Do I Really Need Pet Insurance?

Wondering if you really need pet insurance? Thinking ‘hmmm, is it really worth it?’ Or, perhaps, you’d just like to find out what the fuss about pet medical insurance is all about. Either way, keep reading!

Below we look at some frequently asked questions about pet insurance and tell you why it’s so vital to have it. Responsible pet parents opt for pet insurance, and after reading this it’s likely that you will, too.

What is pet insurance?

Pet insurance is legally different to medical insurance but is similar in that it helps cover the cost of veterinary care when your pet becomes ill or injured. That is, unless the situation is ‘pre-existing’ (a major reason why people get dog insurance or cat insurance early)!

Pet plans are designed to make high quality health care affordable for any pet parent, to help protect their precious pet. And their pocket.

It’s no surprise to many pet parents that the rising costs of veterinary care can hit a family hard. Unfortunately, many families are faced with the daunting decision to not treat their beloved pet because they can’t afford the treatment needed to save them.

Pet medical insurance can help save the life of your pet without putting a big dent in your wallet. You pay a monthly fee and in return have a wide range of medical treatments covered.

What does pet insurance cover?

Let’s look at the PD Insurance pet health cover in detail…

*Accident cover only – Accident Plan

With this you can have peace of mind that when accidents happen, you get excellent veterinary care for your four-legged bestie. You’re covered for consultation fees, prescribed medicine, X-rays, surgery, blood tests and more for all medically required procedures.

The dollar value of your reimbursement can be up to the ‘annual benefit limit’, keeping in mind any claim sub-limits, provided for in your selected plan. This is either $20,000 (Deluxe), $10,000 (Classic) or $5,000 (Accident)*.

PD Insurance offers accident cover for senior pets (up to 12 years old) and bubs as young as six weeks old.

*Accident and Illness cover – Classic and Deluxe Plans

Your pet might have a severe accident or illness, which can mean thousands of dollars out of your pocket to help them recover.

Illnesses like feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and kennel cough are becoming more prevalent and medication costs are ever increasing. Parasites such as mosquitoes, fleas and ticks can cause illnesses like heartworm and under-nutrition. (Read about flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats – here)

Unfortunately, if left untreated a wide range illnesses can cause permanent harm to your pets or possibly lead to death. Just like everything else in Australia, vet costs have skyrocketed, but PD Insurance can help protect your pet and your purse against many of these risks as long as you keep your vaccinations up to date.

And with our Deluxe Plan, not only does it have a higher defined benefit limit per year than the Classic and Accident Plans, it also provides dental cover up to a limit (more on this below).

*Third-party liability cover – included in all plans

PD Insurance provides all our customers with third-party liability cover to protect them against the risk and financial burden of their pet damaging someone else’s property. Furthermore, it covers pets causing bodily harm to someone else or their pet, within the borders of Australia.

Do I really need pet insurance for my dog or cat?

We can try to keep our dogs and cats safe from accidents and illnesses, but we’re only human and they’re only curious. We wish we could put our fur kids in bubbles to protect them from cars. We’d prevent a nasty bladder infection from arriving uninvited if we could. But we can’t foresee and control everything that happens to or around them.

Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that if and when something happens to your pet you don’t have to choose between their life and your finances. Pet medical insurance isn’t just a “nice to have”; for many it’s a necessity, especially in today’s unpredictable world.

A vet bill can set you back thousands of dollars if emergency care is needed. Even ongoing costs for a serious condition can run into the thousands of dollars. Pet insurance helps protect you against these expensive healthcare bills.

Do I need pet insurance or can I save money instead?

You might be wondering whether putting money away in a monthly savings account isn’t a better idea instead. This could be a good fit if you’d like to control how much you set aside each month. It also allows you to spend it on anything pet-related, not just vet bills.

The problem is that accidents and illness (and the vet bills that come with them) don’t wait until you’ve saved up. You may be a long way off from having put enough money away for covering your pet’s vet bill if something serious happens to them. You also have to be disciplined about saving regularly.

With pet insurance you’ll be compensated for a claimable event whenever it happens. It’s about the peace of mind knowing that they’re covered for emergencies and illnesses so that you can focus on getting them better.

Read more about pet insurance vs savings – here.

Does pet insurance cover dental?

Many pet medical insurance providers don”t cover dental. But PD does! Under our Deluxe Plan, you get dental benefits that includes:

• Treatment for gingivitis and abscesses
• Tooth removal for cavities, tooth fractures, dental disease as a result of infection or retained deciduous teeth.

A big plus!

What should I keep in mind when choosing a pet policy?

When it comes to answering ‘Do I really need pet insurance?’ for your beloved pet, after answering yes choose a plan that fits in with your unique lifestyle at a price you can afford.

Did you know that at the moment we’re giving one month free pet insurance if you buy your plan online? And no lock-in contracts for our month-to-month plans… It’s a no brainer!

You can get a quote and buy pet insurance for your furry bestie online, right from your phone, in less than 3 minutes. Click below to get started.

*Terms and conditions apply, including sub-limits