|
Travel Insurance – Insurance For The Over 65's
By: Michael Challiner
According to a survey published by Mintel, one in three pets needs an unexpected
visit to the vet each year. This means that you are more likely to claim on your
pet insurance than on a home & contents policy or even your car insurance.
The word “unexpected” is important here. If you are looking for pet insurance to
provide cover for routine treatments such as vaccinations or worming, forget it
– policies that do that are as rare as hens' teeth! And you won't find cover for
elective treatments, such as neutering, either. This means that the most common
reasons for visiting the vet are uninsurable.
But don't forget it's those unexpected visits that tend to be the expensive
ones! Developments in animal care mean that more conditions can be effectively
treated and costs of emergency care can be horrendous. A cat that argues with a
car could cost £700, even more, to treat. After all, a series of X-rays could
cost £400 and a MRI scan will put you back £1,000. If Buster the Bulldog tore a
ligament that too can be treated – but the cost? Don't expect change from
£1,500! This is serious money!
Having appreciated that most reasons for a visit to the vet are uninsurable,
what do we get for our money?
Well, insurance plans largely fall into three types. The first restricts the
value of the claim for each condition or event; the second limits the total
annual payout and the third and cheapest option, limits the payout per condition
and ceases cover after 12 months of treatment. Most will make a payout if you
pet dies. And with all policies you will have to pay an excess on any claim,
usually between £50 and £100.
And the cost? That depends on which type of policy you want, the excess you want
to pay, the sort of pet you have, its breed, its age and even your post-code
(vets charge more in Chelsea). But as a guide, an industry estimate suggests
costs between £30 and £200 per year for a cat and between £50 to £500 for
Buster.
The best advice is start the insurance when your pet is young. Most pets can be
insured after they're 8 weeks old and you can then maintain the insurance over
the course of its life. If your pet is in it's middle age when you want to start
the insurance, say eight or nine for a dog, then it may be difficult to get
worthwhile cover. This is because treatments for existing health conditions will
be excluded from the cover and in any case, a new policy at that age gets
expensive.
So how can you lower the premiums? Sometime insurers will give you a discount if
you pet has been identity chipped and quantity discounts do prevail! Discounts
are widely available for your second and subsequent insured pet.
Then there's always the Internet. The Internet is taking an increasing share of
the insurance market and no wonder – its simple, quick and easy. What's more
it's probably the cheapest avenue for all your insurance whether it be for your
home, your car or pet.
About the Author:
Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer most UK financial services including
travel insurance Travel Insurance Topics
|
