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Accident-only pet insurance
Is your young, furry companion fit as a fiddle? Compare accident-only pet insurance for simple and affordable cover.
As the owner of a young and healthy pet, you may wish to avoid high pet insurance premiums, especially if there is very little risk of your companion developing an illness any time soon. But what about accidents that nobody can plan for? Read our guide to find out how accident-only pet insurance works and the pros and cons of getting it.
What does accident-only pet insurance cover?
As the name indicates, accident-only pet insurance typically only covers pet injuries caused by an accident that has occurred during the policy term. As it’s one of the cheapest policies available, this policy type tends to also have a limit on the amount that goes towards treatment carried out after an accident.
Some policies may include cover if emergency treatment is required when your pet is ill, but not all insurers will offer this. Some may also include cover if your pet is responsible for injuring someone else, but this can vary with insurers.
What is not covered by accident-only pet insurance?
Exclusions will vary between pet insurers, but an accident-only pet insurance policy generally won’t cover the following:
- Illnesses or conditions that your pet may develop not relating to any accident
- Pre-existing conditions diagnosed before your accident-only pet insurance policy started
- Any injuries or conditions due to an accident that happened before the pet insurance policy started
- Cosmetic treatment
- Routine dental or gum treatment
- Treatment for behavioural issues
- Regular checkups or vaccinations
Looking for different cover?
Accident-only pet insurance is only one type of pet insurance. If you’d like a little more cover for your pet, there are three other types of pet insurance available. These include the following:
- Lifetime pet insurance. This offers the most comprehensive cover for your pet throughout its lifetime, but usually comes at a high price. You will usually need to renew your policy each year.
- Time-limited pet insurance. This offers basic cover for eligible short-term health conditions or accidents within a certain period of time. After the period has ended, the policy will need to be renewed. But if you made a claim for a particular condition during the previous policy period, that same condition would then be excluded from the new policy.
- Maximum-benefit pet insurance. This offers cover for conditions and accidents up to a certain amount. Once that limit has been reached, the insurer won’t pay out any more and it’s the pet owner’s responsibility to cover any bills.
Pros and cons of accident-only pet insurance
Pros
- It is basic in nature but fairly cheap in premiums
- It is most suited to young and healthy pets
Cons
- It will typically only cover your pet if they are involved in an accident
- A policy term is usually 12 months, so if treatment for an accident continues into the next year, chances are, you might not be covered
- It is unlikely to suit older pets with growing health concerns
Frequently asked questions
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