Your dog is the furry member of your family and finding the right pet insurance plan for him isn’t something you should take lightly. Follow these simple ways to make sure you pick the right plan for your pet.
Just as you care for your own health and medical expenses, you should do the same for your pet. This is where pet insurance comes in. Pet insurance is a way to help cover the costs of pet medical bills and help save you from having to take out a small loan just to afford vet bills. (If your dog is involved in an accident, this can cost R40 000 or more.)
The thing is, you never know when accidents and illnesses are going to happen, so it’s a good idea to be prepared for when they do.
Related: Should You Get Pet Insurance? 4 Reasons That Point to Yes
Pet insurance = peace of mind
A pet healthcare plan will help give you the peace of mind you need to know the health of your pet is taken care of in the event of an emergency. And not only that, but there is a range of pet insurance plans that also include cover for vet visits and routine care.
Before you make your final decision, read these top tips
Before you sign on the dotted line, there are a few things you need to know and keep in mind when finding the right pet insurance plan for your pet.
1. Get pet insurance while your dog is still young and healthy
This might sound ridiculous at first but bear in mind that the older your dog gets, the more health risks he develops. While your dog is still young and healthy, the less likely he is to have preexisting conditions.
These are health conditions that your pet insurance will not cover for the first 12 months of your policy. The sooner you get pet insurance, the better.
2. Do your research
Make sure you spend some time conducting some serious research before you choose a pet insurer. And we don’t mean just doing a quick Google search. Narrow your search down to your 3 top choices.
Once you have done this, you need to find out what their customer care is like by reading customer reviews. Have a look on social media pages and phone the call centre to investigate how you are treated on the phone.
Discover: 10 Habits to Maintain for Happy & Healthy Pets
3. Figure out how much cover you want
Each pet insurer will have a range of different plans for you to choose from. It might be easy to go for the cheapest plan, but this is not always advisable. If your dog is older and has a higher risk of health issues, then you might want to consider a more comprehensive plan.
Some dog breeds are also prone to health conditions. For example, pugs often develop breathing issues because of their short snouts. These issues require expensive surgery to be corrected. Are you looking for a pet hospital plan or something with more benefits?
4. Make sure you read the fine print
Your policy is a legally binding contract between you and your insurer. This means you need to know exactly what your cover entails. Make sure you understand what your pet is covered for and more importantly, what they are not.
You need to ensure you understand and know what the waiting periods, exclusions, prices are and how claiming works before you make the final decision. If there is anything you do not understand, flag these concerns with your insurer.
5. Chat to your vet
Your vet is an amazing source of information when it comes to choosing a pet insurance plan. Your vet will also be able to tell you what kind of pet insurance plan you should choose for your pet in particular as she or he will know your pet’s health risks better than anyone else.
Why We Recommend Oneplan Pet Insurance
Oneplan Pet Insurance was designed to make your life easier and put your pet’s health first. It’s pet insurance that is easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to apply.
Here are some of the reasons that make Oneplan pawsome:
- Affordable & COMPREHESIVE cover from only R160pm*
- Get paid before you see the vet on your Onecard in 1 minute
- Go to ANY vet of your choice with NO networks
- Pay ZERO excess with the Excess Buster Add On
- Keep track of your pet’s health with Oneplan’s Pet Wellness Tracker
- Get up to 25% DISCOUNT* on your monthly pet food and accessories shopping in the Onepet Premium Pet Store
- New policies for small cats and dogs up to their 11th birthday, even with pre-existing conditions*
- Up to R5000 hospital admission deposit paid or NO deposit with partnered vets network
*Premiums risk profile dependent. Discounts tiered & plan dependent. Excludes Accident Plan.
If you want to find out more, then get in touch with them today or get an instant online quote right now (it only takes a few seconds).
Yours in Not-So-Average Pet Advice,
The Petinsurance.co.za Team