Pet Insurance - Is the Cost Really Worth it?

Sharing a home with a pet is a massive responsibility and one that should never be taken too lightly. Not only do you have to ensure they live in a safe, warm environment and are fed a nutritious diet to suit their ages, but when a pet falls ill or develops a health issue, it's up to their owners to make sure they are treated in a timely fashion and made to feel comfortable sooner rather than later.

Taking a dog, cat or other pet along to the vet so they can be treated for a condition or injury can prove an expensive business which is why many owners decide to take out pet insurance. The question is, do owners really need to take out insurance for their pets or is it a waste of their hard earned cash?

A Pet Becomes Part of the Family

It goes without saying that pets soon become valued members of a family and as such, when they get sick or are injured in any way, their responsible and loving owners will do their best to get the money together in order to pay for any vet bills incurred. If you are in the enviable position of having some money saved up or have a disposable income, pet insurance might not be necessary. However, if you don't have any "extra" money to spare, then it could be worthwhile taking out some sort of pet cover.

Vet Bills are Higher Than Ever

With the advancement in veterinary medicine coming on in leaps and bounds over recent years and partly thanks to the brilliant technology researchers now have at their fingertips, there are many new procedures now available, but there is a price to pay because the cost of taking a pet along to the vet for any sort of treatment has gone up considerably.

New treatments are invariably more expensive when they are first available and recent research has established the average cost of a claim these days is in the region of £650+. However, some claims can reach thousands of pounds, especially if a pet is being treated for an ongoing basis for a long-term condition.

High Value Pets

If you share your home with a high value pet, it could be worth taking out some sort of insurance cover just in case they succumb to an illness/disease or they get stolen. Show dogs are a good example of this, but there are other high value pets that people keep that would be worth insuring too and not just against injury and illness but theft too.

Breeds Matter When it Comes to Insurance

There are certain breeds whether cat or dog, that are at higher risk of developing certain health issues and if you decide to share your home with one, it might be well worth your while taking out pet insurance so that you know you are covered should your pet develop a disorder they are known to suffer from. However, some companies do not offer insurance cover for hereditary or congenital health disorders which is something you need to bear in mind and check out before you take out an insurance policy with any company. As with all contracts, it pays to read the small print very carefully.

What About Persoanl Liability Cover?

If you share your home with a cat, it really isn't worth taking out Personal Liability Cover. However, the same cannot be said when it comes to dogs because there's always a risk they could cause injury to another animal, person or they may even damage property which includes other people's furniture, fencing and cars. Should another person decide to sue over any damage caused by a dog your own, it could mean finding thousands of pounds to pay them in which case pet insurance would be invaluable. However, as previously mentioned it pays to read the small print to make sure you are covered for the majoritiy of eventualities.

You can opt to take out third party cover or a more comprehensive cover if necessary, but you might find that your home contents policy covers you should a person or other animal be injured by a dog that belongs to you, so it's worth checking this information out before you take out any further insurance cover.

Is Pet Insurance Real Value for Money?

Finding the money to pay for pet insurance can prove challenging because on average to insure a dog like a Labrador, it can set you back as much as £600 a year. A mixed breed might cost in the regions of £200 to insure annually. However, should your pet develop some sort of chronic, ongoing illness having pet insurance in place will turn out to be good value for money. If, on the other hand, they don't get ill or develop a health issue, then taking out insurance would not be money well spent, although you do have the peace of mind that your pet is covered if they do. Taking or Not taking out pet insurance is therefore, a bit of a gamble.

Conclusion

Taking out pet insurance can be very worthwhile, but only if you take out the right sort of cover making sure that your pet is insured for any hereditary and congenital health disorders they may develop during the course of their lives. No pet owner wants their dog, cat or other animal to get sick, but having an insurance in place does offer peace of mind, even if at the end of the day you never make a claim!