Pet Insurance & Kennel Cover: 4 Things to Know

What happens when you cannot look after your pet due to health reasons out of your control? Can you afford unexpected kennel fees? This is why you need your pet insurance cover to include kennel fees in situations such as these.

Life can be unpredictable – we never know when the unexpected (and expensive) might strike! This is why having forms of protection, like insurance, is a great way to protect you from the financial implications of unexpected emergencies and events.

From car accidents (car insurance), burglaries (home insurance), and pet health issues (pet insurance) to even our own health problems with health insurance, insurance is a responsible way to protect our bank accounts from unpredictable costs and in some cases like those of pet and health insurance, ensure our health is in capable hands when something goes wrong.

Discover: The Most Affordable Pet Health Insurance with Day-to-Day Cover Included

The financial protection of pet insurance

You are probably well aware of the benefits of pet insurance. Pet insurance is a safety net that helps protect you and your wallet from the unexpected costs of pet healthcare. More comprehensive pet insurance plans will not only protect you from unexpected costs such as those of accidents and emergencies, but they also include benefits for vet visits and routine care.

The bottom line is that not only will pet insurance save you money (we are talking tens of thousands of rands when it comes to situations such as pet emergencies and surgery), but it will also encourage regular vet visits and preventative care.

Meaning the health of your pet will significantly improve with pet insurance as routine care cover will allow your vet to diagnose and treat any underlying health concerns before they develop into something more serious (and more expensive) to treat.

Pet insurance with kennel cover

If you’re looking for pet insurance that includes kennel cover as part of its benefits, then we recommend you take a look at Oneplan Pet Insurance, as they have kennel cover included in 3 of their 5 plans (so you can choose the plan that works for your pet’s needs and your budget).

How does kennel cover with Oneplan work?

The first thing we need to clear up is that kennel cover does NOT include kennel fees for when you go on holiday. Oneplan’s kennel cover is only if you are unable to look after your precious pet due to an unexpected hospitalisation that you are not responsible for.

Read this: The Top 5 Worst Pieces of Advice About Pet Insurance

What does that mean?

Basically, you cannot claim for kennel cover UNLESS you are in hospital due to an unexpected accident or illness you had no control over. This means that Oneplan will not cover the kennel fees if you are in hospital due to alcoholism, drug abuse or addiction, attempted suicide or self-inflicted injuries.

Your pet will need to be booked into a registered cattery or kennel and you will need to provide Oneplan with the following:

  • Invoices from the kennels
  • Your hospital account to confirm that it’s not an excluded condition (such as drug abuse etc.)
  • Confirmation of length of stay

How much is covered of the kennel fees?

This will depend on your chosen plan. Here is a breakdown of the coverage amounts according to each plan.

  • Pet Hospital Plan: Up to R180 per day and up to R1 800 per event. Annual limit: R1 800 per insured pet.
  • Pet Classic Plan: Up to R180 per day and up to R1 800 per event. Annual limit: R1 800 per insured pet.
  • Pet Super Plan: Up to R200 per day and up to R2 000 per event. Annual limit: R2 000 per insured pet.

What is the waiting period for kennel cover?

You will need to wait a period of 3 months from the inception date of your policy (the day you and your pet become a part of the Oneplan Pet Family) until you can claim.

What if a friend or relative is looking after my pet?

If your pet is being looked after by someone not living with you while you are incapacitated, Oneplan will pay an amount of R50 per day for a maximum of 14 days.

The final woof

So, if anything happens to you and you are unable to look after your precious fur babies due to hospitalisation, you know that with Oneplan Pet Insurance your pets are covered for kennel cover.

Read next: Pet Accident Cover: The paw-fect plan for budget savvy pet-parents

Yours in Not-So-Average Pet Advice,

The Petinsurance.co.za Team

#NotYourAveragePetAdvice