56% don’t insure their much loved animal.

A recent survey from Gocompare.com* has revealed that despite 86% of pet owners considering their pets to be part of the family, 56% don’t have any pet insurance. This survey amongst pet owners has revealed that millions of people are still leaving themselves open to the possibility of being faced with astronomical vets bills should their pets fall ill or suffer a serious injury.

Although they consider their pets to be part of the family, 25% of those who don’t have insurance said they would have to have their pets put down if he or she fell seriously ill. Of the 58% who would pay the bills however, 43% said that to cover the bills they would dip into their saving, 36% would use a credit card and 17% would ask their families and friends to help them meet the bill.

The survey also asked those pet owners without cover why they don’t have insurance. A quarter said they can’t afford the expense. But with 42 per cent of pet owners paying less than £10 per month for their policy, insurance could be more affordable than they might have thought.

Another reason people cited for not taking out insurance is that their pet is too old or too young (26%) to insure. And a further 23 per cent say that insurance isn’t worth it but when treatments such as cruciate ligament surgery, a very common claim, cost as much as £3,000**, pet insurance really is worth considering.

Other research highlights include:

·         7% of pet owners aren’t sure if they have pet insurance or not

·         20% of pet owners have never considered getting pet insurance

·         25% of pet owners cite price as their reason for not purchasing pet insurance

·         73% of pet owners who don’t have of pet insurance do not put money aside each month ‘just in case’

Phil Paterson-Fox, head of pet insurance at Gocompare.com says: “The research shows that we are a nation of pet lovers and with such a high number of pet owners considering their pet to be a member of the family, it’s surprising that so many aren’t protecting themselves from the potential cost of a claim. 58 per cent of the people we surveyed said they would pay whatever it took to bring their pet back to good health, but pet owners shouldn’t have to bear the full burden of this cost, insurance is there to provide protection should anything happen to your pet.

“The research also shows that some pet owners think there is a correlation between the need for pet insurance and the age of their animal.  Young animals are vulnerable to scratches and scrapes whilst older animals are more vulnerable to arthritis and illnesses associated with old age; there really isn’t an age restriction on insurance.

It’s sad to think that a quarter of pet owners would consider putting their pet down rather than investing in an insurance policy that could save them having to make this difficult decision, and with a pet insurance policy costing as little as £2.12  a month, it doesn’t have to cost the earth to get peace of mind for you and your pet.”

Give your dogs the  protection they deserve with pet insurance from John Lewis

Poorly paws

Vet bills can be a huge, unexpected outlay if your pet becomes ill. They may need on-going treatment if they have a chronic illness that could put you under financial strain. Adequate pet insurance could help foot the bill for any emergency vet fees and any on-going treatment

Naughty paws

Most pet insurance polices include public liability insurance as standard. This could help you to cover costs if your pet caused damage to another person or their property.

Lifetime protection

Some pet insurance policies will cover your animal for up to 12 months of treatment after the initial diagnosis. There are other policies out there, however, that will offer life-long/lifetime protection. These policies are a good idea for pet owners who are concerned about long-term, chronic or recurring illness. Such conditions can include arthritis and diabetes. These conditions would require vet treatment over a long period of time, often over an animal’s entire lifetime.

Finding Fido

If your cat or dog goes missing it can be a worrying time. Pet insurance could pay to help advertise for the safe return of your pet or provide a monetary reward to incentivise the search.

While you’re away…

If you suddenly and unexpectedly had to go into hospital, would your pet be adequately cared for? Pet insurance could help you cover boarding expenses at a licensed boarding establishment. Alternatively, your policy could pay a contribution towards hiring someone to come and take care of your pet.

When you start your insurance policy, your pet should be in good health and free from any injury, illness or physical disability to the best of your knowledge. If your pet has an existing medical condition, this will usually be excluded from cover when you take out the policy. Your insurance provider will also expect you to maintain your pet in good health and to avoid injury, illness or death to the best of your ability. You may even find that your provider requires you to arrange and pay for your pet to have a yearly dental examination and any treatment normally recommended by a vet to check up on their state of health and reduce the risk of injury or illness. As these conditions vary from provider to provider, it’s important to read all the terms and conditions of your policy to understand these conditions.

Pet insurance may pay reasonable costs for veterinary treatment up to the policy limit,  which may include dental treatment and insurance for authorised complementary treatment. However, this is really only a short term measure in case of emergency.

Obesity diets are not usually covered under pet insurance. However, the cost of a special diet to improve the health of a pet can usually be covered, as long as the diet is recommended by your vet in order to treat a condition. However, this may be limited by time or a monetary amount.

You can keep your pet healthy as part of your own lifestyle and you don’t have to make any dramatic changes to your life to include a bit of exercise for you both. If you need to go to the local shops, for example, take your dog with you. Just that brief walk to the nearest corner shop or supermarket will keep your dog in good health, whilst you pick up the paper or a pint of milk. You can even try walking a little quicker than you would normally to keep up the pace, or even turn it into a jog. This means that whilst you keep your beloved pet in good shape, you will also be improving your own health.

By taking simple steps and being aware of your pet’s health, you will help to keep them in good condition. And thankfully your pet insurance may provide cover if your pet develops an illness or injury.

Company Profile:

John Lewis Insurance offers a range of insurance services selected by the John Lewis Partnership. These include car, home, life, travel, wedding, event and pet insurance products.

For more information about John Lewis Pet Insurance please visit the website here – http://www.johnlewis-insurance.com.

The fact is that if you shop around online you can find incredibly cheap pet insurance. For just a few pounds a month you can insure your cat, dog or any other pet for that matter to cover them in case they fall foul of a serious illness or have a bad accident. One of the reasons people give for not having pet insurance is that they simply didn’t realise exactly how expensive vet’s bills could be.

If you are a responsible pet owner who has had your pet vaccinated at a young age to prevent the most common illnesses, you should be aware of how costly a vet can be. These injections can be expensive, and as many people can’t afford them there are dogs and cats running around unvaccinated and it is often these that spread diseases. You can’t insure your pet for the price of these vaccinations, but if you can’t afford these then you shouldn’t have a pet.

If your dog or cat is involved in an accident and needs x-rays and subsequent treatments, you could easily be looking at a bill that comes to well over £1,000. There aren’t many of us who have that kind of money lying around spare, and many pet owners are put in the horrible position of having to have their pet put down as they can’t afford the treatment. Put into this context, surely an insurance policy you pay for monthly is the way to go.

Chocolate eggs and other treats left around the house at Easter can be a big temptation to four legged friends, however unlike most people they can become extremely unwell if they eat large amounts of chocolate which is intended for humans.

The toxic chemical within chocolate is called Theobromine and the amount contained within chocolate varies according to the type and quality of chocolate. Dark chocolate usually contains high levels of the toxic chemical, compared with white chocolate which contains comparatively little. Even a small amount of high quality dark chocolate eaten by a dog can cause clinical signs such as hyperexcitability and restlessness, vomiting, tremors and convulsions.

While M&S Pet Insurance policyholders have access to a 24-hour advice line, 365 days a year, meaning that if the worst happens this Easter they know they have support at the end of the phone, as it is much better to avoid the problem in the first place.

Vetfone nurses provide concerned pet owners with immediate advice on an animal’s condition and can decide whether emergency medical treatment is required.

Vetfone Deputy Operations Manager, Clare Scantlebury, said: “Easter is a great excuse to indulge in all things chocolaty, but dog owners should think carefully about storing chocolate eggs in a safe place out of the reach of hungry dogs.  The potential danger depends on the amount of chocolate eaten, the type of chocolate and the size of the dog. If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate and is showing signs of illness, seek medical advice immediately.”

David Wells, M&S Head of Insurance, said: “It’s not just the chocolate at Easter which can cause illness and injury in pets. We have seen claims when dogs have eaten small novelty toys from Easter eggs and shredded plastic used as packing material in Easter baskets.  Small toys may cause internal damage or an intestinal blockage which can be life threatening. Ideally keep these objects well out of reach of your pets and supervise your dogs closely if children are playing with the toys.”

The research, by insurance comapny LV reveals that one in ten dog or cat owners interviewed (11%) said they had stayed at home to nurse a sick pet, while 11% had stayed off work because they were so upset after their pet had died. This translates into 1.1 million pet owners who called in sick last year because their dog or cat was ill or had died, each taking an average of 2.4 days off.

Rather than admit the truth to their employer, nearly a quarter of those who took time off for their pet (24%), told their boss they were staying off work due to their own ill health.

LV= have a pet insurance policy, which includes free bereavement counselling for the pet owner as standard. LV= is also one of the few insurers that will insure older cats and dogs, with no maximum age limit.

Belinda Hall, counselling services manager at Medicals Direct Group, which runs the helpline on behalf of LV=, said: “The pet bereavement counselling service is designed to assist pet owners come to terms with the loss of their animal. Callers can access the service at any time of the day or night and their call is completely confidential.”

It was rather ironically, whilst delivering leaflets door to door offering a reward for the return of my beloved kitten, Nelson, I got bitten by an Alsatian!  It wasn’t the type of attack that saw me pinned to the ground having my arm torn off – it was more of a nip through the letter box – but boy what a nip!

As I dragged my hand back through the letterbox to safety I was confronted with the full horror of this ‘nip’.  Across my fingers now lay an impressive imprint of canine dentistry!   My fingers had literally been punctured by its teeth, blood was oozing, layers of skin were hanging and the pain was searing.

Somehow I managed to drive myself to the nearest ‘non emergency’ hospital, where I was jabbed up for Tetanus, cleaned up and bandaged.

“Did the owner apologise,” asked the nurse.  I hadn’t even considered this being the fault of the owner, as far as I was concerned - I walked on to their property and stuck my hand through their letterbox – my fault surely?

Not according to the law – I had a case to sue the owners, but chose not to go down this route – after all I have to live on the same street as these people.

The whole incident got me wondering about many dog owners are actually aware of their responsibilities when it comes to such incidents and how many, if sued, would have adequate pet insurance to cover the legal costs of a claim.

Here are a few tips to becoming a responsible dog owner

• If you have a volatile dog, make visitors aware of this by putting up a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign
• Install a post box on the outside of your property for people delivering post
• Make sure that when out walking your dog, you always have them on a secure lead.
• You may want to consider fitting a muzzle if your dog is particularly aggressive
• Small children should not be left alone with dogs in the home – or when out walking.  They don’t have the experience or strength to deal with a dog should it become aggressive.

Pet Insurance can be not only prove invaluable when paying for life saving veterinary treatment but the right cover can give you legal protection too.  You can compare Dog Insurance policies at http://www.moneysupermarket.com/petinsurance/ to ensure that you receive the correct cover for you and your dog.

There are three basic categories of pet insurance. These are:

- Pet cover limited by year
- Pet cover limited per condition
- Pet cover limited per condition for a maximum of 12 months.

When buy pet insurance it is very important to know exactly what you are buying since if your pet develops a serious illness it could be disastrous if your claim is limit is reached and you are unable to obtain pet insurance elsewhere.

Pet Cover Limited by Year

This is one of the best types, although likely to be the most expensive since each condition or claim will be paid up to an annual maximum. If you continue to pay your premiums then you can continue to claim for the same condition indefinitely. Of course, premiums may rise over time.

Pet Cover Limited per Condition

Each condition is insured up to a maximum cash mount. Once the limit is reached no more claims can made for that particular condition.

Pet Cover Limited per Condition for 12 Months

Policyholders can claim up to a maximum sum insured for any one condition for up to 12 months after diagnosis. After this time no further claims can be made for that condition.