Many pet owners often wonder if it’s worth it to purchase pet insurance. The way I see it, there are two main considerations, your opinion when it comes to risk-taking and the expected health of your pet.

Are you a risk-taker or are you conservative? If you are a risk-taker when it comes to insurance and would be okay covering any health-related costs yourself, you shouldn’t bother getting pet insurance. Right or wrong, this is what most pet owners do. However, if you are conservative, and want the peace of mind knowing that most major health costs you incur for your pet would be covered, pet insurance might be right for you!

The second consideration is the expected health of your pet. Of course, it’s impossible to predict with any level of precision how healthy your pet will be, but if you have carefully researched the lineage of your puppy, kitten or foal, and have sound information about the health of the lines, then that’s valuable information for you to use when making this decision.

Next, you might be wondering how pet insurance works. It’s pretty simple. You’d pay a monthly insurance premium for your pet, which could be as low as $10 per month (but usually higher). Some plans cover routine care as well as accidents and illnesses, while others only cover accidents and illnesses (the later would be cheaper). When your pet receives veterinary care, you’d submit the bill to the insurance company for reimbursement. Based on the plan you purchase, you’d be reimbursed a percentage of the total cost minus any deductible. Not every procedure is covered, so check out your policy carefully.

With the rising costs of pet healthcare and with the extremes that many of us would go to for our pets, pet insurance is becoming very popular with pet owners.

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Pet insurance is becoming increasingly popular in the UK but, do you really need it?

Some pet owners self insure their pet by saving a regular monthly amount instead of paying premiums to an insurance company. If your pet requires treatment, there are funds available to pay all or some of the cost. If you don’t, the money just rolls up gaining interest and is always yours.

In practice, self insuring your pet should only be considered in limited circumstances and for pets that are unlikely to cause injury or accident to others which could result in legal action. For example, if a dog, directly or indirectly, injures another pet or even a person, you could be faced with hefty vet or medical bills at best. At worst you could be on the receiving end of court action and substantial legal claim.

So, for most pet owners, insurance is a prudent choice but are all pet insurance policies equal?

TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING PET INSURANCE

1. Compare the price
2. Consider the policy excess
3. Are you protected by lifelong cover?
4. Look at other benefits
5. Read the small print

1. COMPARE THE PRICE
Obviously, the cost of insuring your pet is an important factor. But different insurers have different ways of pricing pet insurance premiums, so always get a quote for your specific circumstances to compare like with like.

2. CONSIDER THE EXCESS
Pet insurance providers use a number of methods to save themselves money when it comes to paying out claims. The main one is to include a high excess on their policies.

The policy excess is the amount that you have to pay each time you make a claim for a certain condition, so choosing a cheaper product with a higher excess could actually end up costing you money if you do need to claim.

3. ARE YOU PROTECTED WITH LIFELONG COVER
You should check carefully what you are being offered by pet insurers and understand clearly what they mean by “lifelong cover”. Understanding lifelong cover can be complicated, but here are a few simple guidelines on the types of cover generally available…

Time limited cover
Some plans will only cover a condition for the first year you claim.

For Example: If your pet developed arthritis, you might be able to claim up to

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Pet insurance has been and still is a growing concern with pet owners alike, due to the increasing amount of necessary trips to the veterinarian. Some of these trips can be extremely expensive depending on the reason for your visit. Routine check ups as well as emergency visits can be a costly expense that can be greatly minimized by simply opting into a basic pet insurance plan. Pets are often exposed to situations that can cause illness and accidental injuries. Lets face it, you can’t be with your pet all the time, and like children, pets can get themselves into dangerous situations. Unfortunately, these situations can sometimes lead to vet bills reaching hundreds, sometime thousands of dollars. When you take into consideration routine check ups, medicines, preventative measures, exams and surgeries, you can imagine how quickly this can add up.

There are a number of options available concerning pet insurance and dog insurance that are very affordable to keep your pet well taken care of when those unexpected veterinary pet care bills arise. Complete pet health insurance plans can start as low as 10 dollars per month, which is a small amount to keep your loved pet safe and healthy for years to come. Dog insurance and cat insurance plans can save you a lot of money and stress.

What would you do if your pet suddenly became ill and you needed a thousand dollars for the treatment of your pet? Would you be able to cover the costs without pet health insurance? For some people, this may not be a problem, but for most, this can be a devastating unexpected expense. We love our pets, that is why we have them isn’t it? It would be very difficult to have to let your pet go because of not being able to pay the medical bill. That wouldn’t be an option, besides, how would you tell your children? Absolutely right, you couldn’t. So, for as little as it costs, why not bring piece of mind into the household and make sure your pets medical expenses are covered with pet insurance plan. Believe me, there are many advantages to a good dog insurance plan. Don’t take the chance, and risk finding out the hard way, it’s just not worth it. It’s cheaper to have a pet plan than it is not to have one.

Dean Cecere is owner of www.pet-supplies-guide.com, and prevailing author dedicated to providing valuable information on current everyday life issues.

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