Akin to human medicine, veterinary medicine is ever evolving with new surgical techniques and medical treatments being continuously developed. Whilst the wider options for care are available for our pets this often comes at a cost. If your pet becomes seriously ill or injured the cost of treatment cannot be budgeted for and so this is where pet insurance can give peace of mind. There are a large number of insurance companies offering pet insurance, it is a real minefield choosing the right policy. Sadly, it is not uncommon for owner to insure their beloved pet in good faith only to find out the cover is insufficient to cover the animal's needs.
We at Holmer Vet Surgery are not affiliated with any pet insurance company but our vets are happy to discuss what factors are important when deciding on which insurance is most suitable for you and your pet. In general you get what you pay for, so a policy which seems too good to be true probably is! We recommend you always look for a policy which covers ongoing conditions. Given that referral costs for surgery can range from £3000-£15000, a £5000 cover per condition should be considered the very least your pets insurance provides. Also remember to look at the excess amount you will need to pay, some insurances also expect you, the client, to pay a percentage of the expenses, from what we have seen this can be up to 20%, so you will need to consider if such a policy will work for you. Finally, we are not aware of any pet insurance policies which offer a no claims bonus and some companies put up premiums for older pets and/or introduce 'the owner pays a percentage of fees policy', even if they have been insured all their lives so bear this in mind at the outset.