July 6, 2017
How to find the right pet insurance plan
How to find the right pet insurance plan
No one wants to be in the position of not being able to afford the cost of saving the life of a beloved pet if it has an accident or gets sick. When I took out pet insurance, I loved the peace of mind of knowing that if something unfortunate happened to one of my furry friends, any necessary specialist treatment or ongoing medical care could be arranged without putting me in a precarious financial position.
If you’re thinking about pet insurance, the first question is inevitably, ‘Which policy should I choose?’ There are a few things to bear in mind in working out which insurance provider and policy will suit you best.
There are typically, 3 types of policies, basic, mid-range and comprehensive policies. You can read more details about Pet Insurance here. Although there are only a few policies, each insurer has different inclusions/exclusions. It’s important to read the Product Disclosure Statements of each insurer so that you fully understand the policy coverage.
Below is brief summary for the 3 types of policies offered by Australian insurers.
Basic cover
Basic cover is also known as ‘accident-only’ plans and most won’t cover pre-existing illnesses. You’ll need to check whether such a plan will cover your pet for injuries caused by fighting with other pets or car accidents.
Mid-range cover
The mid-range cover (also known as standard cover) is the most popular option because it provides the basic cover plus cover for a range of illnesses and diseases. But be sure to check which diseases they include and whether your pet is susceptible to them (if you have a Labrador, for example, they can be susceptible to obesity). Mid-range cover is a better option if your pet is over two years of age and either has health problems or could be prone to them as a result of their breed.
Comprehensive cover
A comprehensive policy includes all the mid-range inclusions and on top of that has cover for routine care (such as vaccinations and worming treatment). Some plans even cover dental care. If your pet is older in age, it may be mandatory to take out comprehensive insurance.
The second question would be, ‘which pet insurer should I choose?’ As there are many pet insurance providers, it can be difficult to decide which one choose. A good place to start would be reading pet insurance reviews, so you can get a better idea on what others think about the each insurer.
Get a great deal
Nearly all pet insurance providers such as Woolworths, Bupa, Medibank and HCF offer 10% discounts so you should check for the available offers in market. Website such as Pet Plans Australia provides a list of the latest pet insurance promo codes, so it’s worth signing up to their notification list to stay up-to-date with the latest offers.
