Compare Pet Insurance

Whether you share your home with a cat, a dog, or something more exotic, there’s no denying that pets are an expensive addition to the family, not least when they get sick.

As there is no NHS equivalent for animals, owners are left to foot the bill when their furry friends are under the weather and, as even basic treatment can end up costing thousands, pet insurance is something of a necessity in making sure that if your pet does get sick you can afford to help them to get better.

Although some see it as unnecessary, those who have had to fork out for expensive veterinary fees in the past will swear by the financial protection that pet insurance provides and, as with most things this is a lesson better learned sooner rather than later.

As with any kind of insurance there are a whole range of policies available from different providers and while this can be a little overwhelming it’s actually a good thing as once you’ve decided on the type of cover you need, you can shop around and protect your pet with the best policy for less.

To make finding the right cover hassle free, we share our top tips for what to look for in a pet insurance policy:

Levels of cover

The major difference between pet insurance policies tends to be the level of cover offered against the cost of veterinary bills. As this is a major factor in determining both policy premiums and the level of protection provided for your pet it’s important to understand your options and choose a level of cover that suits your budget and requirements.

The three most common levels of cover offered by insurers are:

Limited cover policies - Designed to provide assistance with the cost of treatment for short term illness and accidents, policies of this type tend to limit both the amount paid out and duration of the cover (typically 12 months) available for each condition. However, because of this, limited cover policies tend to be the cheapest option available and can provide an incredibly affordable means of protecting your pet (and your wallet) against the unexpected.

Capped cover policies - This type of insurance will specify a maximum amount covered for each diagnosed condition, however this will be available to claim against throughout the life of the policy. For this reason, while a little more expensive, policies of this type tend to provide better protection against longer term ailments such as eczema and asthma, although again, once the maximum amount has been paid out the condition will no longer be covered. Having said that, this type of policy can provide a good compromise between cover and cost.

Lifelong cover policies - Lifelong cover policies tend to be the most expensive option, however they do provide the most comprehensive protection for you and your pet as they fully protect against the cost of both short term and long term illnesses. This type of policy will usually specify an amount claimable for each condition however; this will be reset each year on renewal so that any ailment your pet is diagnosed with will receive treatment indefinitely.

What else is covered?

While veterinary fees are often the most important aspect of pet insurance most policies offer other benefits designed to provide financial protection against a wide range of eventualities. Features to look out for include:

Third party liability - This is included to some extent in most pet insurance policies and is a necessary addition as it protects you financially against legal action should your pet cause injury or damage to person or property either directly (i.e. a bite or scratch) or indirectly (i.e. your pet causes a car accident by running into the road).