Why you need Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is something that all cat and dog owners should have and the earlier you buy pet insurance, the better. Cats and dogs can't be insured until they are 8 weeks' old - this is the earliest age they should be separated from their mothers.

At the other end of the scale, most pet insurers won't insure a dog over 9 or 10 years' old or 11 years of age for a cat. But, if you buy pet insurance while your cat or dog is young you can normally receive cover from your pet insurer for your cat or dog right into their old age.

This can protect you and your pet because the breed can also make a difference, where known hereditary problems can make it difficult to get pet insurance over 5 or 6 years of age. Therefore, It pays to get a cat or dog insured from an early age, in case the pet goes on to develop a condition typical of their breed, making pet insurance difficult after onset. Buy pet insurance early and you will be covered against all future problems.

It is important to check any pet insurance to make sure it doesn't exclude any conditions that may be important. Make sure your pet insurance covers ongoing injury or illness. Most do, and this means your pet insurance will protect you from expensive vets' bills for an ongoing illness or condition if you insure your pet early enough. Many pet insurance policies have a maximum amount you can claim in any one year so you should check this out.

Make sure also that diagnostic treatment is included in your pet insurance as the cost of this treatment and e.g. x-rays can soon mount up. Some pet insurance policies will also cover treatment like dental work - again something that can occur in older age so make sure you take out pet insurance early for your pet.

On the whole, however, pet insurance is very important for your pet and it will protect you from high veterinary fees if you take it out early enough. It is a fact that nearly one in two pet owners claim on their pet insurance - which highlights how valuable it is. Vets' fees can be very expensive - it can cost over £100 to put your cat or dog in a cattery or kennel while you're unwell to over £1000 for a dog diagnosed with epilepsy. Could you afford to pay that without good quality pet insurance? Again, if your cat or dog is hit by a car, it can cost several thousand pounds for proper treatment for your pet. With cover starting from just £2.92 per month, pet insurance can be absolutely invaluable.

Select pet insurance from our range of pet insurance providers and never have to worry about high vets' fees - whatever happens. Choose from household names such as Tesco, More Than, Petplan, Direct Line, Petguard, PDSA, Argos, Liverpool Victoria, Marks & Spencer, Helpucover.co.uk (formerly Pinnacle Pet Insurance), Asda, Halifax pet insurance, E&L and Homebase - pet insurance providers you can trust.

Pet Health Insurance aims to give you as much information as possible about pet insurance and why you should have it for your pet. We have gathered together links to many of the top online pet insurers but we do not provide or endorse any particular product or make recommendations in any way. Please ensure that the pet insurance product that you purchase from any online provider meets your needs and that the provider is correctly regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).