It seems that the cost of treatment at the vets seems to be getting more expensive with every year that passes. Before any vets reading this take offence I know that most vets still offer very good value for the treatment provided.When choosing a policy there are a number of key things to check for to make sure the policy you are buying meets your needs. Monthly premiums can vary quite dramatically but the cheapest premiums are not necessarily offering the best value cover insurance cover for your pet.Most policies have some form of excess per claim with the range being between 60-100 depending on the level of cover. My advice is dont be put off by what seems a relatively high figure in this case. Some policies do not have any excess, but premiums for these products tend to be higher. Recently I received a bill for nearly 500 when my dog was bitten on his ear. The injury itself was not too severe but the cost of drugs and stitches pushed overall cost up, and I was happy to get 400 of the fees back. A friend was able to reclaim more than 5000 when her beloved dog needed operations on her joints.The various pet insurance companies also have differing rules regarding the age at which they will insure a pet. Some set maximum limits at which they will insure a pet up to, whilst others are happy to insure pets of any age but have an age limit for new policies. Typically the limits are about 8 years for a Dog and 10 years for a cat. When insuring a new puppy or kitten some Insurers insist on a 14 day introductory period, during which claims will not be honoured. I have fallen foul of this clause in the past when a puppy I had bought was found to suffering from a virus within 3 days of me taking it home, leaving a 600 bill to be paid from my own pocket. Happily Sam survived; this left a bitter taste in the mouth when the claim was rejected, so my advice is read the small print.
I know that for those operating on low income 120 to 300 a year can be quite a large sum of money to find annually, but I would suggest those who can find the money to do so in preference to potentially very large surprise bills.
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Pet Insurance