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The
big question is, if you were unlucky enough to be the owner
of Hansel, a nervous German Shepherd, who, when being looked
after by family friends, ran out into the road on a trip to the
vet's causing a motor accident and subsequent medical claim exceeding
£40,000 , would your pet insurance policy avoid you having
to stump up the bill?
In
most pet insurance policies there is a third party liability cover
that most certainly would have protected Hansel's
owner. In fact, the majority of popular pet insurance companies
would protect for up to £1 million for third party accidents
like this one. It is often a consideration that is overlooked by
many pet owners. Whilst ordinary household insurance will be of
value if a pet causes an accident on the owner's premises, when
the pet is away from the house the owner is completely liable for
any damage that may be caused by the pet. And yes, pets can certainly
do some considerable damage as the owners
of 'Sam', who turned the family home into a fireball after chewing
his way through an aerosol can, would no doubt testify.
It
has been argued amongst rival insurance companies that some policies
have people pay for cover they are never likely to need. It is for
this reason that one must be prudent when deciding on the best policy
to suit an individual pet. For instance, some policies are now offering
to pay for homeopathic treatment of certain ailments. This may be
of considerable interest to some owners whilst others will feel
it an unnecessary feature if they have no intention to ever seek
a homeopathic remedy for a pet's illness.
The
most common claims on pet insurance are for laceration, lameness,
gastrointestinal problems and accidental swallowing of foreign objects.
Most of the policies offered by the popular pet insurance providers
will cover all of these misfortunes and usually a selection of the
following:
- Medical
Treatment For Accident Or Illness
- Advertising
For A Missing Pet
- Fees
For Boarding If Owner Is Hospitalised
- Cancellation
Fees For Holiday's Missed Due To Pet's Illness
- Cover
For Loss Of A Pet By Either Accidental Death, Theft Or Straying
- Cover
For The Death Of A Young (below 13 usually) Animal Due To Illness
- Third
Party Liability Insurance
- Pet
Travel Cover To Countries Included In The Government's Pet Travel
Scheme
- More
Specific Cover (Offered Bt Certain Policy's)
- Homeopathic
Treatment (Where justified and suitable)
- Pet
Bereavement Counselling
- Legal
Advice For Pet Related Issues
- Pet
Care Advice By Qualified Experts
- Breed
Advice
- Free
Telephone Helplines
- Pet
insurance, as with motor insurance, will only cover your pet for
unforeseen or exceptional problems. Your policy would not cover
things such as worming, vaccinations boosters, grooming etc.
When choosing the most suitable policy, always study the finer details
such as:
- How
Long The Policy Will Last For
- Is
There An Age Limit For Cover To Remain Valid
- Will
There Be A Large Excess Fee For Any Treatment
- Would
Some Of The Policy's More Intricate Features Be Of Benefit
- How
Much Will The Policy Pay Out - (Be careful as some policy's will
only pay out a maximum per year which won't be of much benefit
if a pet requires a large amount of medical care in any one particular
year.)
- Will
The Premium's Rise Each Year Or Are They Capped
- Is
The Premium Based On Location Or Other Factors
- Will
Certain Breeds Carry A Higher Premium
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