If you have just got a pet, you most likely will not know that there are a variety of ways in which you can protect your pet. As your pet grows on you, so will its age and no time is sooner than now to get it a pet insurance.
To get started, let’s get you familiarized with three types of pet insurance:
1) Pet Life Insurance
As veterinary care becomes more and more expensive, it only makes sense that you should get a pet life insurance. Not only will it help you in taking care of hefty medical bills but your pet should be able to live a healthy life because you are able to take it to see the vet for its routine check ups or shots.
In most cases, pet life insurance would also protect your pet from injuries that may affect them and get preventive care under the plan. Some pet life insurance plans will also provide your pet coverage for illnesses after thirty days of taking the plan.
This is how a pet life insurance will work for you. If the pet becomes injured or has fallen sick, all you have to do is to take it to a licensed veterinarian and pay them for their services after which you can submit a claim along with relevant receipts.
However before taking out a pet life insurance policy, you may need to consider a few necessary issues such as:
i) What should be covered by the insurance policy
ii) Different levels of pet insurance
iii) Limits of pet insurance
iv) Whether the plan will cover hereditary condition
v) You should consider the means to pay the premium
vi) You should know if the policy provides third party liability or not
vii) Whether there will be any payment when the pet dies.
You should also get a pet life insurance in the event your pet deliberately injures another pet or a person in which you may have to pay a sum of money for compensation.
There are different types of pet life insurances in which you have to compare prices, consider policy excess, get lifelong cover, and consider all benefits available. You also have to understand the small print to be well informed.
2) Travel Pet Insurance
Travel pet insurance basically put, is going to help you take care of your pet by the same way as a regular insurance, but when you travel. This means that if your pet gets sick or hurt, you will not be able to use your regular pet insurance to take care of your pet but you can use your travel pet insurance.
You can purchase a temporary policy that will give you travel pet insurance. This policy will generally last a number of days or even weeks. During this period of time if your pet gets sick or injured, you are going to be able to take advantage of the policy to pay for your pet’s recovery.
Another type of travel pet insurance provides your pet protection in case you have to ship it some place. This type of travel insurance covers these costs and anything that might go wrong when you have arrived to your destination.
3) Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace pet insurance allows you to customize your pet insurance policy. This means that you can decide on what you want to include or not include in your embrace pet insurance policy.
All of embrace pet insurance policies comes with the basic built-in coverage such as: accidents and illness, genetic conditions, cancer, alternative and complementary therapies, hospitalization, surgery, laboratory and diagnostic testing and drugs administered by your vet.
The basic coverage of the embrace pet insurance policy is quite complete already that even if you do not add in for more services, your pet is being protected enough.
When customizing your embrace pet insurance, you can make it suit your budget and the needs of your pet. You can opt for your policy maximum, the deductible, co-pay and other options that can help you make your policy more suitable for you and your pet.
However it takes the age, health and status of your pet that will determine the parameters on how you can customize your embrace pet insurance policy. For example, if you have a cat and it is relatively young, healthy and stays indoors most of the time, you may be able to take up a policy that will cost you less. You have to evaluate the policy closely and find out where you can save some money.
Are you a pet lover? Then it is highly that you have a cat or dog, or any other pet(s). Have you ever thought about insuring them? Not Really! Then, think now! Earlier, pet insurance wasn’t necessary and maintaining them was considerably affordable. With improvement in technology, pet care has taken a new dimension.
You would have heard of MRI or organ transplant for human beings. But now, it’s available for your dear pets too! What does that mean to you? It means, the cost of maintaining a pet and caring for it is much akin to that of human beings. This makes insurance for pet a necessity.
There are many insurance firms that insure pets. However, comparison of insurance for pets is very important to get the right policy for your pet. Unlike other insurance policies, animal insurance has exclusions and caps. So finding out the best insurance policy, will ensure you don’t shell out money from your wallet when you really need the cover of an insurance.
Most insurance companies do not cover hereditary or existing conditions. Not only that, few companies have limitations on the annual allowance limit, or cover limit per condition. Few companies do not pay for advanced tests like MRI or do not bear full surgery cost. So it’s important to discuss every minute detail and exclusions, before deciding on an insurance company.
When on a hunt to identify the cheapest pet coverage, call different companies and ask for their quote. Get details on the exclusions, limitations and any other terms they might be having. Checking online can be a smart move for animal insurance comparison and makes things easier and faster. Check reviews and testimonials online to identify the right insurance for your pet.
Before calling the insurance company, search online about the breed of pet you have. If you haven’t got one already, research the web before deciding on a pet. Checking for the most common hereditary conditions and common problems associated with dogs breeds can be very helpful. They enlighten you on the possible cover options you will need and they can be addressed during your discussion with the pet insurance companies. For e.g: German Shepherd and Boxers are known to have hip dysplasia due to hereditary issues.
Choosing the best pet insurance cover makes all the difference. There are times when your pet may be affected with a problem that’s not curable and might have to be quarantined. Most pet insurance companies do not take care of this cost. If your pet dies due to all illness, there’s replacement cost involved. Regular tests or pregnancy and any other health problem, will mean you have to shell out money from your pocket!
Pets become like family members and it’s often painful to see them suffer. So we tend to spend but it’s generally not affordable. So researching for the right insurance policy and affordable pet insurance company can make a lot of difference in saving your money and reducing your grief.
If you have not already realized, the costs of veterinary care is escalating. By purchasing a pet insurance for our pets is also a wise choice to keep pet care costs within an affordable range. As pets become an important member of our family, purchasing a pet insurance is one of the ways to ensure our pets in getting the best care it possibly deserves.
Here are the 4 simple steps to purchase your pet insurance
1) Pet Insurance Online
Since most pet insurance companies have their own websites, one of the best ways to begin your research in pet insurance is to look for them online. When you do so, you will find a wide variety of insurance options and pricing. Some companies will even give you an additional discount if you purchase their pet insurance online.
However the first thing you should do is to select a number of pet insurance companies and make sure that you only deal with those reputable companies. Therefore check to see if each company is truly legitimate by going through them with The Better Business Bureau website.
Looking for a pet insurance online enables you to look for a policy that suits your needs faster. It is also more accurate because you have access to thousands of different sites. With this much information that can be gotten so easily you will able to make an informed decision in purchasing a proper pet insurance.
2) Pet Insurance Ratings
Since the internet is so easy to access, there will also be just as many scams regarding pet insurance companies. With thousands of pet insurance websites, there is also another method to get the best pet insurance that most suits your needs. That method is by looking at the pet insurance ratings.
By reading the pet insurance ratings you are able to tell which the best pet insurance company is and which insurance company to avoid. If you look at the pet insurance ratings, you can be sure to get what you pay for.
If you are wondering where to look for the pet insurance ratings, you can find most of them done online by independent companies. This is the best done by independent companies because you know that they aren’t biased and therefore they are going to give you great information.
3) Pet Insurance Quote
Pet insurance quotes are available since 1928. Today there are numerous pet insurance quotes for you to decide one that most suitable for you and your pet. Furthermore if you get a pet insurance quote with a complete explanation from several carriers will be a very wise choice to make.
i) You can start by getting a pet insurance quote from your veterinarian. In turn, your veterinarian may offer a discount plan intended specially for his clients, or he may recommend a locally based plan that would be more suitable for you and your pet. This sort of pet insurance may be better for you than one of the bigger plans, depending on both your financial means and the breed of your dog.
ii) You can also choose to shop around and ask for pet insurance quotes from different insurance companies. When you ask for different pet insurance quotes, you will have a solid basis when you compare the services and prices of the insurance companies.
One of the reasons for getting several pet insurance quotes from different companies is that often congenital and hereditary illnesses or pre-existing conditions are not covered by pet insurance. Therefore it is best that you do a thorough research and consult your veterinarian.
iii) After you have found reliable pet insurance companies that may meet you and your pet’s needs, narrow down to at least five of them. The reason being the more pet insurance quotes you have, the more difficult it is for you to make a choice. If you want to simplify things, you can narrow down your choices right from the start.
4) Compare Pet Insurance
Since there so many pet insurance companies, you will be faced with numerous options. Therefore for you to get the best value for your money you need to compare pet insurance options and policies to see which policy is most suited for you.
Before you start your comparison:
i) You must have a general idea about what options you need for your pet. For example, basic plans are the cheapest but they also cover only the basic emergency and illness care.
ii) You also need to look at things such as deductibles, copays, and lifetime limits.
iii) You need to find out how a claim is filed and how the claim is paid. It is also useful to know what items are excluded and what items have payment limits placed on them.
iv) You should find out if you are allowed to visit the vet of your choice or do you have to use a vet recommended by them.
v) Do also find out which ones cover after hours emergencies such as accidents and sudden serious illness and that if the accident or illness is serious and your pet may require a specialist.
When you find the policy that you feel is most suitable for you then all you have to do is fill out their form which gives them your pet’s information. The pet insurance company may also set up to accept payment online.
Anybody who has a pet is likely to adore it and treat it as a member of their family; they are important and also expensive. Unfortunately medical treatment and also other mishaps can be expensive and for this reason many people choose to take out medical insurance. Pet insurance is actually older than many people may realise, the first policy was actually underwritten in 1980. British people are well known for loving their pets and many households have them, in 2009 Britain became the second highest country to take out pet insurance, behind Sweden. Out of all pet owners in the UK, 23% have pet insurance; this may be due to the worry of vet bills, due to the pet being valuable or rare or for many other reasons.
10 reasons your pet insurance will fail you: When taking out pet insurance you should be aware that there are likely to be some exclusions which are not covered within a policy. These exclusions are the typical ones although each providers’s policy should be checked; the exclusions are likely to include:
* Illness which arises within the first thirty days of a policy being taken out, this often applies to many insurance policies in relation to any claims being made.
* Illnesses or conditions which arise due to pregnancy or the process of giving birth.
* Animals, mainly dogs which are registered under the Dangerous Animals Act 1976 or the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, any policy which is found to breach these acts will be immediately be classed as void and illegal
* Dental treatment, although this is often policy dependent
* Behavioural problems and hereditary conditions
* Pets which are destroyed under the orders of the courts
* Illness associated with the illegal importing or exporting of animals
* Travel outside of the UK, unless stated within the policy, this is a major issue as many claims have been made which are not viable as people have failed to check their policies, individuals intending to take their pets abroad are advised to check all policy details.
* Claims in relation to diseases which should be reported to the correct associations, this includes diseases such as rabies.
* Dogs which are working, racing or guard dogs will not be covered under typical pet insurance although specialist insurance may be available.
People who take out pet insurance should also bare in mind when taking out a policy or when making a claim that there is likely to be a maximum pay out by an insurance company. The policy limits will depend upon each individual policy and also on the reasons for the claim. Some insurance companies stop pay outs for pets at £6000, although as previously stated, each individual policy is likely to be different.
Just like any other insurance policy, individuals taking out the policy will be asked to pay an excess towards any claims made, this happens with both house and vehicle insurance also. Some companies have a set excess fee and some will vary depending on the type of cover.
**The cost of excesses are listed below:
Direct Line – Fixed Fee
Marks & Spencer Standard – £75 cats, £90 dogs
Marks & Spencer Premier – £50 cats, £70 dogs
More Than – £50 cats, £70 dogs
E & I – Between £66 and £99
Churchill – £55 cats, £65 dogs
There also different types of pet insurance which can be taken out, individuals should select the type which they feel presents the best policy and also the best value for money. Some policies are time limited, meaning that a fee is paid for an agreed contract length, for example a 12 month policy is taken out, similar to car insurance. Although there is also the opportunity to take out pet insurance which will be valued for the lifetime of the animal, in other words the insurance policy is valid for the life of the animal whilst ever the insurance premium is being paid. People must consider that lifetime insurance provides a guarantee which is important.
As animals get older people may struggle to find fixed term insurance policies, for example a very old pet may not be a good opportunity for an insurance company to insure. Similarly if a pet has previously had extensive veterinary work, an insurance company may be reluctant to insure the pet again. These are serious considerations which must be made by all pet owners before agreeing to take a policy out.
People who own pets which are of unusual or rare breeds, whether this be a cat, dog or even snake, are likely to face higher pet insurance costs. This is ultimately due to the pet being valued at a higher price. These animals are also likely to require specialist vets to treat them which will produce higher costs than usual standard vets. Some insurers may avoid insuring such animals at all as the costs associated with these animals are often incalculable. Rare breeds are often expensive and are obviously very hard to come by; this increases the risk of such animals being poached or stolen. This risk has to be calculated into the policy and ultimately passed on to the owner of the pet; this may increase the premium substantially. What must be considered is that if the insurance is not taken out and anything was to happen to the animal, the owner would not have any form of cover at all.
Veterinary care has advanced substantially in recent years which means that pets can be treated with different kinds of treatments which do not include surgery. Such treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy and osteopathy. Whilst these advances are obviously a great asset to the veterinary world, unfortunately the costs are often very high which are obviously passed on to the pet owners. Due to this insurance policies have now begun to include such treatments up to a certain value. Not all insurance policies do include these treatments and therefore it is important that the policies are checked first. Companies such as Petguard, Direct Line, Argos, Liverpool Victoria, Marks & Spencer and Churchill all offer cover for such treatments up to a certain value. The value which these are covered up to is likely to depend on each individual policy. It can not be stressed enough that all pet owners taking out pet insurance should read all the terms and conditions so that they fully understand the extent of the pet cover taken out.
Many pet owners wish to take their pets abroad with them; legislation now states that insurance must be in place before doing this, the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) is the scheme which allows certain animals to enter certain countries without quarantine if certain standards have been met. The travel scheme can only be obtained if pet insurance which covers pets going abroad is taken out. There is often a premium to pay on top of usual policy costs to ensure that a pet is insured whilst abroad, although there is also likely to be a large amount of terms and conditions associated with taking a pet abroad.
People who own exotic pets are likely to want to take out pet insurance, this is normally done so though specialist insurance brokers. The cost of this cover is likely to be dependant on how rare the species is and also how much the pet is worth. Anybody wishing to take out exotic pet insurance may have to gain a vets medical report on the animal before a policy can be taken out. The majority of household names within the insurance market do no offer exotic pet insurance as it is such a specialist area.
Pet lovers will know that it is very important to keep a pets teeth in order, this just like any other pet treatment is expensive. Some pet insurance policies may cover dental treatment, although just like any other matter, it is policy dependent. If the policy does not cover dental care, specialist tailored policies can be taken out relatively cheaply which cover just pet dental care.
Horse riding is very popular within the UK and is also a multi million pound industry. Race horses and regular horses are worth large amounts of money, for this reason insurance will be taken out to cover them. Although insurance is not just taken out to cover the horse, the rider offer takes out insurance to cover them. Serious injury can result from horse riding and this risk must be covered through taking out an insurance policy. Horse insurance is often very expensive due to the value of horses and also the potential for them to be injured when racing or during regular riding. The benefits are clearly that the risk of being injured, whether it is the horse or the rider, is always covered when an insurance policy has been taken out. Fail to take out a policy may mean that any accident will be extremely costly in relation to loss of earnings and also injury.