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Pet insurance

When thinking about insurance don't forget your family friend! From dog, cat and rabbit insurance, to cover for your pony - there are lots of different types of pet policies available

What's covered?
All policies differ slightly, but most provide some or all of the following:

• Money towards vet fees if your pet is ill or has an accident
• A lump sum if your pet dies as a result of an accident
• Cover for legal liability if your pet injures someone or causes damage to their property
• Money if you lose your pet
• The cost of cancelling your holiday if your pet needs to have emergency surgery
• Recovery costs if your pet goes missing

What's not covered?

• Vaccinations, preventative treatment, dental treatment, spaying, castration, pregnancy or illnesses diagnosed before you take out the policy are normally not covered
• You may only be able to cover your pet up to a certain age
• Often cover is limited to the first 12 months of treatment for long-term illnesses

Key pros and cons of pet insurance

Pros

• Vets are expensive - even a minor operation can cost upwards of £200, so insurance means you aren't faced with unexpected vet bills

Cons

• It's another expense, and if your pet has a pre-existing condition you may not be able to insure them
• There may be an upper age limit on pets that can be insured

Things to consider when taking out pet insurance

• What's the level of cover for different types of claims?
• What's the policy excess for different types of claim?
• What are the policy exclusions?
• Is there a maximum number of claims you can make?
• What sort of cover is provided if your pet goes missing?
• Are you covered if your pet causes injury or damage to other people or their property?
• Is there an upper age limit on pets the company will insure?
• Do you have to have the policy for a set time before you can claim?

Making a claim
For information on making a claim visit our making a claim section.

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