. Some companies give cover for life while some will decline cover when an animal is older. Many also have a maximum age at which they will issue a new policy and you could relinquish
reliable cover for some a little cheaper only to find that in a few short years you will be refused cover by everyone.
You should also check how long an illness or condition will be covered for. Some companies will pay for treatment for up to a year, others for life. So if your cat has a broken leg, the chances are it will be paid for. If, however, your dog has diabetes diagnosed in middle age, it may not be paid for after a specified time. There may also be a delay between diagnosis and treatment. A heart murmur could be identified quite early on but not need treatment for several years. Some companies will not pay if this delay goes beyond a specified time period.
If you have a pedigree pet then check whether or not hereditary or congenital problems are covered. Most pedigree animals have problems that are common in the breed and by definition are inherited and these may be excluded from some policies. And remember that this does not just affect young
animals. Conditions such as hip dysplasia or cataracts could develop in later life.
Some treatments which may be excluded are dentistry and complementary medicine and physiotherapy. You may also find that while a company will pay for an operation for your pet, they would not pay for a longer-term cure. For example, they may pay to have a bladder stone removed by surgery but not to have it dissolved by diet even though an operation is not in your pets overall best interest.
Finally, if you are in doubt about your cover or if you want to take out a new policy then feel free to bring in details and we can look at the policies together. But remember, we are not insurance advisors and can only offer you the benefit of our experience and that of other clients. A few years ago an owner took out insurance on her dog when she lost her job and decided to spend some of her redundancy on a good policy. She took away a form and posted it that night. Sadly the dog was run over the same night and needed expensive treatment for a broken leg. The insurance
company did pay up even though it did not actually get the application form until after the accident. They found that the time on the post office stamp on the envelope was before the time of the injury on the police log and that was good enough for them. Now that is good insurance!