Why it’s important to insure your pet

Getting dog insurance is a way to safeguard the health and wellbeing of these much-loved family members. It’s important to read up on the scenarios it protects against and consider whether you would be able to afford to pay the potential costs involved if you didn’t have cover in place. 

Providers vary in terms of what and how much cover they provide, but a typical pet insurance policy will help to pay for vet fees, the death of a dog due to an accident or illness, and advertising fees and a reward if your animal goes missing, strays or is stolen.  

Policies often also provide cover for cancellation of your holiday in the event your dog is unwell, taking your pet overseas, boarding fees if you need to stay in hospital, and access to a veterinary helpline for advice and assistance.   

It’s important to compare different pet insurance policies from different providers carefully so you can make an informed choice. What might seem like good value upfront may not prove to be so if you make a claim only to find the issue isn’t covered by the policy you chose.  

Veterinary costs can be some of the biggest claims made on pet insurance policies, and owners are sometimes caught off guard by the costs involved in diagnosis, treatment and the management of ongoing conditions.  

We asked veterinary surgeon Anna which conditions are common in dogs, for which pet insurance might help to ease the financial burden. 

“We see a lot of arthritis in dogs,” she says. “Their lifespans are generally longer these days, with people looking after them better and more treatment options available. But as their age increases so do the chances of conditions like arthritis developing.  

“Skin allergies are another common condition, as well as the ear and anal sac disease they can lead to. Skin allergies could be due to environmental factors or something dietary.  

“Dogs can also suffer from a lot of endocrine disorders that affect the organs. For instance, they can develop diabetes, or something called hypothyroidism, which is a low thyroid level, and Cushing's disease, which is a high level of circulating hormone.  

“Dogs will obviously eat what they want to, given the opportunity, and the consequences of that can include gastrointestinal disorders. As they get older, we see more inflammatory and cancerous conditions, specifically affecting the gastrointestinal tract because it’s such a large organ. We also see urinary infections and disorders such as stones and other issues affecting the bladder and kidneys.  

“At least once in their life, especially when they’re young and full of boundless energy and curiosity, dogs are likely to present with some sort of wound, fracture or trauma from one incident or another, perhaps when they’ve been out walking or playing.”  

If you own or are taking on a dog, pet insurance is a way to help ensure it gets the treatment it needs in the event of accidents, injury or the onset of conditions that need ongoing monitoring and treatment. Compare pet insurance policies carefully to make sure they’ll provide the range and level of cover that’s right for your pet. 

Cats are the most independent and (if they’re allowed outdoors) potentially furthest-roving of any pet animal. That can be both a blessing and a curse. Their ability to do their own thing much of the time can also mean they’re exposed to more risks. They’re also more difficult to train than dogs, which adds to their unpredictability.  

Even if your cat is staying indoors, it’s not impervious to illness, injury or developing a lifelong condition that needs ongoing treatment. All of which means taking out pet insurance can offer much-needed protection and financial assistance in the event of predictable and unpredictable pet developments.  

A typical cat insurance policy should cover:  

• The cost of vet bills 

• The death of a cat from an accident or illness 

• Advertising fees and a reward if it goes missing, strays or is stolen 

• Holiday cancellation if they’re unwell 

• Taking your cat overseas 

• Boarding fees if you stay in hospital 

• Access to a veterinary helpline.   

Cat insurance UK providers vary, so research and compare the types of cover they offer for different scenarios and the limits of cover available in each case. And make sure you’re clear on the difference between time limited, maximum benefit and lifetime cover (we’ve explained them in the main article above), so you can get the level of protection your pet really needs.  

We asked vet Anna Foreman which conditions she and her colleagues see most often in cats.  

“As with dogs and rabbits, arthritis is a quite common in cats,” she explains. “But it often goes undiagnosed simply because people don't really exercise them in the way they do dogs, and the signs can be subtle and trickier to pick up on.  

“Clues to look out for include them not jumping up onto surfaces as much as they used to or walking with a stilted gait. They may also overgroom their front end because they can’t easily stretch to groom their backs, or their ears may become dirty because they can’t scratch them with their back legs. 

“Lots of cats, especially older cats, develop conditions such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes and hyperthyroidism, which is an overactive thyroid. They’re very common, lifelong, ongoing conditions that can benefit from monitoring and management but often go undiagnosed. Again, the signs can be subtle, but things to look out for include the cat losing weight or drinking more water than usual. 

Stress disorders are another common occurrence in cats. “These can lead to overgrooming and even urinary problems,” Anna says, “such as a build-up of stones or mucus plugs that prevents cats from urinating.” 

And, of course, there’s always the risk of accidents with cats, such as being bitten by another cat when fighting or getting hit by a car. “Cats are pretty road wise overall, but as vets we see incidents ranging from a simple cut to massive trauma that requires life-saving treatment. It’s important to make sure you’re prepared for the costs at all ends of that scale.” 

If you keep your cat indoors then it’s protected from some of the dangers its fellow felines may face in the outside world. Its risk of injury from fighting with other cats or being struck by a vehicle, or the chance of it straying and getting lost, are generally reduced. But there’s always the chance it could sneak out of a door or window left open by mistake.  

What’s more, indoor and outdoor cats alike can potentially develop medical conditions that need veterinary attention and perhaps ongoing medication and treatment. If you were on holiday when they became ill, you may need to cut short your break to get back for them. Or, if you spent time in hospital, you may need a local cattery to accommodate them for a while. These are all scenarios that pet insurance can help you prepare for – and lessen their financial impact if they do come to pass. 

With pet rabbits living longer on average these days, it’s important to take steps to protect them against the unexpected at all stages of their lives, from their first hops to their later years.  

Rabbit insurance is a precaution in case something goes wrong, such as an unexpected injury that needs immediate attention or the onset of an illness or lifelong condition that needs monitoring and treatment over time. 

The costs of veterinary treatment for rabbits can be high, running into hundreds or even thousands if surgery or ongoing medication and management is needed. Pet insurance can help cover such expenses.  

Depending on the provider and level of cover, an insurance policy for rabbits may also help you pay for boarding fees if you need to stay in hospital or finance a reward and spreading the word if they get lost or stolen.  

Rabbit insurance policies vary, and the cheapest cover may not always offer good value. When choosing any pet insurance, check the policy documentation and terms closely. May sure you’re selecting a level of cover that will offer the protection you need for your pet rabbit. And look out for any exclusions or limitations in the policy that may catch you out later – read the section on these in the main article above.  

We asked vet Anna about the conditions she sees most often in rabbits.  

“Arthritis is a regular one,” she says. “With rabbits living longer – and we’re commonly seeing them reach 8-10 years old – the chances of the condition developing is increasing too. It reduces mobility, which can also lead to other issues, such as being unable to properly groom themselves and developing unpleasant conditions such as fly strike.” 

Anna also explains that dental disease is common in rabbits. “Unlike with cats and dogs, where dental issues tend to be more down to wear and tear, in rabbits we see issues such as overgrowth due poor diet. This can lead to malocclusion, which is misalignment of the front and back teeth, which in turn can cause dental diseases. Rabbits are often seen dropping food from their mouths and losing weight as a consequence. 

“Rabbits can also suffer from bacterial respiratory diseases such as pasteurellosis, and urinary issues such as bladder stones.” 

Vaccinations are a vital way to help safeguard rabbits against conditions that might otherwise be fatal to them, such as myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease.  

“Some insurers cover these conditions, but that shouldn’t stop you getting your animal vaccinated against them,” Anna warns. “Rabbits hide illness very well, which make these conditions difficult to spot until it’s sometimes too late for us to do much about them. Making sure you take steps to prevent them is the best protection.” 

The cost of pet insurance will depend on several factors: 

• The type, age and breed of animal you need cover for 

• The number of animals (multi-pet policies may be better value, but it’s not a given) 

• The type and level of cover you need for different scenarios 

• How much excess you’re prepared to pay yourself in the event of a claim (a higher excess can reduce the premiums you pay for cover) 

Of course, another factor is the insurer you choose. Make sure you’re comparing cover and costs from several providers.  

Most insurers provide a discount if you insure multiple pets with them but it’s important to shop around. Check what it would cost to buy single-pet and multi-pet policies to cover your animals, from the same provider or a mixture. It’s always important to compare pet insurance to make sure you get the best value for the types and level of cover you need.  

The age limits for pet insurance policies tend to differ for dogs, cats and rabbits. They may also vary by provider too, so always check the policy wording carefully. 

At Post Office, our dog insurance can start any time from when they’re 8 weeks old right up to their 5th or 8th birthday, depending on the breed.  

We’ll provide insurance for cats from 8 weeks old up to their 10th birthday, and rabbit insurance from 8 weeks old up to the animal’s 5th birthday.