Pet Insurance

Why Insure? Veterinary medicine has, in recent years, become increasingly sophisticated. We are able to diagnose and treat many conditions that a few years ago would have remained undetected with, often, fatal consequences especially in the older pet. The down side of these advances is cost. It is not unheard of for treatment of a case to exceed £1,000.

Costs of Veterinary Treatment: Whilst we try to keep treatment costs to a reasonable level, below are some real life cases and their cost of treatment here at Churnet Valley Vets:

• Bloated & twisted stomach in a German Shepherd Dog - £404.91

• Cut to the foreleg of a 5 month old puppy - £95.31

• Fractured humerus and emergency treatment in a cat £392.98

• Diagnosis and 7 months treatment of canine diabetes £713.94

• Exudtive pleurisy in a cat £480.95

• Stabilization of a ruptured cruciate ligament in a St. Bernard £1650.21

One of the most distressing situations we all too frequently find ourselves in, is where a pet’s problem is curable, but the owner (because of other financial commitments/difficulties) finds the cost is too high and the pet has to be put to sleep. A less grave situation is when the owner has to opt for a treatment which is less than the best treatment available for the pet, owing to money restraints. That’s where pet insurance comes in: Veterinary Fee Cover can help you avoid such situations. Occasionally, it will be necessary to refer difficult or complicated cases to veterinary surgeons specialising in a certain area such as ophthalmology or orthopaedics: this usually involves significant expense. An initial consultation with a referral vet can cost approximately £75; any medication is an extra cost. Insurance should cover this too.

When choosing an insurance company, there are a few things you should look out for, but please try to remember that you get what you pay for:

• Check that there is no limit on how long you can claim for each illness, as chronic conditions can go on for life, not just 12 months. However, it is quite common to keep the premiums low by terminating any benefits after 12 months. A certain supermarket pet insurance policy keeps low premiums by stating that a claim must be made within 30 days of treatment being started (claims made after 30 days may not be honoured).

• Be careful to check that the amount of Veterinary Fee Cover is adequate, over time a single illness can cost many hundreds of pounds. Some policies marketed as lifetime policies have a maximum amount per condition, a large dog with a chronic illness could reach this maximum amount in a few years.

• Check that your pet will still be covered in later years, when he or she may need it most, and the premium in those years will still represent good value. Remember that as your pet gets older, it is more likely to develop long-term illnesses.

• Check that congenital and hereditary conditions are included. Many companies will load premiums following a claim and subsequently place exclusions for that condition. Other things to check are that dental treatment, behavioural therapy and alternative therapies are included in the policy.

• If you choose to pay by direct debit, some companies will insist monthly payments are continued even after your pet has died.

• Check what won’t be covered.

• Vaccinations, neutering and routine treatments such as worming are usually excluded.

• Some companies may exclude complimentary treatments including homeopathy, herbal medicine or acupuncture. Many policies exclude treatment for behavioural conditions.

N.B. All insurance companies exclude pre existing conditions.

My last pet was fine, why bother insuring?

Accidents/illness can always happen, and veterinary medicine has advanced so that there is far more that can be done for a pet these days. As with any insurance policy, you may never need to make a claim, however the stark reality is that 40% of pets have an insurance claim over a 12-month period. This rises to 60% above 12 years of age. Compare this to car insurance, where most people claim about once every 6.5 years, or home insurance once every 4 years.

Third party cover: Dog owners are liable for injury, illness or death of a third party, if the dog is found to be the cause of an incident. If a claim is brought against an owner it could result in hefty legal bills in order to defend a claim or paying out compensation. Most policies will give adequate cover for third party liability.

Like the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, this practice endorses the concept of pet insurance and we thoroughly recommend it to our clients. Our only interest is to ensure that we never have to compromise the quality of veterinary care on the basis of cost. A recent survey by the market research company, Mintel, found that 90% of pet owners with pet insurance say that it is well worth the money. Check out Martin Lewis's website : www.moneysavingexpert.com on his advice. There is a pet insurance form on there which makes interesting reading.

There are proposal forms for Petplan available in the waiting room. We recommend Petplan Covered for Life policies as they are comprehensive (meeting all of the criteria set out above), and the company settles claims quickly and with minimum fuss. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask one of the practice team.

Why Petplan?

Did you know 1 in 3 pets may require unexpected veterinary treatment each year?Whilst advances in veterinary medicine mean we can do more for your pet, treatment costs can soon mount up. We recommend Petplan insurance to all of our clients to help cover unexpected vets bills.

You may be surprised to hear that you are more likely to claim on your pet insurance than your car or household policies (Allianz Insurance plc). In fact, in our experience if you are one of the few people who don’t need to claim on your pet insurance you really are very lucky indeed!

It’s important to be aware that not all pet insurance is the same. Some policies limit the amount of time or money that you can claim for. Don’t just shop around on price alone.

At Churnet Valley Vets we recommend Petplan insurance for the following reasons:

• With Petplan’s Covered for Life guarantee, your veterinary fees cover is renewed each year no matter how much you claim.

• Petplan doesn’t place exclusions at renewal on their Covered for Life policy so on-going conditions such as eczema continue to be covered by the policy.

• Petplan won’t increase your premium or excess just because you make a claim.

• Petplan is a pet insurance specialist so they understand the animal market and work closely with vets, charities and breeders.

  
  

Click here to find out more about the different types of pet insurance.

Why not try before you buy? For 4 weeks free Petplan insurance simply click here and quote our practice reference number 1100184362.