Pet insurance is a necessity for all pet owners who have access to it – this ensures that you can cover veterinary bills and associated costs should your pet ever become ill. Many policies will also help you with rewards if pets are lost. While these policies are clearly beneficial, they were not truly considered until around 1947, when the first pet insurance plan was sold in Britain.
The United States didn’t consider the idea until the early 1980s, when TV favorite Lassie was insured for a whopping $1 million. Today, Britain has the second-highest rate of pet insurance policies, while Sweden takes the number one spot – but what are the major differences between plans across the continent?
How policies work: US and UK
UK policies are fairly simple, and will cover veterinary costs (and sometimes extra costs, like the policy offered by Pets at Home) either entirely or with an attached excess fee. US policies are a little more complicated, using a benefit schedule in which limitations and deductible costs are attributed to individual problems, meaning that different plans are available depending on the level of coverage you want for your pet. Lifetime coverage will protect you for repeated treatment for conditions over the pet’s lifetime, while limited coverage plans will stop providing coverage once that condition has been treated.
In both the UK and the US, pet owners must pay the vet directly and then submit a claim to the insurance company in order to receive reimbursement. Always ensure you fill out all forms correctly to avoid delays, and be sure to choose a policy which covers everything for your pet’s needs.
Sponsored post by Pets At Home.
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