Selecting the Right Pet Health Insurance
March 23, 2008
Pet health insurance typically covers vets fees related to accident, illness and injury. Some policies also cover losing a pet through theft or straying, recovery costs, accidental death, holiday cancellation and boarding fees. Current pet health insurance offerings are sufficiently broad-ranging to allow you to choose according to the requirements of your pet. As you may imagine, the cost of insurance depends upon the policy cover you choose.
Policy Scope
Cost is one of many criteria to be considered when choosing an insurance provider. Of equal importance are the benefits, policy cover, time limit of the policy and the experience of the insurance company. Almost 50% of UK pets require medical treatment at an average annual cost of 220. Choosing a pet health insurance policy involves a fair degree of homework to ensure that you have a good handle on policy coverage.
Common Exclusions
In general, any condition, symptom or event that occurs during the first 14 days of the policy or that is present before the start of the policy is excluded: most policies do not cover any condition that was known to be present prior to taking out the policy and before cover is thus in place. Some providers will allow you to cover these at an additional cost.
Typical Coverage
A comprehensive coverage of Vets` fees related to illness including hospitalisation, referral, hereditary and congenital conditions and complimentary treatments (hereditary and congenital conditions are usually covered under the policy as long as you were unaware of your pets condition at the time you took out the policy), holiday cancellation, prescription coverage, spaying and neutering, finding your pet, loss through theft or straying, accidental death (some pet insurance providers pay a lump sum on the death of the animal under specific conditions), waiver of premium and cover for pets abroad.
Excesses
Most pet insurance policies carry an excess which means that you have to pay a small amount towards the cost of any treatment claimed for under the policy. You should seek an affordable excess. Premiums are normally paid monthly by direct debit for convenience. You should also be familiar with any caps or limitations placed by the insurance company.
Claims Payment
Now that pet health insurance is becoming more popular, there is a good chance that the staff at your veterinary surgery will be familiar with and will accept the various pet insurance programs. It is advisable to prepare a list of your preferred vets in your area and to check whether they will accept the proposed health care insurance.
Controlling Costs
For a fairly modest premium you can have your pets insured against the cost of veterinary treatment so that in the event of an accident, infection or in the worst case, death, you need not worry about the costs. As with human health insurance, the earlier you take out the policy, the lower the annual premium.
Conclusion
Pets cant express what is wrong with them and where it hurts. You are totally reliant upon the skill and care of the veterinary team. These days, there are constantly improving diagnostic techniques, surgical procedures and ever more advanced drugs. The chances of bringing an injured or sick pet back to wellness are therefore better than ever but it is frustrating and sometimes heartbreaking to see a vets freedom to test and to select a given course of treatment constrained due to affordability. With the increasing expense of veterinary practice, selecting a suitable insurance for your pet provides you with peace of mind. Choose a suitable insurance policy and save yourself from financial heartache.
Stephen Pratley is Marketing Manager at ipoints
Some of the UK`s largest providers of pet insurance have partnered with http://www.ipoints.co.uk, allowing you to earn additional ipoints. Find out more and Earn points on UK Pet Health Insurance
ipoints is the largest Internet-based rewards programme in the UK with over 1 million UK members and more than 200 major clients both online and offline.
