Katie Cranstoun now offers acupuncture for your animals who may be suffering from aches and pains and other conditions like arthritis
Pet insurance:
The cost of veterinary treatment can be very expensive, especially if your pet has an accident and needs emergency treatment or contracts a life long disease like diabetes or arthritis.
We recommend that every pet has insurance, these days cats, dogs, rabbits and horses can be insured and even some other exotic pets.
There are many companies offering pet insurance these days and there are many different policies. It is important to shop around, not only for the right price and company but for the right type of policy. The best type of policy is called 'Life'. This policy covers your pet for its life and will continue to pay for any medical conditions for the whole of the pets life up to the value stated, e.g. £4000 a year. The only thing to pay is the excess once a year for every new condition.
Different types of policies:
Lifetime providers:
The insurer covers an illness or injury for the whole of the pet's life
With each condition the insurer will pay claims up to an annual limit each year without excluding the condition
This type of insurance is therefore suitable for pets with chronic conditions such as diabetes or arthritis
Maximum Benefit:
This is where the insurer covers an illness or injury up to a maximum benefit per condition
There is no time limit on the claim but once the maximum benefit has been claimed, the condition will then be excluded from the policy
12 Month cover:
The policy covers an illness or injury for 12 months from the onset of the claim.
After 12 months, the condition will be excluded from the policy, and no further claims can be made for that condition.
Accidental only cover:
The is where the insurer covers accidents only and not illnesses
Third party cover:
Liability claims are covered only, no protection against any type of veterinary fees
Other questions to consider include:
What is the policy excess?
For each condition claimed for there is an excess to pay. Depending on the insurer, the excess may be calculated as a fixed amount, or a percentage of the total claim, or a combination of the two
Do policy premiums increase with age?
The insurer may increase the premium as the pet gets older
Is the policy rated by the area you
live?
The insurance premium and/or excess may be influenced by where you live
Are hereditary conditions covered by
the policy?
The insurer may not provide cover for hereditary conditions such as hip
dysplasia
Is the policy premium loaded for
certain breeds?
The insurer may increase the premium for certain breeds