Navigating Pet Insurance: What You Need to Know

Pet ownership is a rewarding experience that comes with its fair share of responsibilities. Beyond providing love, care, and attention, it's essential to consider the health and well-being of your furry companion. 

Veterinary care can be expensive, and unexpected accidents or illnesses can catch any pet owner off guard. 

This is where pet insurance becomes a valuable tool in ensuring that your pet receives the best possible care without straining your finances. In this blog post, we'll explore the ins and outs of pet insurance, helping you navigate through the complexities and make informed decisions for the well-being of your beloved pet.

Understanding Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is designed to cover the costs associated with veterinary care for your pets. Just like health insurance for humans, it provides financial assistance for medical treatments, surgeries, medications, and other healthcare expenses related to your pet. However, it's important to note that pet insurance plans can vary widely in terms of coverage, cost, and exclusions.

Types of Coverage

Accident-Only Coverage: This type of coverage focuses on injuries resulting from accidents, such as broken bones, cuts, or ingestion of harmful substances. It is usually more affordable than comprehensive plans but does not cover illnesses.

Illness Coverage: Comprehensive plans cover illnesses, including chronic conditions, infections, and hereditary issues. These plans are more inclusive but come with a higher price tag.

Wellness or Preventive Care Coverage: Some policies offer coverage for routine veterinary visits, vaccinations, and preventive care. While this may increase your premium, it can save you money in the long run by promoting early detection and prevention.

Factors to Consider

Cost of Premiums: Evaluate your budget and choose a premium that you can afford. Keep in mind that premiums may increase as your pet ages or if you make claims.

Deductibles and Co-Payments (often called Excess): Understand the deductible amount and co-payment percentage associated with your policy. A higher deductible may result in lower premiums, but you'll pay more out of pocket before the insurance kicks in.

Coverage Limits: Be aware of any annual or lifetime limits on coverage. Some policies may have caps on specific treatments or overall expenses.

Exclusions and Waiting Periods: Carefully read the policy to identify exclusions, such as pre-existing conditions, and be aware of any waiting periods before coverage begins.

Provider Reputation: Research and choose a reputable pet insurance provider with positive customer reviews. Look for a company that has a straightforward claims process and good customer service.

Making Informed Decisions

Before selecting a pet insurance plan, assess your pet's specific needs, your financial situation, and your risk tolerance. It's crucial to strike a balance between affordability and comprehensive coverage. Regularly review your policy to ensure it meets your pet's evolving healthcare needs.

Pet insurance can be a valuable investment in your pet's health and your peace of mind. By understanding the nuances of different policies, considering your pet's specific requirements, and choosing a reliable provider, you can navigate the world of pet insurance with confidence. Remember, proactive planning today can lead to a healthier and happier tomorrow for your cherished four-legged family member.

Confused.com guides pet owners through the minefield of pet insurance

Confused.com has launched its revamped pet (cat and dog) insurance comparison service. The service is more user-friendly, with a quicker quote process and with more insurers to choose from meaning pet owners are armed with all the information needed to make a more informed decision. Confused.com's comparison service makes it easy for customers to compare pet insurance.

Pet insurance can provide valuable peace of mind against unexpected and expensive vets bills; the cost of unexpected operations, expensive treatments and even help with the cost of searching for a missing pet. One simple form searches all Confused.com's pet insurers and will compare the best quotes for your pet.

Confused.com is not a broker, so the website will only offer clear and impartial quotes. With the increased choice of insurers on the panel dog insurance policies can cost as little as £6.29 a month and cat insurance policies can start at £3.13 a month.

Clarissa Baldwin, CEO of Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity said: "Your dog is part of the family and deserves to get the best possible veterinary care when necessary. There is no National Health Service for pets, and veterinary fees continue to rise at a faster rate than general inflation. If you can afford it, we would certainly recommend taking out pet insurance.

"Pet insurance may seem expensive, but it really could mean the difference between life and death for your pet. It would be heart breaking to have your dog put to sleep just because you couldn't afford the necessary veterinary treatment. If your dog is lucky you may never have to claim any money back, but at the very least it really does give you peace of mind."

Kate Rose, Head of Pet Insurance at Confused.com continued: "Finding the right pet insurance policy can be a difficult and confusing task, you want to be able to find a policy that covers your pet for everything it needs but a policy that is also cost effective, that's where Confused.com's new webpage can help.

"With an easy and effective website and a number of pet insurers on its panels you can get the exact cover that you need for your pet. Also with policies starting as little as £3.13 why now compare now and get the cover your pet deserves."

To make it easy for customers to compare prices, Confused.com have put together a best buy table for pet insurance, allowing pet owners to see at a glance companies that provide the best deal for certain criteria. Users will be able to filter out cover for Accident only, Time limited, Maximum benefit and Lifetime cover types, and be presented with the best monthly price for their Dog or Cat.

Confused.com and Dogs Trust study reveals how owners keep their dogs happy on car journeys

According to a new study into car owners and their pets by Confused.com, over one in three (39%) pet lovers takes their dogs or cats on car journeys with them regularly. Of those surveyed, 41% say their pets enjoy being in the car.

The Confused.com study reveals that listening to the radio helps pet owners keep their animals amused on longer journeys with Adele, Madonna and Lady Gaga being the most popular artists to keep pets happy on the move.

Some owners admit to singing to their pets to keep them amused. Apparently Radio 1 is the top choice for in-car pet entertainment, closely followed by Radio 2 and 5 Live.

Confused.com has teamed up with the charity Dogs Trust to help ensure dogs enjoy the car journey even more by avoiding travel sickness and staying safe. 12% of pet owning motorists say they let their dog stick his head out of the window on the journey but according to experts at Dogs Trust this is not a great way to keep your pet happy.

Paula Boyden, Veterinary Director at Dogs Trust said: "Dogs might really enjoy the sensation of having their heads out of the window but it is dangerous for them so we would always advise keeping ears, paws and noses inside the vehicle while the car is moving."

25% of pet owners who take their dog or cat in the car say that their animal enjoys the journey, as long as they keep them amused. Talking to them and taking plenty of their toys are the top ways that dog and cat lovers use to keep them happy.

Almost 10% of pet owners say they have almost had a near miss when driving because of their pet's behaviour in the car.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com said: "Road trips should be as fun for our pets as they can be for us, and keeping our pets happy in the back is also going to reduce distraction for us as drivers, making our journeys safer for us and our animals."

Keeping canines safe and comfortable in cars – advice from Dogs Trust and confused.com

• 1. Make sure that your dog is safely restrained with a car harness, a travel crate or strong well fitting dog-guard. While there is currently no law that stipulates that a dog must be restrained whilst travelling in a vehicle, The Highway Code does offer advice on best practice.
• 2. If you're travelling abroad then you can find out about quarantine and the Pet Passport / Pet Travel Scheme from the DEFRA, website www.defra.gov.uk
• 3. Provide fresh drinking water at all times (non-spillable bowls are available) and make plenty of stops on your journey for him to stretch his legs and relieve himself. Never exercise your dog on the hard shoulder of a motorway – wait for a service station.
• 4. Never leave a dog alone in a car, especially on a warm or hot day. Ensure that the sun is not directly on him whilst you are travelling and try to make your journey during the coolest part of the day. If you use a sunshade attached to the window, make sure that it does not obscure your vision. Make sure that someone stays with your dog when you stop at a service station; a dog can die in a hot car within 20 minutes.
• 5. To reduce the likelihood of your pet suffering from car sickness, don’t feed your dog just before travelling. If your dog is due to be fed, offer a small amount, but ensure that it is at least an hour before travelling.
• 6. If your dog is travel sick, or does not travel well, seek advice from your vet, and only use medication prescribed specifically for your dog by your vet.
• 7. Find out if your vehicle recovery service will allow your dog to travel in the cab with you if you have a breakdown. It may not be safe for your dog to travel in your towed car. 
• 8. Don’t let your dog stick his head out of the window as passing vehicles could injure your pet, his eyes or ears could be damaged by particles in the air or he could try to jump out.
• 9. Did you know that the inside of a car legally constitutes a public place This means that anyone who is bitten when sticking his or her fingers through your car window could report you under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. If you have been ordered to keep your dog muzzled in public then you must muzzle him whilst he is in the car also. (This does not apply if the car is parked for example on a private drive).
• 10. If you're planning to take your dog with you on your holidays, there are some safety and welfare considerations. See the Dogs Trust website for more details.

The poll of 2000 drivers in the UK was carried out by Onepoll on behalf of Confused.com and all figures have been rounded up to the nearest 1%.

Confused.com was the UK's first price comparison site for car insurance. Confused.com is one of the biggest and most popular price comparison services. Launched in 2002, it generates over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the last couple of years to include home insurance, pet insurance quotes covering both dog insurance and cat insurance, travel insurance, motorbike insurance, breakdown cover and energy, as well as financial services products including credit cards, loans, mortgages and life insurance.

New look pet insurance policies keep Petplan well ahead

With in excess of 250 pet insurance policies now in the market, the industry is becoming a minefield for pet owners with varying benefits and levels of cover often confusing them to a point where they think they’re getting lifetime cover but instead trapped with a restrictive policy.

However, to make it easier for pet owners to understand the types of cover available, Petplan the UK’s largest pet insurance provider, has launched a new look policy range which will also give pet owners more comprehensive cover.

Simon Masding, Petplan’s Head of Sales and Partnerships said since Petplan started 35 years ago the pet insurance market and vet industry has changed significantly, especially in the last few years.

“Advances in new technology and better diagnostics allowing vets to save and treat more pets means our policies need to evolve so that pets can continue to get the best possible treatment.”

To better understand these changing market dynamics Petplan undertook extensive research with vets, breeders, charities, customers and non-customers.

The feedback showed that despite having the most comprehensive policies in the market, it was important for Petplan to more clearly communicate their range of policies to shift away from the confusion created by other brands and meet the changing demands of pet owners better.

This has led to the specialist insurance provider simplifying their policy range, adding and increasing each policy’s benefits and developing easy to understand policy names.

Petplan’s new look policies for both cats and dogs are:

• Petplan Ultimate – Petplan’s most comprehensive Covered for Life® plan with exclusive additional benefits and up to £12,000 vet fee cover for complete peace of mind. Maximum protection for maximum reassurance.

• Petplan Classic – Petplan’s most popular plan providing comprehensive Covered for Life® pet insurance for accidents and chronic illnesses. The original Covered for Life® policy.

• Petplan Essential – providing high quality 12-month cover for accidents and illness. Petplan quality at an affordable price.

Zeta Frasca, owner and practicing vet at Kitten to Cat in Richmond London says a lot of pet owners find pet insurance really confusing to understand all the fine print especially with many insurance companies not making it clear that although your pet is insured they are not covered for life.

“These changes will not only make it clearer for the pet owner but it will also make it a lot easier for us as an industry to explain pet insurance to our clients, which is really important,” says Zeta.

In terms of the new benefits for each policy, pet owners now have greater flexibility with the Petplan Essential and Petplan Classic policies allowing them to add optional death cover, and Petplan Classic policy holders will also be able to choose between £4,000 and £7,000 worth of veterinary fee cover.

Petplan Ultimate has significantly increased cover limits across the policy including complementary treatment and loss by theft or illness. They’ve also added extra benefits such as a pet owner support pack, a Pet Bereavement Helpline provided by Blue Cross and access to the Petplan legal helpline.

“We’re always looking at ways we can better keep pets healthy and owners happy and these changes will compliment our ability to pay vet practices direct and settle 90 per cent of claims within 5 working days,” says Simon.

For details of Petplan’s new look policies visit www.petplan.co.uk or call
0845 077 1934 to talk to one of their sales teams.