How do I find the cheapest pet insurance for my pet? This is probably a question you have asked yourself. Most likely, the next question – how much will it be? In this article, you will find the answers to these questions and many more questions about pet insurance.
What is a pet insurance?
Pet insurance provides payment, either partial or total, for veterinary treatment of the insured person’s ill or injured pet. Some policies also provide payment when the pet dies, or if the pet is lost or stolen. There are four types of pet insurance, ranging from cheapest to the premium level:
- Accident-only coverage
- Time limited coverage
- Maximum benefit coverage
- Lifetime coverage
In some cases, they are separated into two categories: non-lifetime coverage and lifetime coverage.
For pet insurance specific for dogs, see our Dog Insurance section.
What is pet lifetime insurance?
Lifetime pet insurance is the most comprehensive and because of that, often the most expensive type of coverage.
As long as you continue to renew it, the pet is covered throughout its lifetime up to a set amount of cash each year for as long as the policy is in force. New health issues that come up will be included but usually, any pre-existing conditions may not be covered unless specified. If you’re interested in purchasing a lifetime policy, it’s better to find one when your pet is young in order to cover all health issues and find a less expensive option.
What does pet insurance lifetime cover?
Lifetime pet insurance covers a pet for ongoing conditions throughout the pet’s lifetime. If a condition is claimed in the first year, it will not be excluded in subsequent years. There are limits to the lifetime policies – so, be sure to compare the options. Some lifetime pet insurances have limits “per condition,” or “per year,” or even “per condition, per year.”
What is a multi pet insurance?
A multi pet insurance policy allows you to keep all your pets under one pet insurance policy. Some insurance providers even give a discount if you add more than one pet to your pet insurance policy.
Read more: Confused
What is the best multi pet insurance?
The best insurance policy for your pets depends upon the type of coverage, your pets, and their existing or potential health concerns. What may be the cheapest option may not always be the best option for your pets.
While looking at multi pet insurance options, it’s important to review if it’s cheaper to get separate pet insurance policies for your pets.
Finally, make sure to read the fine print for your multi pet insurance policy to make sure they optimally cover your pets. For example, some policies exclude pre-existing conditions or breeds of pets, like Pitbulls.
For more information, check out MoneySuperMarket.
Cheap pet insurance: Compare quotes and the market in the UK
The easiest way to get cheap pet insurance is to use one of the many online comparing services.
How much does pet health insurance cost?
The cost of your pet health insurance will depend upon the type of pet (or pets) you own. According to MoneySuperMarket, the typical vet’s bill is about £300.
If you get lifetime or multi pet insurance, this will also impact the type of policy and cost of your pet’s health insurance. Once you add up pet equipment, food and medical / vet bills, it’s easy to see that finding the best policy for your pet is important.
What is the best pet insurance in the UK?
The best pet insurance may not be the cheapest pet insurance for your pet. It’s important to compare the available pet insurances with your pet’s current health and any ongoing medical treatments. The types of insurance for dogs vs cats vs other covered pets will also be different.
For example, the link below showcases the Best Pet Insurances for Dogs in 2017, and provides additional information for what may be the best option for you and your pet.
Read more: BroughtbyMany
How to compare multi pet insurance
Since multi pet insurance allows you to tie all your pet policies into one policy, it’s important to compare policies for potential discounts. Most insurance coverage will include cats and dogs, but may not extend to other types of pets.
It’s important to consider the age of your pet, and the amount of vet visits when comparing policies. If everything is tied together, it can keep the premiums down and the paperwork to a minimum.
For more information, check out the free comparisons at MoneySuperMarket and Confused.com for their free quotes.
What is the cheapest multi pet insurance in the UK?
Some multi pet insurance companies will give a discount of £12 a year for each additional pet you insure. The typical maximum for amount of pets covered on a multi pet insurance policy is 6 pets.
Finally, this BoughtByMany site reviews the top discounts for multi pet insurance companies in 2017. Check here for finding the best discount for your pets!
What is the best lifetime AND multi pet insurance?
There are several lifetime pet insurance policies that include multi pet options and discounts. It’s good to purchase pet insurance while your pets are young and have less health problems. It is often harder to find good coverage when pets are older.
When comparing lifetime multi pet insurance policies, it’s good to review the potential cost of vet visits for all pets, the type(s) of pets you own, and what additional coverage is important to you. By reviewing this information, you will be better equipped to compare the different policies.
For more information, check out the Money.co.uk site for several comparisons.
What are the best lifetime pet insurance providers in the UK?
According to BoughtByMany analysis from a few years ago, it’s important to consider the difference between “cheapest” and the “best.”
There are several cheap lifetime policies that may seem great, but have “time-limited” parts in their policies. This means that they may cover an illness for the first year / 12 months, but anything after that will not be covered. If your pet has a serious lifetime illness, this would have a negative impact.
The best lifetime pet insurance policies are comprehensive, may include dental coverage, and offers up to a set amount of vet fees with no time limit or condition-related caps.
What is a cheap lifetime pet insurance?
Lifetime pet insurance is the premium option, and the price may reflect this choice. However, it is possible to find cheap lifetime insurance for your pet.
Once you understand the the health needs of your pet, it’s easier to compare the different lifetime policies and find the cheapest option. The coverage will be for your pet’s lifetime as long as you remember to renew each year.
For more information, check out GoCompare Lifetime Pet Insurance.
What are lifetime pet insurance quotes?
Lifetime pet insurance quotes may vary depending on the policy best for your pet or pets, and if your pet has a pre-existing condition that needs different cover limits.
According to ComparetheMarket, the average premium price in August 2016, Lifetime pet insurance is £9.70 a month for dogs and £5.14 for cats so it could be less than you think. As noted before though, it’s good to consider the lifetime health of your pet, and what is best may not always be the cheapest rate.
How to compare lifetime pet insurance cover?
While comparing lifetime pet insurance coverage, it’s important to understand the health of your pet and read the fine print. Lifetime policies may cover differently. For example, they may include pre-existing conditions on a per year basis – meaning that you might only have a specified amount of cover for each condition in a year. Or, there may be a coverage limit for specific treatments. There may even be specific exclusions on the lifetime coverage.
For more information, go to GoCompare.com.
Compare pet insurance at Tesco Bank
For comparing and finding the best insurance for your pet, Tesco Bank outlines the different options and what is provided on their site. It includes everything from vet fees, to stolen pets, travel fees and even end of life coverage.
For more information, go to Tesco Bank Compare Pet Insurance.
Selected pet insurance companies
Here is a list of some selected pet insurance providers:
Pet insurance at Tesco Bank
Tesco Bank aims at providing simple and straightforward banking and insurance products that provide good value and reward loyalty.
Read more: Tesco Bank
Pet insurance at Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s Bank is the UK’s first supermarket bank that offers a wide range of financial products with attractive rewards for Sainsbury’s shoppers.
Read more: Sainsbury’s Bank
Pet insurance at Asda
Asda Money provides multiple financial products, including credit cards, personal loans and many types of insurance.
Read more: Asda
Pet insurance at Kennel Club
Kennel Club is an insurance provide for dogs that provides not only insurance coverage but health advice and tips for dog owners.
Read more: Kennel Club
Pet insurance at co uk
Pet Insurance.co.uk provides pet insurance for dogs and cats, and includes coverage for standard, lifetime, and multi-pet policy plans.
Read more: Petinsurance.co.uk
FAQ
Can you get pet insurance after the injury?
Yes, you can still get pet insurance after your pet has an injury. However, that injury will most likely not be covered by the new insurance.
Be aware of any bilateral conditions with your pet. A bilateral condition is an ailment which affects both sides of your pet’s body, and can be a point of contention with your insurance provider. For example, if your pet has an pre-existing injury with their left ear, and the same issue appears on their right ear during the policy term, the provider could call it the same issue.
It’s important to buy health insurance for your pet while they’re young and healthy. You can get insurance for your pet as young as eight weeks!
Can I get pet insurance with a pre existing condition?
Yes, you can still get pet insurance! Unfortunately, the pre-existing condition that you pet has will most likely not be covered in the new insurance policy.
It’s best to get your pet covered while they’re young and healthy for lower costs and coverage for health problems that may arise later in life.
When taking out insurance with a provider, it’s best to ask if your specific needs for your pet will be covered. It’s best not to assume that certain treatments and procedures will be insured, so always ask the provider when it concerns specific issues.
What does time limited on pet insurance mean?
Time limited pet insurance is one type of pet insurance available, and is one of the cheaper options. It is a a financial cap and 12-month limit placed on treatment for a condition. If your pet is still dealing with the same condition after 12 months, all vet fees will have to be handled by you and will not be covered by the policy.
Time limited policy may be good for a pet dealing with a short term illness or medical problem, but may not be the best option for older pets that may have a series of medical issues.
Is there a waiting period for pet insurance?
For some pet insurance providers, there may be a waiting period to cut down on fraud. According to BoughtByMany, the average waiting period for illness on most pet insurances is 14 days. As for accidents, the waiting period is usually cut down to 48 hours.
For more information, check out the BoughtByMany page on pet insurance cover time.
What is a maximum benefit pet insurance cover?
Maximum benefit coverage is one type of pet insurance available, and is one of the mid-range options. With this policy, there is no time limit on treatment for a condition, but there is a financial cap. If the cap is reached for one condition, other conditions may still be covered.
The policy allows you to claim year after year, which means you can claim for the same condition more than once. Once you reach the maximum cap for a condition, you will have to fund the rest yourself.
Maximum benefit insurance is good for a pet with middle-term health problem, but the limited cover might not be suitable if your animal develops a long-term condition.
What is the excess on pet insurance?
The excess on pet insurance, meaning the amount you have to pay yourself, will depend on your pet and the type of health conditions they may have long term. In most cases, it’s best to look for low excess and a low monthly premium to avoid paying higher premiums year over year.
Check out this Money.co.uk page for some Lower Excess Pet Insurance options available.
What is accidental damage on pet insurance?
Accidental damage on pet insurance is useful if your pet causes damage on another person’s home or their property. Typically, it will cover another person’s home and property, but not the pet owner’s home and property.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_insurance
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/pet-insurance/multi/
https://www.confused.com/pet-insurance/multi-pet
https://www.comparethemarket.com/pet-insurance/lifetime-pet-insurance/
http://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/lifetime-pet-insurance/
http://www.money.co.uk/pet-insurance/lifetime-pet-insurance.htm
http://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/pre-existing-medical-conditions/
http://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/time-limited-pet-insurance/
http://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/maximum-benefit-pet-insurance/
http://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/accidental-damage/
