The phrase ‘cheap pet insurance’ is a popular search term on the internet. This is both perplexing and a little worrying. Not that there’s anything wrong in looking for a cheap pet insurance option, it’s just how you go about it. Price should be just the starting point.
Insurance companies are in the business of calculating risk and that’s how they go about setting a price for their products. Pet insurance, like all financial services, is regulated by the Financial Service Authority and is generally competitive. Good companies aim to deliver the best possible product at the lowest price, while maintaining a profit margin that sustains the business.
This is all good news for the consumer – but not everyone is looking for the same product. The rule of thumb is that the cheaper the premium, the lower the level of cover. Buddies offers three levels of cover to suit most pockets. While the cheapest option may suit some customers, others choose higher levels of cover. What all our policies share, regardless of price, is that they are ‘ongoing’, meaning that Buddies provides up to the limit cover, for the entirety of the treatment regardless of how long it takes. This is quite different to other cheaper annual policies offered by some competitors. An annual policy will stop paying out at the end of the 12-month contract.
Perhaps a more sensible approach when looking for the right policy is to work out the level of cover you feel comfortable with. Search around for the style of policy that suits you. This is simpler than it sounds, because the majority of web sites provide an online quote in seconds. The quote will commonly be based on the type and age of your pet, where you live and the level of cover you are looking for. While few of us can be bothered to read the ‘small print’ that accompanies financial services products, responsible owners should at the very least check the basics. Choosing the wrong product can prove to be a very expensive mistake!
A good policy is not necessarily cheap, but that doesn’t mean it’s not affordable. Vet bills should be budgeted for and a pet insurance policy will take much of the risk out of the process. Buddies also offers a monthly instalment option at no additional cost.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team…A line-dancing sheep dog called Cascade brought judges off their chairs in admiration at a canine show in Windsor. Trained and owned by Gina Graham, she saw off competition from skateboarding bull terriers, Bacon and Sugg, who also made the final of the Wag and Bone Show. A Guinness World Record was also broken at the show when 627 dogs performed a two-minute sit stay at the same time. “Gina and Cascade captured the spirit of the show,” said judge Terry Doe, “it was a celebration of love between dog and owner.” Mr Doe said another performance which caught the judges’ attention was a doggy Elvis impersonator in a sequinned jump suit. Cascade was rescued by Mrs Graham’s family after she was found wandering the Welsh hills as a puppy. She has won a string of agility competitions and appeared at Crufts with the Young Kennel Club.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team …Police dogs in Dusseldorf, Germany, are to be kitted out with plastic-fibre shoes when they are out on patrol. A police spokesman said:”All 20 of our dogs are being trained to walk in these shoes. I am not sure they like it, but they will have to get used to it.” The unusual footwear has become necessary because of the high rate of paw injuries while out on duty. They often step on broken glass which has not been cleared efficiently. The dogs will start wearing the shoes this spring. They come in three sizes and are in blue – to match officers’ uniforms.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team… There has been a sharp increase in the number of people being treated for dog bites at hospitals in England, according to recent figures released by the NHS. The number of victims has risen by 43 per cent in the last four years to nearly 3,800 a year. Meanwhile the Liberal Democrats are calling for a review of the Dangerous Dogs Act. “There is a worrying trend of using dangerous dogs as a fashion accessory, or worse still, as weapons,” said a party spokesman. He added: “There needs to be a greater emphasis on responsible dog ownership risks.”
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team…£1million is to be invested in a scheme to extend the training of dogs to help autistic children. The first child in Britain to have the use of a trained dog is Joe from Dundee, who is now five but was diagnosed with the complaint at the age of two. His mother found him hard to cope with and then heard of an organisation in Canada which was successfully training dogs for youngsters with autism. She got in touch with the charity Support Dogs who agreed to help. After many months the boy was introduced to Lacey the Labrador who went to live at his home. The boy is attached to the dog’s harness and the animal makes sure he does not run into dangerous situations. His mother says family life has been improved beyond all recognition.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team …Dog owners in Britain are wondering whether they will be allowed the same privileges as their counterparts in Tuscany, Italy and take their pets into places previously banned. The Italian authorities have passed a new law stating that from June dogs and cats will be allowed to accompany their owners into art galleries, theatres, restaurants, cinemas, post offices, museums and beaches. A regional leader said: “We are knocking down the barriers that separate man from his best friends.” He claims that the move has the approval of the majority of Tuscans and is in line with regulations banning discrimination or cruelty against domestic animals. To protect public health and hygiene, the pets will have to have a vet’s health certificate and can be muzzled. Owners will have to guarantee that that their pets will not disturb public order.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team… Some 260 viewers have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority about a TV car ad which appears to show a dog shivering in distress. The ad – for a Volkswagen Polo car – cuts between a happy singing Jack Russell sat in a car and a pathetic, shivering dog on its lead. The RSPCA says it will raise its concerns with Volkswagen as the actions of the dog appear to show classic abused animal behaviour. “We are also concerned why you have to show an “abused” dog to sell cars in the first place,” said a spokesman. But a spokesman for Volkswagen said: “The dog was trained to behave in that way. It is a highly trained acting dog. The owner was just out of shot and a vet was on hand at all times. The dog was not harmed in any way. Its welfare was paramount throughout the shoot.”
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team…Cocoa-rich chocolate is bad for dogs and experts say even a small amount could kill. Owners who give their dogs a square of chocolate are advised never to give high-quality brands as they pose the greatest risk. The PDSA, the country’s leading veterinary charity, analysed the theobromine content of chocolate – the chemical component poisonous to dogs – and found the luxurious brands of dark chocolate were the most lethal. White chocolate contains the least amount of theobromine, but the PDSA warns that any chocolate intended for humans can be a risk for pets. Toxicity symptoms included vomiting, hyperactivity, salivation and increased heart rate. In severe cases it can cause fits.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team …A farmer in Scotland has been fined £500 for docking the tails of five puppies in the first case of its kind. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals which reported the incident after an anonymous tip-off, welcomed the conviction. Outside the court the defendant said the docking was not done for cosmetic reasons, but for the welfare of the animals. They were destined to be used for ratting and catching foxes and the tails would have been the first target of the pests. “If I had known it was against the law I would not have done it. It seems pretty ridiculous. I was very surprised to be prosecuted.” Working dogs are exempt from tail docking legislation south of the border, but the law applies to all dogs in Scotland.
Latest from the Buddies Pet Insurance news team… A two-years-old cross Labrador bitch fell ill after possibly eating a bait containing a poison which affects the nervous system. The incident, near Lochaber’s in Scotland, began when the dog showed signs of distress about two hours after her walk and began salivating and shaking. Her eyes were darting and she adopted a stiff stance. Grampian police said the dog had a made a complete recovery. A spokesman said: “It is not uncommon for pets to be harmed, or even killed, by poison either deliberately placed in the open, or because they picked up a substance put down to control mice or rats. We are keeping an open mind with this inquiry, but have not ruled out that the dog was targeted.”
