Pet Insurance
All Willows clients that bring a pet under the age of one in for a clinical exam are able to claim four weeks of free insurance with Pet Plan.
People tend to assume that only older pets need pet insurance, as they are more likely to become ill and require treatment.
In fact, the younger your pet is when you insure them the better, as it means they are less likely to have acquired any pre-existing health conditions over the years which may not be covered by an insurance policy, and you can receive more help covering the cost of any future treatments your pet may need.
It is important to note that not all pet insurance is the same. There are many different types of insurance policies available, and the level of cover provided can vary considerably. The four main types of pet insurance policy are as follows:
- Accident: provides cover for accidents only and no cover for illness.
- Time-limited: provides cover for a set amount of time (usually 12 months), and after this period the condition is excluded.
- Maximum benefit: provides cover up to a maximum amount of money per condition, and once this limit is reached the condition is excluded.
- Lifetime: usually provides a set amount of money each year, which is refreshed each time you renew your policy, allowing you to continue to claim for ongoing health conditions.
The type of policy you choose can have implications for the veterinary care of your pet and the costs you will face, so it’s important to choose the right cover. Sometimes, a cheaper pet insurance policy can cost you more in the long run. When shopping around for an insurance policy, we suggest that you ask the following questions to allow you to compare the overall value you are getting, not just the price:
- Does this policy cover congenital, hereditary, hip-related, dental and behavioural conditions?
- Is there a time or monetary limit on how long this policy will cover ongoing conditions for?
- If I claim, will my premium increase?
Unlike other forms of insurance, it is not easy to switch pet insurance policies, as any pre-existing health conditions your pet has are likely to be excluded. It is therefore important to do your research and choose the right cover from the start. You should ideally try and choose a policy where the price doesn’t increase with each claim.
For general advice on selecting a suitable pet insurance policy, please get in touch.