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All animal owners and pet lovers will know that looking after the animals in their care can often be expensive. The cost of food is often the least of our worries as vet bills can quickly run into the thousands when our pets become ill.
Pet insurance isn’t compulsory but it does make a lot of sense for most pet owners. In this article, we’ve going to provide an overview of the different types of insurance available as well as how you can get the best deal.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Similar to the health insurance policy that some of us buy for ourselves and our family members, pet insurance covers your pet in the event of injury or illness. With an active policy in place, the financial aspect of your pet’s veterinary bills will be taken care of, leaving you to pay a small excess depending on your policy.
Accidental Injury Cover
Often the most basic type of policy, accidental injury covers your pet in the event of them sustaining an injury. This could include anything from being run over by a vehicle to falling from a height.
- It is important that you read the policy notes to ascertain exactly what type of accidents will be covered.
- You will often find that you are required to pay an excess or deductible before treatment can commence – these will usually be in the range of $200.
Accidental Injury & Illness Cover
This type of policy goes one step further and provides your pet with an element of sickness or illness cover in the event they come down with a disease or similar health complaint. You will end up paying more for this type of pet insurance, but in return, you are covered for more eventualities. As always, ensure that you read the terms and conditions of your policy.
Major Medical Pet Insurance Cover
This is the most comprehensive type of policy which covers your pet for all of the above as well as the expenses associated with routine care. This will include vaccinations and deworming treatment.
- This type of policy will cost you more in premiums but may work out cheaper in the long run.
- There will often be no excess associated with the routine care cover.
How Can I Reduce My Premiums?
There are often several things that you can do for your pet to bring the cost of their policy down. Having your animal neutered or sprayed may attract a reduced premium from your policy provider as your pet is deemed a lower risk. In addition, consider insuring your pet as soon as possible. Animals without pre-existing conditions are cheaper to insure.
Where Can I Find Insurance?
Pet insurance can now be bought online from a range of providers no matter where you are in Australia. We suggest heading online and performing a web search to compile a list of suitable insurance companies. Do ensure that you read any customer satisfaction reviews available as they can provide an insight into how well your claim will be handled in the event you need to make one.
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