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A pet is a valued member of the family, so it's only natural that people want to take out pet insurance to look after them in the case of injury. Pet insurance covers the cost of veterinary bills amongst other things, so that you don't have the added stress of expensive bills when you are already worrying about your pet's recovery. However, pet insurance is not just about veterinary bills. These days there are many different options that you can choose from that can make the process more complicated than it ought to be. However, once you understand what your options are then you should be able to make an informed decision.
Where do you buy your pet insurance? It used to be the case that you bought pet insurance from pet insurance companies, however today things have changed. Though you can still find many specific pet insurance companies like Pet Plan and Healthy Pets, you can also now buy pet insurance from supermarkets like ASDA, or even the Post Office. The variety can be confusing, but just remember to look at policies more for their details than for where they're from.
Do you need lifetime or time-limited cover? Some companies like Pet Plan will offer you the option of choosing between lifetime and time-limited cover. Lifetime cover will mean that you pay for insurance every year of your pet's life, so that they are continuously covered up until their old age. This is particularly good if you are concerned about ongoing health problems in your pet. However, if you are more concerned about the immediate, high fees following an accident or operation for your pet, then time-limited cover is probably more appropriate.
What kind of pet do you need to insure? Often, the kind of pet you have will determine who you choose to take care of your pet insurance. Many companies like ASDA provide cover for cats and dogs, as they are the most common breeds of domestic pets. However, if you have a more unusual pet such as a bird, ferret or pot-bellied pig, then you are more likely to need a rare pet insurance company like Exotic Direct. Some regular pet insurance companies also provide cover for small mammals (most often rabbits) and horses as well, so it's worth having a search through as many as you can.
What extras might you need? Different pet insurance providers offer different extras (available at a small extra fee) to make their policy more eye catching. Sometimes when you are stuck between two policies, it's the extras like these that can swing your decision. For example, ASDA offer pet travel insurance as an extra for those who like to take their pets abroad, and the Post Office offer 12 months free Petback Protect membership to the Missing Pets Bureau.
Ultimately, the decision as to what pet insurance policy to go with should be made easier when you know what options are available to you, and what you should be looking for.
Pet Insurance prices and products quoted are correct at the time of writing (30.05.08) and may be changed at the discretion of the provider.
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