Is my pet too old to insure?

Many people without pet insurance say that the reason they don’t have it is because they didn’t take out a policy when their pet was young, and now they feel as though it’s too late. However, whilst it’s really important to insure your puppy or kitten as early as possible, it’s by no means too late if you have an older pet. In fact, there as several reasons to consider insuring an elderly pet.

Ailments significantly increase as pets get older

It is true that most standard pet insurance policies will not cover your pets for pre-existing conditions, so it’s perhaps understandable that many people don’t see the value in insurance when their pet is old and already suffering from costly ailments.

However, elderly pets are the most prone to illness in general, and the chances are high that new health problems will develop as time goes on. If you are already stretched paying for treatment for existing conditions, the best thing to do is to make sure you have insurance in place for anything else that occurs further down the line, so that at least the new conditions will be paid for by your insurer.

Illnesses common in older pets are the most expensive

Not only are illnesses more common towards the end of a pet’s life, but the ones that develop tend to be the most expensive to treat. For example, over 50% of dogs over 10 years old will develop cancer at some point. Cancer is difficult and expensive to treat, and a veterinarian may recommend medicines, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy depending on individual circumstances.

It’s when the situation is life or death for our pets that we’re most grateful for pet insurance, so that we never have to face not being able to afford lifesaving treatment. Take a look through our reviews to hear from others in our community who have saved thousands thanks to their pet insurance.

Many pets live longer than expected with the right care

Probably the most compelling reason to insure elderly pets is to prolong their life. Pet insurance can help you to access healthcare for new conditions your pet develops without having to consider the cost of treatment. This means that illnesses can be caught earlier before they develop into life altering conditions, potentially prolonging the life of your pet.

For a younger pet, you may decide not to have a flu or cough treated as it should pass by itself over time. However, the same seemingly harmless illness could be dangerous for an older pet. Having insurance means you can feel comfortable heading to the veterinarian at the first sign of illness, without having to wait and see whether it develops into something worse.

Some policies will cover end of life procedures

As sad as it is to think about, our furry best friends won’t be with us forever. When the time comes for them to pass we want to know that we don’t have to think about the cost when doing what’s right for them.

Most insurers will cover the cost of euthanasia when recommended by your veterinarian due to an ongoing condition, and many will allow you to choose any hospital for treatment. This means with insurance you are free to take your loved one to a high-quality veterinarian surgery that you trust and that will put your pet at ease.

Some insurers will also cover the cost of the cremation or burial of your pet regardless of how they pass away. Again, this means not having to worry about money when you’re saying goodbye to a member of your family.

If you’re considering taking out an insurance policy for your pet take a look at our easy to use quote tool to compare providers and receive no obligation quotes from each.