7 Tips to get a better deal on dog insurance

Pets quickly become part of your family. They demand love, care and affection, helping us to form strong relationships with them quickly. However, pets will also sometimes become ill and uncomfortable through no fault of their own. Most vets now recommend that our clients have pet insurance – not to turn a profit, but because it means we have far more options when it comes to treatment in most cases. Pet insurance may seem expensive initially but it will help facilitate the cost of care when your pet needs it the most. Paying regular, smaller insurance fees will reduce the likelihood of you having to pay out for large, sudden vet bills. But… are you getting the best insurance deals?

1 – Make sure you are getting the ‘best’ insurance deal FOR YOU…

You must think about what service you are expecting from your insurance. Premium insurance plans which are more likely to pay out more frequently, cover multiple conditions in one year or pay out for the same condition multiple times, will have a higher excess and monthly payments. Make sure the items you want to be covered on your policy are covered. Then compare different companies that are offering to cover those exact things! Number 6 will shock you!

2 – Use comparison sites

These are a great way to see which different companies offer insurance as well as their cost and what they cover. You can type in what qualities you are looking for in an insurance policy and ensure this is covered. Comparison sites are great for highlighting the key facts and figures allowing for a quick comparison. But you do not get to see the detailed small print. We encourage you to perform lots of research prior to swapping or selecting your insurance policy. Choosing the cheapest insurance policy is useless if they will not pay out for cases that you wish to claim for. Number 6 will shock you!

3 – Consider bringing different personal items together on one joint insurance policy 

Believe it or not, this can bring your pet insurance costs down. This could mean creating a joint pet and home insurance policy or taking two different policies with one company if they offer a specific discount. Many well-known, corporate companies may offer these bundles. Number 6 will shock you!

4 – Deals and offers will change daily 

It is vital that you ensure you are always covered for your pets’ health – you never, ever know when they may need it. When changing policies, ensure you do not get caught out by any ‘warm up’ periods. These periods are short amounts of time in which you pay for the insurance but the insurance will not pay out for any claims made in this period. Number 6 will shock you!  

5 – Ask your vets if they have any free trials with certain insurance companies…

Many insurance companies will offer a set time period of free pet insurance following a health check from your vet. Following your free period, you are able to sign up for the insurance policy should you wish to. However, during the free period, if you find an alternative policy that would suit you better, you will be able to swap. Number 6 will shock you!

6 – Do not just accept a renewal fee, question it… 

See if your insurance company can offer you a better deal? Insurance companies want to keep their customers. If you can show your insurance company that you have been offered a better deal elsewhere, they may propose a better counter offer.

7 – Consider your options for older pets – BEFORE they start to age!

As your pet gets older, you should expect your insurance premium to increase. This is because older pets are much more likely to suffer from illness and disease. If you are worried about this gradual increase in price as your pet gets older, you could opt for a lifelong, fixed fee insurance policy. These policies may appear more expensive compared to others whilst your pet is young, but the premium should remain the same throughout your pet’s life compared to other policies which will gradually increase. You must be very honest when informing an insurance company of your pet’s current health. Insurance companies will be able to view your pet’s health record from your veterinary professionals if you ever want to make a claim, meaning they will receive all history of your pet’s health. Your pet insurance will also increase as your pet accumulates different medical conditions. This is to cover the cost of monthly medication, prescription checks and regular check ups to ensure the medication is negatively impacting the efficiency of the other organs functionality.