Pet Insurance

As we have seen, the basic level of pet insurance costs much less than you may think, and, although some policies may not cover you against every eventuality, it’s usually better to have some cover than none at all.The more comprehensive the level of cover, the more expensive the policy is going to be.

However you should take care to ensure you are not paying for more cover than you need.

Different companies often use different rating methods to work out the cost of your premiums. Some companies rate according to the species of animal you own, the breed of the animal, its age and where you live.The benefit of this is that you are charged according to your own circumstances.

Other companies make you pay the same as everyone else - even if their animals pose a higher risk than yours.This also means that if there is a rise in claims, the company may put the price up for everyone, rather than just for those who are making the claims. You should be able to tell roughly how each company charges by the questions they ask you. If they want to know more detail about your pet, you know that you are probably being rated on an individual basis.

Most policy contracts are on an annual basis and the cost of the pet insurance can usually either be spread over the year by paying monthly or as a one-off annual charge. Sometimes you can save by paying by a particular method, such as by direct debit.