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Statistics in the UK indicate that the millions of the Nation's pet owners spend something in the region of £2 billion on Christmas presents for their animals every year. So in view of this astonishing fact and given the ease of obtaining pet insurance, why do only less than 1 in 6 owners actually take out insurance policies covering the health and welfare of their faithful friends.
The answer to this question is simply, is it worth it? and of course annual premiums that can range from around £25 to £500, depending on the breed of cat or dog covered and the insurer, may be considered an expensive proposition. Pet insurance like any other form of insurance is only useful when you need it. But consider the facts. Unlike the human members, the pet that is loved and over the years has become an indispensible member of the family is not covered by any form of National Health Service. When it becomes ill, the only recourse is a trip to the Veterinary Surgeon. On average, statistics show that around half of all pet owners are forced to make an unplanned trip to their vet every two years . Some examples of the cost of treatment are around £1000 for heart treatment and only a little less for abdominal surgery. A course of treatment for arthritis in a dog is around £500 and of course many animals require on-going treatment for injury and illness. On top of the initial treatment, there are the costs involved in the hospitalisation of the recovering animal. So a solid insurance policy may in the worst case senario, relieve the caring owner from making a painful decision based on costs.
Again, like all insurance policies, Pet Insurances vary from insurer to insurer. Routine treatments and existing conditions will not be covered. There will be exclusion clauses and there will almost certainly be a capped limit on costs covered. Premiums will increase with the age of the pet and of course, different animals and the various breeds will attract differing insurance costs.
The costs connected with medical treatment are only one aspect covered by pet insurance. Pet policies can include cover for the expense of the publicity and advertising involved if your pet is lost. A policy may also insure the heavy legal costs in the event of a defended claim against you for injury as a result of the actions of your pet. Some policies will pay for the care of your pet if you are incapacitated and even the cost of replacing valuable animal if it is stolen.
Pet insurance is widely available and even major supermarket chains offer pet insurance now. Generally the policy options are either annual cover or life cover, the costs of which are naturally dependant on the type and breed of animal Certain breeds with adverse medical histories will of course be more expensive. Cheaper is not always better read the conditions of any policy before taking it up! | |
