Why pet insurance?

When I first heard about pet insurance, I was still in France looking for a job. I received that job offer for a pet insurance company and recall thinking:

What’s that? Pet… insurance??? Is this some sort of a joke?

The idea of insuring pets while we, humans, usually don’t have private healthcare just seemed strange. I decided though to come in to London, have the interview and eventually took the job. Since then, I learnt lots and just a few weeks ago launched this pet insurance blog: I know how vital pet insurance is for your pet’s wellbeing, but also how confusing the market is, so here’s some real insights.

Do you and your pet really need pet insurance?

As a committed pet owner, you want to make sure your pet is healthy and happy throughout its life. Vaccination, exercise and diet play a big part in that, but they are generally more preventative. Pet insurance is equally important: it makes sure your pet has access to the best of veterinary care regardless of the costs of treatment. Not all owners can afford expensive therapies, so they often have to settle for non-optimal care, or worse, have to put their pet to sleep in case of an sudden misfortune. With pet insurance, you don’t have to choose between your wallet and your pet’s health.

Veterinary inflation

Average costs of pet healthcare continue to rise year on year, mainly as a result of advances in vet medicines. New drugs, machines and equipment mean that your pet can receive better treatment and conditions once considered untreatable are now easily dealt with. Costs, though, are highly prohibitive: treatment for a road traffic accident can cost up to £3,000 while lifelong conditions such as diabetes can require care worth £3,500 a year.

Complete peace of mind

Were your pet to suffer an accident, the last thing you want to worry about is finances. You’d rather make sure your companion receives the best of care and makes a speedy recovery. That’s why pet insurance provides you with complete peace of mind. And it’s not about vet bills only. There are other useful benefits that helps you relax during stressful times:

- kennel/cattery fees: if you have to go the hospital because you’re sick and need to put your dog or cat in a kennel or cattery.
– daily minding fees: alternatively, you can have someone to look after your pet if you go into hospital.
– holiday cancellation: if you have to cancel your holidays or go home early because your pet requires urgent treatment.
– third party liability cover (for dogs only): if your dog injures someone or causes damage to someone’s property.
– other benefits: loss by theft or straying, recovery and advertising costs, death of pet, travel cover…

In conclusion

In a nutshell, I believe that pet insurance is a wise choice for you and your pet. There’s no NHS for pets so every visit to the vet, every drug and every prescribed diet food will cost you. With 1 in 3 pets now believed to make an unexpected visit to the vet each year (source: Mintel), it makes sense to insure your pet. Just make sure you take out adequate cover and that your policy match your needs. Finding the right cover takes time and research. Luckily, you’re in the right place here: check out our pet insurance guide pages and our comparison tables.

Online Cars Insurance Quote

Get a Full Coverage Auto Insurance