Looking after your furry friend is important and if they were to get sick or need emergency surgery it could run into thousands of dollars. That would leave you with a difficult decision on what to do.
The best way to avoid that difficult decision is to take out pet insurance which will cover you in case of a pet emergency.
ING has pet insurance that will reimburse you for up to 80 per cent of your vet bills. Unlike some other insurance cover, you can choose which vet you take your pet to.
The insurance policy also covers your furry friend for accidental injuries and illnesses; and you can make claims of up to $12,000 annually.
When you purchase the policy online you’ll save 15 per cent on the first year’s premiums.
It’s really easy to get a quote. You just need to go onto the ING website and answer a few questions.
Insurance for a cat
A quick check of the ING website shows that the total annual payment for a two-year-old domestic short hair cat would cost $340.38, which has a breakdown of $28.37 per month including the online discount. The excess for claims is $100 and you can receive up to 80 per cent of vet bills.
The vet bills you can claim for include cancer, consultation fees, orthopaedic fees, chronic conditions, snake attacks, tick paralysis and much more.
Some things like desexing, dental treatments, working pets and vaccinations are not covered under the policy.
RSPCA Pet Insurance charges $63.32 per month for their Ultimate Plus Accident and Illness Cover. The policy comes with one month free and has a benefit limit of $20,000. Up to 80 per cent of eligible vet expenses would be covered and the cat must be under nine years of age. The inclusions are similar to ING’s Pet Insurance.
Real Insurance costs more than RSPCA and ING. Their monthly charge for a domestic short hair Premium Accident and Illness Cover is $65.91 per month with a benefit limit of $12,000 and reimbursement of up to 80 per cent of vet bills. Pre-existing conditions, dental care and certain treatments are not covered.
Medibank currently has a promotion where you can get 16 per cent off your pet insurance. The monthly premium for their Ultimate Pet Care policy is $29.20 with an annual benefit of $15,000 and up to 80 per cent of vet bills covered.
Insurance for a dog
ING’s Dog insurance costs more than a cat and is breed-dependent. A male Labrador Retriever has an annual payment of $644.82, which is $53.74 per month.
The inclusions are similar to those for a cat, with pre-existing conditions, dental treatments, working pets and vaccinations not being covered.
RSPCA’s pet insurance for a Labrador Retriever has a monthly premium of $104.20, with similar inclusions to ING’s cover.
Real Insurance charges $107.77 per month for a Labrador Retriever with similar inclusions to the other policies.
Medibank charges $56.00 per month for their Ultimate Pet Care policy, with similar terms to the other insurance providers.
Verdict on the cheapest policy
Of the insurance policies we compared, ING definitely has the best price however their annual claim amount is slightly lower than the other policies so you would need to consider which cover is right for you and your pet.