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What are the benefits of getting pet insurance?

22nd June 2012 Print

As a pet owner, you may seldom think of pet insurance to cover any medical bills; however, along with pet ownership are many unforeseen risks such as sudden illness, unexpected visits to the vet or loss by theft or straying, that won’t even cross your mind until the unexpected occurs.

Animals are just as susceptible to illness and injuries as their owners and figures show that 1 in 3 pet owners experience unexpected trips to the vet. With such high numbers of pets requiring sudden veterinary attention, it’s worth considering the benefits that pet insurance can provide to give you some peace of mind.

Saving your pet and wallet

Pet insurance not only covers your veterinary bills, but it can come in handy when you least expect it. From transportation costs (those who have to relocate at a moment’s notice) to boarding kennels and cattery fees or even if your dog’s involved in an incident that results in third-party damage or injury, investing in a pet policy acts as a safety net for those times when you find yourself facing colossal veterinary pet bills with little disposable income.

Veterinary bills in the first year of dog ownership can be anything from £100 to £600, which is quite considerable when taking into the account the price of your puppy. Adding on follow-up booster vaccinations, deworming treatment and routine examinations, it can all amount to high costs in the first few years.

The obvious benefit to having a pet insurance policy is that it’s always available to you if you need it and will cover the number of veterinary visits that you may have every year. So, if you signed up today with RSPCA pet insurance and your pet is injured and requires expensive treatment next week, you can rest knowing that you’ll be that you’re covered.

Safe than sorry

It’s likely that your pet will require some costly medical care at some point in its life, whether it’s a routine examination or something cosmetic such as professional teeth cleaning for dogs. In fact, many puppies are prone to illness, especially those that are teething and enjoy chewing many objects; some even swallow small items lying around the house. Quite often, young dogs find themselves in this situation and require immediate explorative surgery to remove a foreign object from their stomach or intestinal tract. Accidents and procedures like this are common, but they are likely to set you back a couple of hundred pounds (or more).

Start early

It’s a good thing that most veterinary surgeries, procedures and treatments cost a fraction of what they would cost if performed on humans. If you look at it this way, you can see how pet insurance is a lot more affordable than you think. If you do want to get the most out of a pet insurance plan, it’s worth signing up for a policy while your pet’s still young so that you can avoid any exclusions later on.