Pet Insurance for your Dog or Cat
2021-04-14T13:12:34+01:00
Pet insurance is basically a policy purchased by the owner of a pet that will lessen the overall costs if expensive medical bills are incurred by that pet.
Our dogs give us companionship and unconditional love, so it is our prime responsibility to protect these dogs, when they are sick or injured and to give them the best medical attention, it is important to avail Pet Insurance. Pet Insurance policy is one of the latest insurance schemes introduced. This scheme covers veterinary expenses incurred for the treatment of a pet that has endured an injury or is sick. Some pet insurance plans also covers death or loss of the pet that is insured. This helps pet owners to eliminate the risk of high expenditure for medical treatment of the pet and to protect its life by providing the best treatment possible with minimum expenditure. Many animal medical procedures, such as surgeries and sickness, are very expensive to treat. To help with these costs, a pet owner can buy a policy that will save out-of-pocket expenses by paying a yearly or monthly fee known as the premium. The cost and coverage changes with which policy you get and for what type of animal you're insuring.
Dogs in the age group of 8 weeks to 8 years can be insured. Dogs of indigenous origin, cross-bred and exotic breeds are covered under the insurance.
Pet Insurance Covers:
This policy covers the following
- • Death due to accident
- • Illness contracted while the policy is in effect
- • Treatment expenses
- • Accident while in transit (via rail, air or road)
- • Loss/ theft of the pet
- • Incapacitation
- • Accidental poisoning
- • Third Party liability
Pet Insurance Exclusions:
Some of the general exclusions under the pet insurance scheme are as follows:
- • Willful or malicious injury to the pet
- • Injury or illness arising out of neglect or unskillful handling of the pet
- • Loss or injury due to war, foreign hostility, revolution, rebellion, military upheaval, etc.
- • Death due to rabies, distemper, Viral Hepatitis, Viral Enteritis, Leptospirosis, etc.
- • Illness that has been contracted prior to taking the policy.
Features and Benefits of Pet Insurance:
• Customized plans – Customized pet insurance plans are available for pets such as dogs, cats, birds, etc.
• IRDA approved – The pet insurance plans are approved by IRDA (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority). There are various types of pet insurance schemes that fall under this plan, such as: cattle insurance, dog insurance, horse insurance, cat insurance, etc.
• Sum Assured – Generally, the sum assured for pet insurance products like dog insurance, ranges from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000. This depends on the breed and other related factors.
• Add-On Cover – Some insurance providers offer add-on covers for the base policy, such as for the loss of show entry fee. This cover is offered for the forfeit of entry fee for dog shows when the pet cannot make it to the show due to an injury or illness.
• Third Party Liability – Some pet insurance policies offer third party liability cover, in the event that your pet bites/ attacks a third party or causes damage to third party property.
• Types of Cover – There are three types of pet insurance cover, namely, lifetime cover, time-limited cover and money-limit cover. Lifetime cover protects the pet and its owners against any critical/ long-term illness. This includes diseases such as eczema, arthritis, etc. The policyholder who opts for a lifetime pet insurance policy, will receive a specified amount each year towards treatment of the pet. Time limited pet insurance policy offers financial protection to a pet only for a specific period after a pet has contracted an illness or suffered an injury. Money-limit cover offers financial benefits to pet owners to meet the medical expenses of their pets. There is no time limit for this policy and it can be used until the money limit is reached.
• Premium – Generally, the premium to be paid for the pet insurance policy in India is equal to 3% - 5% of the sum assured.