Waggel's Insurance Dictionary

Definition: A dictionary of insurance words and terminology with definitions and examples.

Synonym: The opposite of ‘clickbait’.

Definition: Lifetime policies offer ongoing cover for recurring conditions, accidents, and illnesses year on year. The cover can continue for the rest of your pet’s life as long as you continue to renew it year on year.

The reason we only provide Lifetime policies is simple - it’s the most comprehensive type of pet insurance policy available, meaning we want to be there throughout the entirety of your pet’s life.

In comparison, time covered & max benefit have set limits meaning once these limits have been reached, conditions will become excluded or placed into a Pre-Existing category (essentially no longer covered or claimable).

For example: If you have a £4,000 limit on a Lifetime policy and your pet gets a cancer bill (touch wood) for £2,000, we will pay the £2,000. The next year, your policy resets to the £4,000 limit and you can claim right up to that amount again. This happens year on year, for life.

Definition: Waggel offers a maximum Annual Limit of £10,000. This limit is the maximum amount you can claim in any given year, over a whole range of conditions (exceptions of Sub-Limits). Your Annual Limit is renewed each year alongside your policy.

Definition: Claim Contribution (aka excess) is the amount which you would pay towards a claim per condition, per year, throughout your policy period.

For example: If your claim is £900 and you have a £100 Claim Contribution, you pay £100 and we pay the remaining £800. It’s as easy as that!

Definition: Excess is Claim Contribution, just referred to under a different name. Although Claim Contribution is technically a longer word, we feel it is much clearer and therefore easier to understand - remember, size isn’t everything!

Definition: A Sub-Limit is the maximum amount you can claim for within your Annual Limit for certain treatments. At Waggel, said Sub-Limits include:

• Complementary treatment: £1,000

• Behavioural treatment: £1,000

• Dental treatment: £1,000

In addition to your annual coverage, your policy also covers:

• Theft or stray: £1,000

• Death from accident or illness: £1,000

• Third-party liability: £2,000,000

Includes: Physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, chiropractic, homeopathic treatments, medicines of any kind or laser treatment administered by a suitably qualified practitioner following a recommendation by a vet.

Definition: Third-party liability covers compensation and costs that arise from accidental injury or damage caused by your pet.

Includes: Compensation of claimant’s costs and expenses, along with legal costs and expenses of defending a claim made against you and your pet, where you are legally responsible.

Definition: Upon request, we will check your pet’s medical records for Pre-Existing conditions. Pre-Existing conditions will affect what you can and can’t claim for. We will, of course, inform you if anything is flagged or becomes Pre-Existing.

Definition: The date and time your cover officially starts, which is usually after the 14 days warm-up period from your original inception date.

Definition: The start date of your Waggel policy, not to be confused with commencement date and the day of when your pet's coverage starts (circa 14 days later).

Definition: Waggel has a 14-day warm-up period, which begins from the original inception date. Any symptom or condition that is presented within the first 14 days of your policy start date (warm-up period) cannot be claimed for and moving forward will be classed as a Pre-Existing condition.

Definition: A structural or functional condition that is present at or before the birth of your pet and can be identified prenatally, at birth or later in life.

Definition: A well-being issue that can happen on both sides of your pet’s body. This includes, but is not limited to, ears, eyes, elbows, shoulders, knees, hips and cruciate ligaments; these disorders are considered as one.

Unfortunately, pet insurance has evolved over the years to become a mishmash of confusing coverage options paired with overly-complicated terminology. 

Neither we are a fan of. Waggel aims to cut through all of this and provide pet owners with a policy that is simple and easy to understand. 

Hopefully, this article has not only cleared up some insurance lingo but has also given you an added level of trust and confidence in Waggel.

Have any questions? Give us a shout and we will be happy to help!