In 2021 there are so many options for dog insurance providers and plans, it can be bewildering and difficult to know where to start.
As well as this, there are a variety of conditions that will affect the cost of the insurance. Because it can all get pretty confusing, the aim of this post, is not to fill you in on all the details, but to give an overview. Hopefully you’ll gain some idea of what to look out for, if you are thinking of insuring your number 1 pet.
Why should a dog owner take out insurance?
Animals are as likely to get ill as we are, and treatment can be costly. 2019, a report showed a record number of insurance pay outs, which somewhat reflect advantage in veterinary equipment used to deal with illness and accident. With technological advances come added costs. As well as illness, there is also the possibility of accidents.
Not all dog owners decide not to take out a plan. More people took on pets during lockdown, but there may have also been a reduced capacity to afford. Despite this, pet insurance is a very common option. This is particularly the case among millennial owners, who appear to value pet protection, according to one recent IDEXX study.
The range of Choice
Not only are there a vast range of insurance providers, it can be hard to unscramble the essential info that you need in order to make an informed decision. Therefore, let us look at the main types of insurance you can get for your dog.
In general, there are five options. The first is Lifetime cover, which makes sense for anyone with a young dog. It will cover for conditions across your pets’ life, and include third party liability, and accidents. Annual policies will cover for periods of up to 12 months. There are also ‘accident only‘ policies. Maximum benefit / per condiiton policies , are strictly for one time only illnesses or injuries.
Which Plan?
In order to consider this, let’s take one (unnamed) provider as an example
It offers different plans for lifetime insurance, and proportion of payouts from each. The vast majority of its overall lifelong claims are with their Premier plan, which pays out up to £2,000. There are higher tiers for up to £3,000, £4,000 and £5,000 but only a very small percentage of total pay outs are for these . You can bear this in mind for comparison, when considering an alternative provider.
Some pet insurance policies include sneaky terms and limit payouts. Which? Magazine has compared more than 70 insurance companies, and created a report with recommendations for the best deals. It could be worth your while subscribing to for reliable and non-biased assessment for around £3/ month. There are also detailed assessments of individual providers.
How much does it all cost?
The amount you pay, depends on a variety of factors including the part of the country you are living in, the age of your dog, and whether you own a pedigree dog. These are more prone to congenital diseases or hereditary conditions.
Older dogs are more expensive to insure, with most policies having an age limit of seven to eight years for a dog.
One provider calculated that in 2020 the overall average was £436.02 per year. It also breaks this down for individual breeds.
Finally…
Before signing up, assess your dog’s needs, and get everything up to date with jabs and vaccinations. Try and pay annually, as monthly payments incur interest.
Where possible get insurance while your dog is young and healthy.
Are you looking for something great to treat your dog with? Try our monthly themed boxes!
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