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We strongly advocate pet insurance to cover unexpected expenses resulting from accidents or illnesses. Medical and surgical treatments for pets are becoming more sophisticated and diagnostics such as MRI scans, reconstructive surgery and oncology treatment are now available.
 
According to statistics one in every three pets will need urgent veterinary treatment this year (Source: Petplan Ltd) and you are more likely to claim on your pet insurance than on your household or car insurance policies (Source: Allianz Cornhill Insurance plc).
 
At New Lodge Veterinary Centre we do not deal with direct claims to insurance providers, our policy is to receive payment at time of treatment and then aim to complete the insurance form within 48hours of receiving the claim form. Completed claim forms can be collected from the veterinary centre after their completion or we are happy to send forms direct to your chosen insurer. Whatever company your pet may be insured with we complete our part of insurance forms at no extra charge.

The provision of pet insurance is governed by the financial services authority. In order to be able to discuss and offer pet insurance advice to our clients, we are approved representatives of Petplan. This allows us to assist in completion of Petplan insurance forms and mediate with Petplan on a policy holder’s behalf.
 
In general, pet insurance policies do not provide cover for routine preventative treatments such as vaccinations, worming, flea treatments and elective neutering operations including caesareans. In fact the insurance may become invalid if you do not vaccinate and booster your pet.
 
Insurance cannot be taken out for pre-existing conditions, and most companies have a 14 day cooling off period for illness unless the animal is examined by the vet when the insurance is taken out i.e. by an insurance approved vet.
 
Some insurance companies require you to notify them before treatment for a condition starts and they may place limits on where you will be able to get your pet treated in an out of hours emergency.
 
Most policies that cover dogs importantly include public liability insurance, which is becoming increasingly important as you are legally responsible for the actions of your dog. Cats are considered free roaming and therefore you are not legally responsible for any damage caused by them.

Time limited policies (also known as annual insurance policies)
Cover with these policies is provided up to a maximum amount per condition and cover is not available after 12 months for the condition claimed. So long term illnesses such as diabetes or arthritis would not be covered after 12 months from the start of the claim. This cover is usually the most inexpensive and widely available cover. It tends to have the least amount of benefits.
 
Maximum benefit policies
Cover with these policies is provided up to a specified amount per condition but there is no time limit for how long you can claim. The remaining benefit reduces each time a claim is made for that condition until the amount is exhausted. This can take years or a much shorter time period if extensive treatments are required. i.e. orthopaedic repair of a leg after a road traffic accident. After the maximum cover amount is reached (levels vary with the insurer and policy chosen) you cannot claim for any ongoing treatment that may be required.
 
Lifetime/Covered for life policies
Cover is provided up to a set amount for veterinary fees each year which is renewed at the start of each policy year. As long as you continue to pay the premiums and renew the policy without a break in cover, there is no time limit for claims for each illness or injury. This cover is ideally suited to problems which are long term and require ongoing treatment. This sort of cover is usually the most expensive but provides the most benefits.