Puppy insurance

Why puppy insurance is important

Having a puppy in the family is likely to mean lots of fun and adorable times with your new four-legged friend, but there is also the risk of a trip to the vet if an accident occurs or an illness or ailment develops or is contracted.

This could mean eye-watering bills if you’re not prepared – with vet fees on the rise, they can amount to a staggering sum depending on what your furry friend needs to get back to full form. One way to guard against breaking the bank in this event is to invest in puppy insurance, which will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you’ll be able to claim to meet the cost of sorting out any scrapes or illnesses.

This is particularly useful in the early months of your puppy’s life, when there could be a higher risk of accidents as your puppy goes on escapades and adventures.

Types of puppy insurance

There are several types of puppy insurance policy, so make sure to check you’ve got the right one for your pooch.

One option is lifetime cover. As its name suggests, this renews each year to cover your puppy over its whole lifetime, provided you keep up the annual premium. This is the most comprehensive type of policy, and is worth buying if your puppy is likely to need ongoing treatment for any condition. 

For example, if you’ve got a pedigree puppy, it might be more at risk of suffering from a particular illness or condition affecting that particular breed, so check this and consider carefully which type of policy to get. 

With lifetime cover, as long as you remember to renew the policy every year, you’ll be able to claim for the sums covered under the policy – for example, the annual limit in vet fees. However, this isn’t the cheapest form of pet policy on the market.

The other option is annual cover. This will cover your puppy for a period of 12 months, after which the policy will expire. If, say, your puppy has an accident and you want to cover the cost of the treatment following this, an annual policy would fit the bill – but, for ongoing conditions, it’s probably not the best form of cover. 

And if you were half-way through a course of treatment at the end of the policy term, the policy payments might not continue. And when you take out another policy you’ll have to list any pre-existing conditions, and these might not be covered under the terms, which risks leaving you out of pocket if the problem reoccurs. 

Puppy insurance exclusions

Remember to check what’s included and excluded in a puppy insurance policy. For example, routine treatments – of which there could be plenty – won’t typically be covered. 

This includes vaccinations, boosters and flea treatments. You’re also likely to face a wait of around six weeks before being able to insure a puppy, as most insurers won’t cover puppies that are younger than this.

Cancellation cover also doesn’t form part of most standard pet insurance policies, so you won’t be able to claim if you lose out financially because your puppy is ill and you have to cancel a holiday, for example.

Of course, there are plenty of typical inclusions for the things you’re likely to have to claim for – such an as annual limit for vet fees. Also, boarding fees if your puppy needs to be looked after if you have to go to hospital, for example. If your puppy goes missing you’re also likely to be able to claim to cover the cost of advertising, and perhaps for the cost of a modest finder’s reward.

Compare puppy insurance with MoneySuperMarket

Before picking the right puppy policy you can compare those policies on the market to see how much they are and what they cover. The simplest route to check this is by using a comparison site such as MoneySuperMarket. This way, with a few clicks of the mouse, you can access a range of puppy policies on the market and see what is included and excluded before making your choice.

The cost of any of these policies will vary depending on your particular puppy. For example, the cost is dependent on their age, breed, where they live, and the level of cover required

To quickly decide on the best puppy insurance policy for you, check MoneySuperMarket.