Pet Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pet Insurance?
Pet Insurance is a policy that covers your household pets such as cats and dogs as long as they're healthy. Whether your dog or cat is mixed breed or pedigree then most pet insurers will cover the animal for the whole of its life. Pet insurance often covers more than just vet bills, it often covers emergency kennelling costs, theft and travel.

Do I need it?
Over 50% of visits to vets are unplanned due to accident or illness to pets and 1 out of every 3 pets require veterinary treatment each year following injury, illness or accident. These are often expensive costs which pet insurance policies can insure you against. For example treating a cat with a broken leg, can cost over £1,000, while some more complex treatments, such as hip displacia, can cost over £4000.

If you have to spend more than 96 hours in hospital, then some pet insurance policies will help cover the kennel costs for your pet. Where there is a holiday cancellation because your pet needs emergency surgery, your pet insurance could help reimburse your non-recoverable expenses. Your pet insurance policy can also cover advertising and reward costs if your pet is lost or stolen.

What do I need to know?
When you purchase Pet Insurance, your insurer will usually issue documents such as:

• The Pet Insurance Policy Document - sets out in full the terms and conditions of your policy
• The Pet Insurance Policy Handbook - contains more details about your pet insurance

Read and make sure you understand your pet insurance policy document. If there are insurance terms you are not sure of then check the explanations in the Insurance Glossary

How to choose the right pet insurance policy for you?
There are usually different levels of pet insurance cover available where different values or events are covered. Usually the higher the monthly payment, the greater the value of cover and number of aspects covered. Below outlines the different aspects of pet insurance cover you need to review:

Term Pet Insurance:

• Vet's Fees
• Cover for Life
• Accidental Damage
• Death from Illness
• Death from Accident
• Advertising & Reward
• Theft or Straying
• Third Party Liability & Legal Expenses
• Boarding Kennel Fees
• Holiday Cancellation Costs
• Overseas Travel

Where do you buy your pet insurance?
Make sure you shop around and get at around three to four proposals to ensure you are getting competitive quotes. But don't just look at the price, check what is covered under the insurance policy and check the policy details in terms of exclusions

asrecommended can reduce the amount of time and money you spend on comparing by quotes bringing you the UK's leading companies and providing you with all the online links, phone numbers and information you need to get the best pet insurance and cheapest quotes.

The opinions expressed are those of the author only. The material is for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation by an FSA authorised company where the market is FSA regulated.