Pet insurance

1. Vets Fees: Includes surgery, hospitalisation and treatment as a result of accident or illness.
2. Third Party Public Liability and Accidental Damage: Provides coverage in the event that your pet causes injury or damage to someone else or to their property. Usually up to £1 million.
3. Boarding Kennel/Cattery fees: Apart from boarding fees when necessary, this can also provide home care if you are hospitalised for more than three days.
4. Death from illness and Loss by theft or straying: The insurer will recompense you up to the current market value or the original cost of the pet should they die or go missing. Your pet may have to be under eight for this to apply.
5. Holiday Cancellation Costs: If your pet has to have emergency surgery within 14 day of your holiday departure date or whilst you are away.
6. Advertising and Reward: If your pet gets lost, local advertising and a reward will be covered
7. Pet psychologist/Counselling Costs/Alternative Therapies: Some comprehensive polices cover the cost of pet psychologists, pet owner counselling and alternative therapies for pets such as acupuncture, homeopathy.

Exclusions

Exclusions to be aware of: Pet insurance will not cover the cost of the following:

• routine vaccinations, worming or flea control
• cost of any treatment not directly related to illness
• any fees occurred from spaying or castration
• the cost of having your pet put down or cremated

Points to be aware of:

• Check the policy excess as you could find that you are required to pay too high a proportion of the vet’s bill yourself to make the policy worthwhile.
• Check whether claims are covered per condition or annually.
• If your pet has a chronic condition such as arthritis for which there is no permanent cure, check the policy terms as many insurers will not pay out indefinitely.
• Check if there is a limit on how many claims can be made in any one year and whether any pre-existing conditions may invalidate a claim.
• Check if there is a cap on the sum the insurer will pay out for a particular condition, as well as a time limit on how long the condition will be covered. Some insurers stop paying out if a medical condition lasts over a year.
• Always read the small print to see what conditions the insurer will accept and remember to disclose any problems to the insurer. Usually the insurer will still provide cover but will exclude the problems disclosed.
• Often insurers will not cover pets more than eight-years-old. This is because there is an increased chance that your pet will require the attention of a vet. It is best to insure your pet from a young age as they will then be insured for life.
• Vaccinations must be kept up to date. The insurance company will not pay out if a claim results from an illness which would have been prevented by vaccination.
• Insurers tend not to offer no-claims discounts as this may discourage owners from taking their pet to the vet and making a claim which would not be in the best interest of a sick pet.