Pet insurance is, in my opinion, absolutely vital if you’re planning on introducing a pet into your family. Not only does it provide a financial safety net should you need to take your pet to the vet, but it’s also a responsible thing for a pet owner to do and could well be the difference between thousands of pounds, or having to put your beloved pet to sleep.
Raising a pet is expensive, especially if you’re bringing up a cat, dog, or an animal that’s classed as exotic. Adding another expense into the mix can be a worrying prospect, however, there are a few methods that you can use in order to help save you money when purchasing pet insurance.
Location Matters When Trying To Save Money On Pet Insurance
I’m not suggesting you move home just to save some money on your pet insurance, however, just like other types of insurance ie. car insurance, your postcode matters. If you’re living in an urban area, your fees are likely to be higher than that of pet owners applying from a more rural area. It’s obviously not feasible to move home to lower insurance policy costs, however, it is something to bear in mind when bringing a new pet into the family unit.
Paying A Higher Excess Can Save You Money On Your Pet Insurance
If you can afford to, you will find that choosing a policy with a higher excess will save you money on your pet insurance cover. The only drawback here is that you will need to be financially secure enough to know that no matter what, you’ll definitely be able to afford to pay that excess if the time comes. Choosing to go with a pet insurance policy that has a higher excess because it will save you money on your pet insurance doesn’t help anyone at all if you can’t afford to pay the initial lump sum.
Ensure Your Pet’s Vaccinations Are Up To Date
Insurers will take into consideration whether your pet is vaccinated and whether these have been kept up to date when issuing insurance policies. If your pet’s vaccination record is up to date, you’re likely to receive a discount when taking out a pet insurance policy.
If you have a policy that relies on your pet is vaccinated, take note of the dates your pet needs to have their top-ups. If your pet stops receiving vaccines, your policy may become invalid.
Similarly, if your pet isn’t up to date with their vaccinations and becomes sick due to an illness that would have been prevented had they been up to date with their vaccinations, your insurance provider will probably be extremely reluctant to pay out.
Consider taking out a multi-pet policy.
If you have more than one pet, it may save you money on your pet insurance to choose a multi-pet policy. Usually, bundling up insurance policies can save you a significant amount of money when compared to taking out each policy individually for each additional pet.
Take into consideration that you may be limited to only one type of cover if you do this. This may be suitable if your pets are all of similar ages or breeds, however, it may cause some issues if you are insuring older pets and younger pets together. Always look into the type of cover you will receive before adding pets to a multi-pet insurance policy.
These tips for saving money on pet insurance make a great starting point.
Ultimately, when taking out any kind of insurance policy, it’s vital you do your research. When looking for ways to save money on your pet insurance, take into consideration the type of cover you will need, the excess you’re able to pay, and of course, look around or use a comparison website to help you to find the best deal.
