PET INSURANCE

Veterinary medicine has advanced so much in recent years, we are now able to diagnose and treat many conditions which would have remained untreated often with fatal consequences some years ago. The down side of these advances is the high cost of equipment, drugs and laboratory fees and hence a rise in veterinary fees. Some examples listed below are recent bills incurred here in our practice at Dalehead or in cases we have referred to specialist animal hospitals :-

• Collie dog with fractured hind leg £450
• Labrador needing blood tests + X-rays £175
• Westie with womb infection needed speying £250
• Cat with itchy skin, treatment and tests £175
• Dog with mouth tumour (referral) £1600
• Horse with colic needed surgery £2500
• Referral consultation for joint problem £80

One of the most upsetting parts of our job is when we could cure a pet's condition but the costs are not within the owners financial means. This is why we recommend pet insurance, a good policy can help us to do the best for your pet. It is often worrying enough that your pet has had an accident or is ill without having to worry about the bill too.

The number of policies available are huge. A few considerations when taking out a policy are noted below. Please read the small print before taking out the policy-the cheapest policies don't always offer the best cover.

What will not be covered ?

Vaccines and routine neutering, flea treatment and worming for non-disease reasons are not covered. Some policies cover prescription foods, some don't.

How much is the excess ?

Every policy has an excess, the amount is variable as is whether the excess is per claim or per condition.

Is a condition excluded from a claim ?

Some companies exclude a condition on renewal of the policy at the year end The better policies insure your pet for life. This can make a big difference in longstanding illnesses.

Is the fee cover enough ?

A single illness can mount up costwise over the years, some policies have a limit on the amount you can claim on each illness.

Will your pet be insured when it is older ?

All policies increase the premium and br excess when you pet gets older, some will not insure older dogs. Make sure you will get value for money after having paid the premiums all those years.