Complementary and alternative treatments covered in pet insurance

Thanks to ongoing advances in pet care, the range of treatments available to pets has extended widely. More conditions are now successfully treated via therapies such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy which are increasingly being used in a complementary or alternative capacity.

Before you buy a pet insurance policy, it is important that you check which complementary treatments are covered and how much you can claim for.

Does my pet need to be covered for alternative therapies?

Being covered for alternative therapies gives you the option to choose the most adequate treatment for your pet and therefore increases the chances of a successful recovery. Hydrotherapy, for instance, is often used before an operation on older pets but also as a replacement should surgery be too risky. Every pet is different and some respond to certain treatments better than others, so having more choice makes great sense. There are numerous cases of pets that were considered doomed but incredibly recovered thanks to alternative treatments.

Which alternative therapies for pets?

Current alternative therapies available for pets include:

• Hydrotherapy
• Physiotherapy
• Acupuncture
• Herbal medicine
• Diet food
• Homeophatic medicine
• Osteopathy
• Chiropractic treatment
• Behavioural treatment

How do pet insurers compare?

All pet insurance providers don’t cover alternative and complementary treatments to the same extent. If they all insist such treatments are referred by your vet first, some insurers prove more restrictive than other as some impose referral to practitioners that belong to a specific association, so always read the terms and conditions. See below how they compare in terms of level of cover and number of treatments:

Provider	Type of cover	Complementary treatment	Number of treatments covered	Online discount	More info
	12-month, per condition and lifelong available	£7,500	6	-	get a quote
	12-month and per condition available	£6,000	7	10%	get a quote
	12-month and per condition available	£7,000	7	5%	get a quote
	per condition	£5,000	7	10%	get a quote
	Lifelong	£1,000	7	20%	get a quote