Puppy Insurance UK - When Do I Need Pet Insurance?

From the breed of puppy, to their proper care and vet bills, it’s crucial to plan effectively. And the reality is, vet bills can cost a lot, especially if there is some serious medical problem concerning your puppy.

Therefore, pet insurance is a must, not only bringing you peace of mind, but also to ensure if something bad happens, your pet can have the best treatment.

Read on to find out what you need to know about puppy insurance and safeguard your paw pal better.

Puppy insurance is no different from regular Pet insurance, which primarily covers your pet for any unforeseen medical issues you might face in the future.

Most pet insurance covers vet bills relating to illnesses and injuries, and includes coverage for: consultation fees, diagnostics, procedures, surgery and medication.

Particularly for your puppy, it’s really beneficial in case of emergencies such as accidents and sudden illnesses that arrive unannounced. Additionally, if anything more severe was to surface then you would be covered for chronic or ongoing health conditions that usually cost a lot more.

It's never too early to get insurance. In the UK, puppy insurance is generally available from when they are eight weeks old.

Therefore, it’s advisable to get it as soon as possible so that you can ensure they are covered right from the beginning.

The main reason for this is that most insurers will not cover pre-existing conditions, so locking in a Lifetime pet insurance policy is the safe bet to make sure your pet is covered for all conditions and treatments that might come up during their life.

You don't want the nasty surprise of not having cover when you get to the vet and realise that a big vet bill is coming your way.

Temporary puppy insurance and free monthly trials allow you to test the waters before making a final decision.

The temporary puppy insurance policies usually last for four weeks from when you start the policy. It provides you with a grace period to do a bit more research into which pet insurance bests suit your needs and budget.

Do not forget to consider multiple providers before signing up long term. This will help you get the best pet insurance plan for your peace of mind and your puppy’s needs, so shop around.

There are various types of puppy insurance. Although they broadly cover the same areas, slight differences can better cater to your and your puppy’s particular needs. The following are some of the puppy insurance types available, you should get a range of quotes from each to better compare:

Lifetime policies are the most comprehensive type of pet insurance, and account for around 60% - 70% of all pet insurance policies.

A Lifetime policy means that the limit you select to cover vet bills in a year will be replenished every year. That way, so as long as you keep your policy active, your pet will be covered for life, hence why most pet owners choose it.

Most Lifetime policies will cover the majority of issues you will face during the life of your pet, but it is always advised that you check exactly what is covered and not covered in your policy. If an insurer's price is much lower than the average, then that is a good sign to check exactly what is covered.

At Waggel, we only offer Lifetime policies and our coverage ranges from £1,000 to £15,000 per year, meaning you can claim up to this amount each year. This flexibility allows you to find a policy that best suits your needs and budget.

A Maximum Benefit policy is known as a "condition-based" policy. What that means is that you are able to claim up to a chosen limit for a specific condition, and once that limit has been reached, it will be excluded from your coverage and you can no longer claim for that condition again.

Besides the major draw back of not being able to claim once you reach the limit, you will also find it tricky to swap to a new insurance provider, as most insurers will class the condition as pre-existing and will not cover vet bills for the condition.

Time-Limited policies are another type of "condition-based" policy. Under this kind of insurance policy, coverage is provided for a condition for up to a limit and a particular period of time, normally 12 months.

Much like a Maximum Benefit policy you cannot make claims beyond the limit you chose, but you also have the restriction that you only have a certain amount of time to claim before it will be excluded from coverage.

Again, you will find it tricky to swap to a new insurance provider, as any claimed condition will likely be deemed as a pre-existing condition, and you will not be able to claim for the condition.

This type of insurance pays out claims that are only related to accidents your puppy may have. This means that you won't be able to claim for any illness conditions such as diarrhoea and vomiting.

They are the most inexpensive insurance available, but their coverage is also minimal. Nevertheless, it can be beneficial in case of accidents that warrant a lot of treatment.

The following are some of the most common coverages that are provided by most pet insurance policies. However, it is still necessary to read the fine print to know what your puppy insurance policies exactly cover.

Vet Bills: Most insurance policies cover the vet fees that are incurred due to an injury or illness. This usually includes the major fees such as consultation fees, diagnostics, procedures, surgery and medication.

Dental Cover: Many puppy insurance policies cover the dental fees for your pet. It usually includes many kinds of dental procedures except ones that might be considered cosmetic. Be sure to get your puppy checked and noted in the vet’s records so that you are able to benefit from this cover.

Purchase Price: If your pet goes missing, strays or passes away, you will be able to claim a certain amount of the initial price you paid for your pet.

Travel Cover: With a pet insurance policy, many companies allow you to travel with your puppy without losing your peace of mind. Also, if any vet care is needed while you are travelling, your insurance policy will help you cover it. The countries you will be covered in may be limited to the EU, and have a maximum limit of 90 days.

The following things are often not covered by puppy insurance policies.

Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance policies do not cover any pre-existing conditions that your puppy might have occurred. This is why it is always advisable to get pet insurance as early as possible. A condition is considered pre-existing if you have records of visiting the vet or symptoms were noticeable before the start of your insurance policy for your puppy.

Cosmetic Treatment: Any kind of cosmetic treatments or procedures on your puppy will most probably not be covered by your pet insurance policy.

Routine or Elective Treatment: Any routine or elective treatment that your puppy needs is also not covered by your insurance policy. Insurance is there to cover you for the unforeseen events, not the known ones.

Waggel insurance is one of the best when it comes to pet insurance for puppies. What makes our insurance different from the rest is that we are all about being human. This means simplifying and personalising puppy insurance.

Simplified
We only offer Lifetime policies that are designed to cover everything pet owners expect. Our policies are adjustable by Annual Limit and Claim Contribution (Excess), allowing you to make the necessary changes to get a policy to suit your coverage and budget needs.

Our policies are extremely comprehensive covering you with everything from dental treatments, consultation fees, diagnostics, procedures, surgery and medication.

Personalised
Every Waggel member is assigned a Customer Champion. All our Champions are qualified UK-based vet nurses and will be on hand to help you with any service issues or questions about your claims.

All members have access to our Membership Platform, where we provide free online vet video calls, free online behaviour & nutrition video consultations, and a number of fantastic rewards for both you and your pet. 

Keeping your puppy safe and healthy is of the utmost importance. However, you must also be aware of the various dangers your journey with your puppy might face.

This includes multiple illnesses, accidents and such. So that you can always provide the best for your puppy and do not have to settle for less, a puppy insurance policy is a great option.

With a robust pet insurance policy, you and your puppy will have nothing to worry about - apart from where you will find your next big stick from.

Waggel offers dog insurance and cat insurance so if you need to get a quote to see how much it would cost to cover your pet, click here.