Choosing Pet Insurance Cover

Pet insurance can be confusing and choosing pet insurance cover level suitable for you can be tricky. There are so many different types of insurance cover available and they all vary across providers. The Vetsure range has been designed in close collaboration with vets to try to keep things as clear and simple as possible.

When choosing a policy it is important to check the type of policy and the level of vet fees covered to ensure it will meet your needs, now and in the future. If you decide to change your insurance after a medical condition has occurred or showed signs, that condition will almost certainly be excluded under any new insurance – even if you haven’t submitted a claim for it. For this reason, it is worth doing your research at the outset and take all factors into account when making your selection as, unlike with other types of insurance, it may not be viable to change provider at a later date.

Types of Pet Insurance Cover

Policies will normally fall into one of the following three categories:

‘Time and Benefit Limited’ These policies typically provide the most basic level of cover and are usually amongst the cheapest available. Each condition is covered for 12 months from its onset up to a set financial limit. The condition will stop being covered after 12 months or when the financial limit is reached – whatever happens first.

‘Maximum Benefit’ These policies typically provide cover per condition, but up to a maximum financial amount. Once the financial limit has been reached, no further claims for that condition will be paid.

‘Lifetime Cover’ These policies typically provide the most comprehensive level of cover. Veterinary Fee benefits ‘re-charge’ each year that the policy is renewed. Depending on the provider, the benefit limit may apply in one of two ways:

1. The benefit limit is applied to ALL conditions per year e.g. £5,000 in total per year.
2. The benefit limit is applied PER CONDITION per year e.g. £5,000 per unrelated condition per year. For example, if your pet was unfortunate enough to have three unrelated conditions you could benefit from up to £15,000 per year.

All Vetsure policies fall into the ‘lifetime’ category and benefit limits are ‘per condition per year’. Find out more about lifetime cover here.

Vetsure Pet Insurance

Vetsure Accident Only

This policy provides your pet with cover for accidental injury only. For example, treatment following a road traffic accident, foreign body ingestion, bone fractures, lacerations, burns and such like.

This is the most basic cover we offer and the policy premium will be reflective of this. This policy does not cover illnesses or conditions. If you are concerned about the possible future costs relating to conditions, or any illness your pet might develop, the Premier or Premier Plus policies may suit you better as they provide cover for illness as well as accidents.

Vetsure Premier

The Premier ‘core cover’ includes up to £2,000 per condition per year for Veterinary Fees. This policy provides lifelong cover, which means long-term and recurring illnesses and conditions will continue to be covered each time the policy renews.

For example, if your pet is unlucky enough to suffer from multiple unrelated conditions the Veterinary fee limit applies to each and every condition, such that, in theory, your pet has limitless total cover. This means, your pet can benefit from £2,000 cover per condition every year – so if your pet was unlucky enough to suffer from 4 unrelated conditions you could benefit from £8,000 cover per year. These conditions will then continue to be covered each year the policy renews (provided you keep your premiums up to date).

This policy also offers cover for Complementary Medicine, Special Diet, Death of Pet, Transportation Costs, Loss by Theft or Straying and Advertising and Reward as standard.

Vetsure Premier Plus

Our Premier plus is our most comprehensive cover and the policy premium will be reflective of this (after all, like most things in life, you get what you pay for). The Premier Plus offers the same benefits as our Premier cover but includes up to £5,000 per condition per year for Veterinary Fees – so if your pet was unlucky enough to suffer from 4 unrelated conditions you could benefit from £20,000 cover per year. These conditions will then continue to be covered each year the policy renews (provided you keep your premiums up to date).

Like the Premier policy, the Premier Plus policy also offers cover for Complementary Medicine, Special Diet, Death of Pet, Transportation Costs, Loss by Theft or Straying and Advertising and Reward as standard.

REMEMBER: Always read any policy documentation carefully to ensure it meets you and your pets’ needs and always answer the insurer’s questions to the best of your knowledge.

If you ever need any help when it comes to understanding our policies then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we will be happy to help you when choosing pet insurance cover that is suitable for you.