Pet Insurance
If you have any pets then having pet insurance is vital. Vets bills can be extremely costly and an unexpected illness or injury that results in treatments could leave uninsured pet owners out of pocket or in the worst case scenario deciding whether it is worth keeping their beloved pet alive
Choosing the right kind of pet insurance for you and your pets is paramount if you want to get the best deal and the right kind of cover. Most companies offer different types cover varying in the amount payable in different situations. The variables you will need to consider include:
- Vets Fees - The cost of treatment and medications for accident or injury.
- Missing Pets - Advertising and reward costs for finding lost pets.
- Purchase price of a new pet in the event of a death or an absconded pet.
- Liability insurance - Cover against accidents or damages caused by your pet on other peoples property
- Holiday cover -Cost of treatment abroad
- Alternative Remedies - Some insurers offer cover for alternative therapies such as acupuncture or homeopathy.
Of course when you are shopping for pet insurance you should shop around to get the best deal in terms of the minimum and maximum amounts that they will pay out in different circumstances, you should also be careful of any exclusions on the policy.
Most pet plans are quite affordable with price ranges varying from about £1.50 a month up to around £6 a month depending on the level and extent of your cover.
Some plans are geared more to the life time of your pet, these plans are perhaps more suited to pedigree cats and dogs as they are often more prone to chronic illness. Other plans are for limited periods such as after an illness or injury that may require additional treatment.
Since the recent boom in pet insurance vets bills themselves are beginning to rise with some operations costing as much as 3 to 5000 pounds. This rise is equivalent to about 10% per annum, with these rises a further boom in people taking out pet insurance is expected as these fees are simply implausible for most people. Around 15% of us currently have pet insurance already and as this amount grows the insurers are expected to have a tighter grip on the industry. Insurance companies are expected to have more influence and further dictate when and where any treatments should take place.
