Pet Insurance – Caring for those who love unconditionally

Pet Insurance – Caring for those who love unconditionally

By Danny Newman, Branch Manager – Beit Shemesh, Goldfus Insurance

They say that a man’s best friend is his dog, but to many their pets are so much more.

While we are fortunate to have a socialized health care system provided to us through Bituach Leumi and the Kupot Cholim, our pets are not as lucky. For many pet owners, the cost related to medical expenses can be a huge financial burden.

As obvious as it may sound, insurance policies are available for certain breeds of dogs and cats to alleviate (certain) costs and eventualities. These insurance policies can cover two main elements; medical expenses and 3^rd party claims.

Medical expenses

As with people, the health insurance component covers operations, diagnostic tests, imaging and other procedures be they as a result of illness or accident. Eligibility to such plans is determined by a number of factors:

• Age – Limited to certain ages (for example, dogs between the ages of 4 months to 8 years)
• Health – Acceptability is subject to a brief health declaration and underwriting
• Exclusions – May include pre-existing conditions, routine checkups and shots, as well as other procedures as per the terms and conditions of the policy.
• Breed – For certain breeds, accidental life insurance is built into the policy.

Liability Insurance

As certain pets can be territorial or possessive in nature, even the most domesticated pets can act in an uncharacteristic manner. Different levels of 3^rd party liability cover can be purchased to cover both bodily harm caused to another animal or person, as well as damage to another person’s property.

In addition to physical bodily harm, the liability cover also protects the pet’s owner should there be case of mental or emotional damage to a victim.

In order to activate and provide a policy for a pet, the following details are necessary:

• Pet’s name
• Breed
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Identification number
• Colour
• Distinguishable features
• Birth defects
• Pre-existing medical conditions
• Date and details of last medical treatment
• History of any past 3^rd party claims, if relevant.

Although pet owners like to assume that their pet will never cause any harm, some animals can behave unpredictably if they feel threatened. It is important to make sure that one has adequate cover to avoid a situation of being liable should your pet attack another person or animal.

Pets are like a member of the family. When a pet falls ill or is injured in an accident the family is filled with concern regarding their wellbeing and most pet owners expect the best level of care for their animal. As such, a pet insurance policy could alleviate the additional financial stress so that the pet owner can focus on the full recovery of their “best friend”.

For more information about pet insurance contact us today!