Explained - The Different Types of Pet Insurance Cover

     There are several different types of pet insurance cover; some policies may appear to be selling cheap pet insurance, but if your pet gets a long-term illness you could be caught out. It is therefore important to look carefully at the type of cover offered by your policy.

The three main types of pet insurance you may come across are annual, individual condition cover, or lifelong cover for your dog or cat. Each of these types of cover can meet the specific needs of you and your pet ?however, as with all insurance policies there are limitations for each type of policy.

Annual cover means that each illness your dog or cat suffers from may be covered for a year. If your pet's illness lasts longer than a year, the cover will end. This type of cover may be useful for a short term illness, such as an allergic reaction or digestion trouble for example. However if your pet begins to suffer from a long term illness, such as cancer or deteriorating eye sight, you may find that annual cover does not extend to reach the length of time necessary.

Individual condition cover lets you claim up to a certain amount for each illness. Your policy will include certain illnesses, such as high blood pressure, cataracts or joint problems, and then give you a specific financial limit on the protection your policy will offer. Again, a long term condition may well go over this limit, if there are medical complications and your pet requires on-going treatment.

Lifelong cover means that you can claim for your beloved pet's medical condition, no matter how long it lasts, up to a set total each year. Some companies will offer lifelong cover for cats and dogs which covers costs of up to ?,000 per year. This means that vet's bills, medication and any additional treatment may be covered each year up to this specific amount.

Although most policies do not cover routine check-ups and treatment for pre-existing medical conditions, you will still find that your policy provides the basic healthcare your pet will need, including theft, third party damage and covering cost to retrieve your pet in case they get lost. Nevertheless, you should always check your policy carefully to see what exclusions the policy might contain.

Cheap pet insurance will usually come with subtle limitations on the terms and conditions, and may only offer annual or individual condition cover. If you really want to make sure that your pet receives the treatment it deserves, then you should consider lifelong cover which will support your pet through their long and happy life.

About John Lewis Insruance:

We believe that everything we do should be straightforward, great value and come with an extra level of service that's always reassuring. Which is why our Home Insurance includes accidental damage as standard. And faithful friends will be pleased to know that our Pet Insurance includes older dogs.