Do You Need Cheaper Pet Insurance?

For most of us, pets are part of the family, so when a beloved four-legged friend suffers an illness or injury, it is upsetting and, very often, extremely expensive.

Vet bills can make a significant dent in your finances, so it is worth planning for unexpected costs, so you are covered if your pet needs medical treatment.

There are four types of pet insurance:

Accident only: Provides cover for vet bills if your pet is injured in an accident. It is the cheapest type of pet insurance.

Time limited: These policies provide cover for a specific time, usually 12 months, to cover accidents or short-term illnesses.

Per condition: Also known as ‘maximum benefit’ cover, per condition policies allocate a fixed sum of money to treat each illness or injury.

Lifetime: This type of cover is more expensive than the others but protects your pet over the course of its life.

When you take out a pet insurance policy, some features come as standard. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

Vet fees/medical treatments cover.

Kennel and cattery fees (should your pet need to stay for recovery).

Liability cover.

Advertising costs and rewards.

There are exceptions to what pet insurers will pay out for, so it’s important to check the small print when taking out a policy.

Exemptions usually include cover for routine check-ups, pre-existing medical conditions and behavioural problems.

Pet insurance can cost as little as £30 a year, but the price you pay is determined by the policy type, the type and breed of your pet and how long you need cover for.