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Is Buying Pet Insurance Really Worth It?

If your pet dog or cat needs veterinary treatment for any one of a number of common diseases or is inflicted by a life threatening illness, the cost of treatment could run into many thousands of pounds. UK Veterinary care is expensive! Pet insurance is there to protect you from such disasters and also provide a lifeline to your pet as you may not necessarily be able to afford the best treatment at the time.

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Pets Are Companions - UK Pet Insurance by Animal Friends Insurance E-mail

We have more Cats than Dogs yet more people take out Dog Insurance. In the past, we have known that more people have had dogs as companions as opposed to cats. However, over the years this has changed and we now have more cats in the UK than dogs. In 2005 it was estimated that we have 6.4 million dogs and 8.3 million cats. Elaine Fairfax from Pet Insurance Company, Animal Friends Insurance, explains the reason why. There is no doubt that owning a dog carries more commitment than owning a cat. We seem to have less and less time nowadays. Many years ago, women spent more time at home when they had children so having a family dog was easy. You could walk the dog when you took the kids to school and when you picked them up.

The trend now is to drop the children off on your way to work. If you are a dog owner then you have to make sure that your dog is given at least two good walks each day. Although this is easy in the Summer months, for those people that work, it is very difficult when you leave and arrive home in the dark. Therefore it is not really practical to work full time and have a dog too unless someone in your home can help you. Of course you can overcome this problem if you employ a dog sitter/walker.

So many people now are quite happy to be single and very often hold down high profile jobs. Therefore, having a couple of cats is often the answer. You can easily put down food and water for your cats. You can install a cat flap so they can come and go as they please during the day and night. If you have more than one cat you can ensure they have companionship too. Therefore, more and more people are turning to cats rather than dogs as their pet companions. 

However, only approximately 20% of our canine friends have dog insurance and a lower amount of around 12% of our feline friends have cat insurance in the UK. However, please don’t forget that your pet companion needs lots of love and attention so please, please don’t leave them for too long. Cats love a nice warm lap to curl up on when you come home of an evening. Dogs love to curl up beside you on the settee. And for us, to stroke your pet is the best way of relieving stress!

 
Dog Napping - A terrible crime again pet loving families E-mail

"Dog Napping" Just those two words send a shiver down your spine. The problem is this is an everyday occurrence and anyone that has a dog should read this. There seems to be three types of dog nappers. The first type will steal your pet for ransom so that you pay them an amount to get your beloved dog back. They could steal your dog from anywhere, your back garden, your car, in the park etc. You of course will try anything to get your dog back. Posters and adverts in the local paper can be very effective. Anyone that has pet insurance can usually get this covered on their Dog Insurance policy. The phones then rings and the caller tells you that they have your dog. However, before they will return it to you, you have to pay a ransom. This is usually set at a price that they know you will pay.

 
Pet Cover For Your Best Friend E-mail

Pet insurance provides a proper healthcare plan for your beloved animal’s safety and well-being.

pet insurance company

Advantages of Quality Pet Cover 

Pets live a long time, on average, more than ten years and it's our jobs as their owners to make sure that we are able to provide them with the very best care possible. Without proper vetrenary treatment, they could become seriously ill and the only option you could be left with is paying an an absolute fortune for medical expenses required to treat your dog or cat, hey it could even be your budgie or pony!

If your pet develops a life-threatening illness, or ends up needing treatment for a health condition, the cost can really start to add up. It is because of this that pet insurance has become a common trend, and is being purchased by many individuals worldwide. Since pet coverage is a monthly cost, it is important to look at the many advantages of having your pet covered by insurance, to fully see its worth.

Is Pet Insurance Necessary?

Small dogs or cats that are not active, and who are kept inside may be less prone to developing a severe disease that would require expensive treatment. However, just like humans, pets can often become injured due to an accident at any time, and all animals will develop medical problems with age. With a regular vet visit costing hundreds of pounds, your pet insurance could easily pay for itself within the first year.

If you are okay with taking the risk that you might end up paying for expensive treatments out of your pocket, then pet insurance might not be a necessary expense for you. The problem with trying to cover the costs of treatments yourself is that you never know when the costs might occur, and you may not have the funds when a problem arises. An illness or accident could wind up costing you many thousands of pounds, so pet insurance is well worth your consideration.

What about Self-Insurance?

Self-insurance is an alternative that many people consider, rather than purchasing a pet insurance policy. This means that instead of purchasing an insurance policy, you would set aside a certain amount of money every month, and slowly build up a sum of money to help pay your pets' future medical bills.

One problem with this method is that if a major accident or illness occurs within a short time of you starting this plan, you may not have enough saved up to cover the costs of treatment. Similarly, an ongoing illness can wipe clean your savings pretty quickly, and you will not be left with any funds to cover additional treatment.

Also, self-insurance does not provide you with liability coverage. If your dog were to bite a person, or cause an accident, you've would have no insurance to cover the expenses associated with it.

Clear Advantages of Insuring Your Pet

There are three major advantages of insuring your pet that explain why it is worth the associated cost:

  • Covers all injury and illness related bills incurred by your pet (subject to individual policy terms and conditions)
  • Instant coverage that takes effect as soon as you purchase the policy,
  • Liability coverage, that covers you should your pet cause someone else or another pet injury. This protects you from long and costly lawsuits, which could lead to judgments against your credit or home.

    Other Facts to Consider

    When you're weighing up your options, keep these additional facts in mind:

  • You can lower your premiums by picking plans which limit how much in expenses you can claim every year, or for a certain medical condition. It costs more to insure pure -bred or exotic animals, especially those known to develop certain conditions.
  • Some policies provide coverage for many things besides just medical costs and liability. For instance, some policies will pay kennel fees while you are away, or will post a reward if you pet is lost.

    Once you examine the bleak alternatives to proper pet insurance, and consider all of the many advantages that pet insurance provides, you can begin to see why purchasing pet cover is so important. Once your pet is fully covered, you never have to worry about not having the funds to cover your pets' medical bills again.

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    Trapped Cat Rescued After Months E-mail

    Trapped Cat Rescued After Months

    A home in the United States had a cat living within its drywalls for a couple of months before it was found and rescued! According to the construction crew on site, the poor animal was trapped when the house was being built. The owners of the house heard the feeble voice of the cat through the bathroom wall and started looking for it immediately. The first floor drywall had to be removed in an attempt to find and rescue the cat before it headed upstairs.

    The cat finally came out of a hole in the master bedroom of the new house. The new house now has holes all over its drywall and the repair work has started. The couple has moved into a hotel. They will stay there until the repairs are complete. The cat belonged to a neighbourhood family and had gone missing since mid-January.

    If your cat goes missing or gets injured in any such unforeseen calamity, seeking cat insurance comes in handy. Hopefully, you as a cat owner are aware of the importance of seeking pet insurance. The right pet insurance plan will also pay all or part of the damage caused by a pet and will offer an advertising and reward benefit. If you want to get details of various coverage options as part of various pet insurance plans, please contact us here at Animal Friends Insurance and you will get all the necessary details. Our expert insurance advisors have an insurance plan to help you care for your beloved pet.

     
    Pet cover for chronic diseases E-mail

    Pet Insurance Plans for Chronic Diseases

    Will your pet insurance cover you should your pet develop a chronic illness? As a pet owner this is a question you want to ask before purchasing any pet insurance policy. Chronic illnesses often develop in pets, especially as they age. Knowing that your pet will be covered will go a long way in putting your mind at ease.

    Different Types of Cover

    There are many different types of pet insurance plans that you can purchase. Just like human health insurance, there are levels of coverage that deal with various levels of medical treatment. Basic plans may only cover major surgeries, and not routine vet visits or medications.

    On the other hand a full coverage policy will handle just about any vet bill that you might incur and can have a low deductable as well. If you are considering getting a type or breed of pet that is known to have many medical issues, then a full coverage policy would work better to prepare you for the unknown.

    Is the Company Reliable?

    One of the most important parts of choosing the right pet insurance policy, is making sure that the company is reliable. You don't want to pay for a policy only to find that whenever something goes wrong, your insurance company is never available, or refuses coverage. Make sure that the company you choose is financially stable as well. If a company goes bankrupt, you will not get your money back, and your pet will be left without coverage. Choosing a stable company that has good reviews and has been in business for many years is your best bet for reliable coverage for chronic diseases.

    Extra Fees and Special Clauses

    If your policy is not written in plain language that you can understand, ask for it to be amended or explained in depth. You need to know if there are any hidden fees or special clauses that could keep your pet from receiving needed treatment in the case that they develop a chronic illness.

    Chronic illnesses are a common problem for many pet owners world-wide. It is important to ensure that your insurance policy and company will cover your pet for these specific illnesses, should your pet develop one. By following the advice above, you can ensure that you will be prepared for whatever may happen.

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    Help cats deal with anxiety E-mail

    Help Cats Deal With Anxiety

    Cats are often prone to developing severe cases of anxiety due to changes in their lifestyle, your routine, or even their food. Since cats can be such finicky creatures, it is necessary to try and keep their everyday routine as normal as possible. If a change in a cats' lifestyle is going to take place soon, take the needed steps to ensure that they have a safe and stress free transition, as anxiety and take quite a toll on a cat's health.

    Symptoms of Anxiety in Cats

    There are several symptoms that a cat can exhibit when it is experiencing stress. No every cat responds in the same way however, and no single cat will exhibit each of these symptoms of anxiety. However, you should take immediate action to calm the cat, as anxiety often increases over time if the situation is not resolved.

    Physical symptoms include nausea, weight loss, apathy, vomiting, pacing, excessive chewing or biting of their skin and fur, clawing, urinating around the home, and loss of affection. You may find that your cat may begin to hide outside or under furniture if it is experiencing anxiety.

    Treating Anxiety in Cats

    There are many treatments that can be used to help calm a cat experiencing anxiety. Different treatments are used for various levels of agitation, and prescription drugs are often used to treat cats with chronic cases of anxiety. If anything in your life has changed, such as the arrival of a new baby, a divorce, or a new job, then you cat may start to exhibit signs of anxiety right away. Since cats don't deal with change well, it is necessary for you to help soothe your cat in these situations, until they can become accustomed to their new lifestyle. Try giving your cat extra attention, and releasing soothing cat pheromones into the air to calm your cat during these times.

    Useful tip: try mixing some fluid from a tin of drained tuna with your cat's water. This will encourage her to drink more and fluids are an important part of any anxiety treatment.

    If your cat is a chronic worrier and is always exhibiting signs of anxiety, then it is important that you take them to the veterinarian right away. The vet will more than likely prescribe an anti-anxiety medication that can be given to your cat everyday to help keep them free from anxiety and stress.

    Often anxiety will go unnoticed in a cat until it has reached a critical level. Pet owners may often mistake the physical symptoms of anxiety as a cold or slight flu in their cat. It is important to watch your cat closely, and to help soothe it as soon as signs of anxiety or stress are spotted. If treated quickly, anxiety in cats is a manageable and completely reversible condition.

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    Walking with Wolves - 11th August 2007 E-mail
    If any of you are taking part in the Born Free Foundation’s Walking with Wolves event at Battersea Park on Saturday 11th August then do let us know - you may want to post your photos of the day on our pet photos page
     
    Animal Friends Podcasts E-mail
    We’ve got celebrity interviews and chats with leading animal welfare experts as well as an interview with our Founder and MD Elaine Fairfax where she explains what made her start up our unique not-for-profit company.
     
    Children with pets may be less likely to miss school E-mail

    Children whose families have pets are less likely to miss school through illness, they say.. 

    Scientific studies have proved that children whose families have pets are less likely to skip school through illness. This is one among the several advantages of having pets in your home, according to scientific research. To prove their point, researchers examined children, in age groups of five to 11, from schools in England & Scotland. Their findings indicated those children having a family pet were nearly 20% less likely to fall sick. Dr June McNicholas, among the world’s renowned experts on intricate relationships between animals and human had stated household pets definitely helped in improvement of young children’s immune system apart from offering many other vital psychological benefits to them. According to the study, those children in reception year and up to year one had an 18 per cent and 13 per cent improved attendance record respectively than that of non-pet-owning children. Pet-owning children in the age group of five to seven were found to attend school more regularly. Isn’t this an incentive for parents to have pets in their home? Of course, you also need to look after them as well. The best way to take care of your pets is seeking pet insurance.', 'Children whose families have pets less likely to skip school through illness

     
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