Pet insurance

Getting a new pet is always a special time. There's the delight of welcoming a furry friend to your household. And then there's the responsibility of keeping them healthy for the rest of their life.

Why get pet insurance?

A big part of keeping your pet healthy is ensuring they get proper vet care. But vet treatments and medications can be expensive.

Having pet insurance means that if your pet has an accident or illness, some of the worry around vet bills is removed. You can focus on getting them better. Some policies will also include the costs of other incidents, such as:

• theft – worth considering if you'd want to put up a big reward for the return of your pet
• liability – relevant if your dog is likely to injure someone or damage property

How pet insurance works

If your pet has an accident or becomes unwell, you can make a claim with your pet insurance provider. If your claim is successful, your insurance company will either:

• ask you to cover the cost upfront and then reimburse you
• pay the money directly to your vet

It all depends on the insurance provider and vet clinic.

Types of pet insurance

Pet insurance varies depending on the provider and type of policy you choose. Not every insurance provider covers all species or breeds, so you might have to search to see what's available for your pet. If looking for horse insurance, in particular, you might be better off with a specialist provider.

Here are some standard policies that are worth knowing about.

Accident-only policy

You’ll be able to draw on a set amount of money for any accidents, such as falls and collisions or bites and stings. But what won't be covered are any illnesses, such as diabetes, arthritis or cancer.

Lifetime policy

You’ll be able to draw on a set amount of money for illnesses and accidents over the lifetime of your pet, so long as you keep on renewing your policy. This means you can continue to have the opportunity to claim for ongoing conditions.

We recommend this level of cover as it protects you against any chronic medical issues that may arise with your pet.

Time-limited policy

You'll be eligible to receive a set amount of money for a certain period of time, such as 12 months. You can only make a claim for an illness or accident within that period of time. Beyond that interval, your cover lapses. 

If you do make any claims, that might affect the renewal terms of your time-limited policy.

Maximum-benefit policy

You'll receive cover for up to a maximum amount of money per pet condition. Once you've claimed the maximum amount for treating your pet's condition, the cover for that condition ends. This kind of policy is also known as a 'per condition' policy.

Policy points to consider

Pay careful attention to the small print of your policy. Pet insurance doesn’t cover routine treatments, such as vaccinations or worming, neutering, pregnancy or giving birth. Many providers won’t cover pre-existing conditions (conditions which have already been diagnosed, such as chronic skin disease).

When shopping around for a policy, it’s important you get answers to several questions.

Payment questions

• What is the veterinary fees excess (the amount of each claim you must pay yourself before the insurance company pays out)?
• Will the insurer pay your vet directly?
• Will your payments increase if you make a claim?

Coverage questions

• Does the policy cover congenital, hereditary, hip-related, and behavioural conditions?
• What about cruciate ligament surgery?
• Does the policy include dental care?
• Does it cover euthanasia and cremation costs?
• What about special treatments like physiotherapy and acupuncture?
• Does the policy include special diets ?

Make sure you do your research to find a policy that suits you and your pet.

Adopted a pet from us?

If you’ve adopted a dog, cat or rabbit from us, we provide four weeks’ free pet insurance through Petplan. This will start on the first day that you take your pet home with you. After the four weeks are up, you can choose whether you would like to continue taking out insurance with Petplan or find a different provider.

Can’t afford pet insurance?

If you’re unable to afford the cost of pet insurance and are struggling with vet bills, Blue Cross might be able to help. Our affordable vet care is available to people on certain benefits who live within the catchment area of one of our animal hospitals.

Check your eligibility for our veterinary services.