Pet insurance should be mandatory according to Keith Hall
Pet insurance should be mandatory reckons Keith Hall, manager of Hallswood Animal Sanctuary in Norwich.
42 animals have already been left at his rescue centre since Christmas (23 cats and 7 dogs) as the credit crunch starts to bite. Most of the time people struggle to pay vet bills but they also abandon pets with medical problems before getting a new one. Mr Hall says “People have started using animals like mobile phones – they just exchange them.”.
As a promoter of responsible pet ownership, Mr Hall therefore believes that pet insurance should be mandatory: “I can’t believe that you have to have your car insured by law but you don’t legally have to get pet insurance“.
Should people have to take out pet insurance, they would first of all be able to pay for veterinary care but they would also think twice about getting a dog or a cat and making sure they can provide for them, regardless of potential economic uncertainty.
You can compare pet insurance providers online to find suitable cover for your animal: from cheap cover for accidental injuries or illnesses to comprehensive policies including alternative therapies for ongoing treatment, the market is wide and diverse enough to fill your needs.
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March 3rd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Beware of insurance comapnies that rip you off when your pets age.
I have 2 pensioner cats which have been insured for many years. This year my premium has doubled on one cat to almost £20 per month and raised by 50% on the other cat to almost £13 per month. On top of this my excess has increased from £40 per condition per year to a staggering £100 per condition per year – for each cat. How can this increase of 150% be justified? I am also required to pay 20% of the vet’s fees on any claim.
One of my cats has some on-going treatment for thyroid problems but the other has not needed treatment for anything, yet the excess and premium has soared on both of them. This must mean the huge rise is age related not claim related.
Needless to say, I am not in favour of compulsory pet insurance.
March 3rd, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Hi Mary,
Thank you for your comment. From my experience, excesses (whether fixed amount or percentages) are never claim related but age related.
As far as the premium is concerned, insurers usually take into account vet inflation, your pet’s age (as it gets old it will become more likely to claim) and your claim history (amount claimed for in the past 12 months).
Pet insurance, like any other insurance are annual contracts. This means insurers can review their terms and conditions, premiums and excesses at their leisure. They notify you before renewal and you can change company if you wish. But, if you have claimed, especially for an ongoing condition, then you’re tied in your contract.
Do you know how much you’ve been claiming for your first cat over the years? Have you compared it to what you paid in premium and excess? In the end was it worth?