Digby the Tibetan Terrier joined our family this summer. I like all other new pet owners had to decide if I should buy Pet Insurance. Luckily, I know a great site with lots of reviews to help me choose the best insurance for me and little Digby!

It was quite a responsibility deciding on the best Pet Insurance for our puppy, but our reviewer’s stories were a great help. Reading reviews brought it home to me how accident or illness prone puppies and kittens can be, and just how quickly vet costs can mount up.   

Accidents and illnesses happen all the time

As I started to read reviews, I realised I had no idea just how many ways puppies can become ill or injure themselves. Reading stories like these it dawned on me that I could try to be the most careful puppy owner in the world but accidents and illnesses can happen to anyone’s furry friend.    

Louise, a customer of Agria Pet Insurance told us about her puppy’s fracture:

My Border Terrier puppy fractured her growth plate on her left hind leg, we went to a specialist vet she had the op and I claimed on her insurance… We had only had the insurance since July and this happened in the August and even so I was repaid with no quibble. Read more

Jennifer, a Kennel Club Pet Insurance customer told us about her puppy’s knee issues:

After finding out that my puppy needed surgery to correct a luxating patella, I found the professional, swift way in which my claim was dealt with by Kennel Club Pet Insurance made a difficult situation bearable. Read more

Letitia, an Agria Pet Insurance customer explained the issues her springer spaniel puppy had, and the importance of her insurance:

My young springer had 2 major illnesses in his first year of life. Firstly bi-lateral elbow dysphasia, then at 5 months he suffered an auto immune disease and required 6 months of chemotherapy. With their help and support he is now a very bouncy 2 year old. Read more

Robin, a Kennel Club Pet Insurance customer’s review demonstrates how scrapes, illnesses and mishaps can happen at any age: 

We have been with the Kennel Club Pet Insurance since we had Dilly as a tiny Puppy, and while a healthy dog she has been somewhat accident prone, and over the years has had various scraps with Adders and Horses which have resulted in claims. Now nearly 13 she has had arthritic hip problems which required surgery, the necessary insurance claim work was handled with the usual efficiency and fairness by the Kennel Club insurance and made the worrying operation much less traumatic, knowing we had insurance cover from company we could rely on. Read more

I can’t tell you how many thousand times I have asked Digby what he has in his mouth since we got him home, and I’m now very aware that health risks are everywhere! There isn’t a day that goes by where it’s more luck than judgement that he doesn’t catch something or hurt himself in some way.  Like these owners, I’m glad I chose to buy pet insurance and just hope I never have to claim. 

Vet costs mount up quickly

If you are unlucky and your pet has an accident or becomes ill, the cost of tests, treatment and rehabilitation can mount up alarmingly quickly. We are used to having the NHS to fall back on for our own care, but with no such service for our pets it is up to us to make sure we will be able to afford to give them the best treatment there is. 

Ted, an ASDA Pet Insurance customer explained what happened to his dog. Knowing what rubbish all dogs will pick up and eat, this could be any dog owners’ story. Thankfully Ted’s insurance covered the huge cost:

Our dog became ill last year with vomiting. Appointment at vet which quickly led to an emergency operation as they thought he had a blockage. 24 hours after op he was transferred to specialist vet hospital as there was a concern he had a neurological issue. Thankfully not, but because he had abdominal surgery he ended up with ileus. He stopped eating all together and had to have a feeding tube fitted. Thankfully he fully recovered but it was the worst couple of weeks of our lives! Total bill between vets and specialist hospital was nearly £5000... All I had to pay was £75 excess and £30ish for specialist food. Simple as that! Read more

Sasha, an Agria Pet Insurance customer told us how her puppy needed serious surgery at only 10 months of age. An unpredictable event and potentially unaffordable without insurance:

After finding out that our puppy chihuahua, flora, was going to have to have her hip replaced at 10months old we were devastated, and understandably worried about the costs. The customer service was great, and the direct claim made through the specialist vets was effortless. They paid without question and continue to do so at her yearly check-ups. Read more

It’s not just dogs that can end up costing hundreds of pounds. Carolyn, a Tesco Bank Pet Insurance customer shared her cat’s story:

I recently had to make a first claim for my cat after she developed hyperthyroidism. She had an operation but then had to be referred to a different vet overnight as she needed oxygen because she became so distressed. I put claims into both vets and waited, knowing with insurance its sometimes hit or miss… Anyway after 3 weeks I received letters saying both insurance claims were being paid… A great relief to me because if it hadn't gone through I would have had hundreds of pounds to pay somehow.

Like I said, I know insurances are sometimes a minefield but all I can say about Tesco is that for me (and Molly my cat!) they came up trumps. Read more

You can probably guess that I only had to spend a few minutes reading reviews like these to be convinced Pet Insurance is essential. I’m only pleased I did the research and now have financial peace of mind, although how I’ll cope emotionally if anything happens to Digby or our cat Wilbur, I really don’t know. It’s a shame Pet Insurance doesn’t fund counselling for traumatised owners!     

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Leaving a review on our site helps new owners like me make their decision about which pet insurance provider to choose. Help us to make sure as many owners and their pets in UK have the protection of pet insurance so that if the unthinkable happens, no owner has to make a choice about vet care based on cost. Help us to help others by reviewing your pet insurance company today!

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