Insuring Your Pet
We cannot recommend pet health insurance enough. For the price of a daily newspaper it will cover unexpected accidents or illness and third party claims, such as if your dog causes an accident.
Holly House is an approved representative of Pet Plan insurance, we can therefore only advise about their particular policies. Please ask our trained staff for assistance see our range of Pet Insurance leaflets. For more details see www.petplan.co.uk.
We strongly advise that all pets have health insurance. However, we do not make it compulsory for you to take this insurance.
Two out of three pets require veterinary care each year and treatment can account for up to 30% of the cost of owning a pet. So, it really does pay to have the very best in healthcare insurance for your pet. Holly House strongly advises that all pet owners consider the benefits of insuring their pet. We regard pet insurance as the norm for clients at Holly House.
Holly House has drawn together some key points that you might wish to consider when searching for your pet insurance policy:
Decide what you want from a pet insurance policy. Most pet insurance policies will cover against veterinary fees - but you may want to consider third party liability cover in case your pet causes an accident or damages someone else’s property and/or costs for advertising and a reward if your pet is stolen or strays.
If you travel abroad with your pet then good overseas travel cover as part of your policy may be beneficial.
Check if your insurer offers free help lines to assist with locating a veterinary practice, finding a pet minder or providing legal advice in connection with your pet.
Be aware that not all pet insurance policies are alike. Some will only pay for treatment of a condition for a maximum of twelve months (Annual policies); others (Life Policies) will look after long-term conditions either until the benefit level has been reached or they offer a fixed benefit level per year.
There is a difference in cost between buying an annual and a life policy. Annual policies may be tempting as they seem to cost less, but generally conditions claimed each year are excluded in subsequent years and so your pets cover decreases over time. It is important to realize that befits of cheaper policies are usually less and short lived. Think about the expense of lifelong care and ensure your pet is insured to cover any health problems that may occur later in life. Certainly with middle-aged pets we strongly advise that you consider taking out a life policy and maintaining this as your pet ages.
Policy terms will vary, so it is important to understand how long the cover will pay for a condition. Always check that the level of cover is suitable for your requirements.
The cost of insurance will vary from insurer to insurer but many comprehensive policies will take the breed, age and where the pet lives into consideration.
Most pet insurance policies will not cover preventative treatments such as the cost of vaccinations, flea treatments, neutering, dental work, etc.
Your vet may recommend that your pet has a clinical diet - check if your insurance will cover any additional costs that this may incur. Similarly, you should check if complementary medicines are covered. (e.g. hydrotherapy and physiotherapy are sometimes recommended for muscular problems such as broken legs, ligament tears and arthritis).
Remember that if your pet has been treated for an injury or illness prior to you starting a policy, it is unlikely that the insurer will offer cover for that particular condition/illness.
An excess will normally apply to claims for veterinary fees, so check that you know how much will not be paid by the insurance company.
Always read policies terms and conditions and ask the insurer about any aspect you need clarification on.
Holly House is an appointed agent of Pet Plan. We feel that Pet Plan is able to offer the sort of policies clients require at a very reasonable cost.
Holly House believes that Pet Plan policies represent good value for money.
Visit http://www.petplan.co.uk/therightcover/findtherightcover.asp
