When pets get ill, the bills can run into the hundreds or thousands of pounds. There is no government safety net for dogs and vets can be expensive. So how do you prepare yourself for these eventualities and cover yourself against the cost of a sick pet?
The most popular method is pet insurance, but it can be costly if you don’t shop around and you could find yourself without cover, without realising it if you are not careful. So how do you pick the best pet insurance for your pet and get the best deal on insurance for your pet?
Firstly, you need to decide how many pets you want to insure. If you have a number of pets, then insurance can start to add up significantly. If you own a pedigree pet then you can expect your insurance costs to be higher due to risk of theft and the fact that many pedigrees have congenital problems. You also need to look at any pre-existing conditions as they may not be covered by the insurance you are going to take out.
A good start for finding the cheapest pet insurance are the price comparison websites. There are a number out there that will compare insurance policies for you, but you have to do a little bit of extra digging to ensure that you are comparing like with like. For example, what is the third party cover of the policy? What are the excesses? Whilst you could find you are saving money on your monthly premiums, you may find yourself seriously out of pocket when it comes to making a claim.
Most insurance policies will insist your pet receives any annual injections they require. Failure to get this injections could leave you without cover in the case of a claim.
Also check whether the policy requires you to pay up front for any treatment and then claim from your insurance policy. This can make a difference to whether or not a policy is suitable for you.
There are even different levels of cover, ranging from basic cover with treatment per condition with a time limit on treatment length, to a mid range cover which has no time limit through to the lifetime cover for multiple conditions.
Depending on the health of your pet you need to choose the one that is appropriate. If your pet suffers from a condition like diabetes or arthritis and needs regular treatment then the more
expensive policy could be best. Otherwise one of the cheaper policies could be good enough for you.
Remember that not all insurers appear on the comparison sites. Sometimes you can get a better deal by approaching an insurer directly or you may find the special offers run by certain insurers provide a better deal. Nectarcard, Clubcard or other store run points schemes can offer a good deal, but make sure you are not missing out on the cover that you want for your pet.
Getting the cheapest pet insurance can be a concern for many people, but you need to make sure that you don’t compromise the cover for your pet for the sake of a few pounds.
Tags: budgeting, financial planning, insurance, Money Saving, Pet
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