About dog / puppy insurance

Should your dog swallow a foreign object, it can cost up to £1,500 in vet fees to remedy the situation.

Dog insurance is there to cover you in the event of an unexpected vet bill. Vet bills increase at an average of 12% per year, well above the rate of inflation. Vaccines alone can cost in the region of £40 for each injection.

Coverage of dog / puppy insurance

Dog insurance policies cover the following:

• Vet fees, both UK and overseas.
• Third party liability.
• Dog replacement costs (should your dog be lost or stolen).

Things to consider

Before choosing a policy, you should bear the following in mind:

• A number of insurers will refuse to cover your dog if it is over a certain age.
• The excess on your policy can range from £25 to £65. For some of you it may be worth paying a higher excess and a lower premium, for others it may be the other way round.
• Keep your pet insurance premium low by locating the animal in a safe place around the house. Pets kept outside or in dangerous areas such as the kitchen are deemed higher risk by insurance companies.
• Many insurance policies will exclude such eventualities as emergency boarding, accidental death or quarantine costs. Check before you take out the policy.
• Basic starter policies will only cover the rudimentary issues. The more advanced policies will cover such complexities as the cost of advertising and a reward should your pet be stolen.
• Most policies cover up to the first £5,000 of any given condition.
• Be truthful when applying for pet insurance, or the likelihood of receiving a payout when something goes wrong is low. If your pet has a heart murmur or any other condition, declare it.