As most of you know by now, I have a cat called Flash (seriously THE most un-fitting name in the world). He’s an old man now and over the years has had a fair few ailments that have left us with large vet bills.
When we first got him we never really thought about pet insurance, I mean no-one plans for their beloved animal to get ill or injured right?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, taking in to account jabs, medications, a few surgeries/overnight stays and other delights, insurance would have been kind of handy! It’s quite a double edged sword though; do you want to pay monthly for something you may never need (I don’t think animals come with a no claims bonus!) and swallow the bills are they come (I’ve coined the phrase “pay as you go pet” for that one), or would you rather be prepared and set aside x amount per month to cover anything your pet might need?
I’d say, if we were just getting Flash now I would be taking out insurance. Treatment for animals doesn’t come cheap. I think we’ve had bills run in to about £500 at times with a combination of operations, tests and follow ups. And you know, for peace of mind and instant access to treatment for my baby, I think I’d rather just set up a direct debit (err, forget about it) and know that it’s there, and I’m sure if I shop around I’d find the perfect balance plan. I can’t imagine how distraught I’d be if I found myself unable to pay for his care.
What do you think? Do you have insurance for your pets? Have you ever needed to use it? Did it cover every aspect of your pet’s treatment?
