Pets bring about such joy and happiness to life. However, these furry friends may also come with their own medical issues. With that said, it’s vital to have pet insurance. In this article, we take a look at the best pet insurance in South Africa. We will also discuss other important factors to consider when taking out pet insurance.
Is pet insurance a necessity?
Short answer, yes, absolutely! Things happen and it’s always good to be prepared.
Pet insurance can give pet parents some peace of mind if something were to happen. For instance, let’s say your cat got bumped and broke her leg. You take her to the vet for a consult, which costs around R700. Thereafter, the vet does an X-Ray, which costs a further R1700. The vet then confirms that your cat has a broken leg and needs surgery. The surgery can potentially cost around R30,000! This unbudgeted R30,000 could drastically set you back.
Therefore, it’s always important that every pet owner gets pet insurance. It’s always best to be prepared for the worst. Pets can contract illnesses as fast as humans can. Therefore, pet insurance can save you a whole lot of money.
Fortunately, we’ve researched what the best pet insurance in South Africa is.
Best pet insurance in South Africa- Why you need to take out pet insurance
As previously mentioned, it’s always a good idea to be well prepared. This is why you need to take out pet insurance in South Africa.
- Pet insurance will financially protect you if your pet suffers an injury or illness
- Owners of pets can have extra peace of mind if anything were to go wrong
- Pet insurance has no pet restrictions
- Most pet insurers cover third-party liability
- Pet insurance covers hereditary conditions
- Long-term saving
- Pet insurance ensures that your pet gets the best medical help they require
- Pets can lead a better quality of life if they regularly visit their vet
How does pet insurance work?
Pet insurance is a pretty simple service that insurance companies offer. Firstly, the pet owner will choose a cover that best suits their budget. Thereafter, they will need to pay a monthly bill for the service. This month-to-month agreement can be changed at any time.
If your pet falls sick you can then submit a claim to your insurance provider. They will then review the claim. The pet owner will then receive the funds if it is covered by their plan. Additionally, the insurance company may directly settle the bill with the vet.
It’s important to note that most insurance companies will require an excess to be paid. The excess amount will be determined by the insurance. However, this can be a small percentage of the actual claim.
Pet insurance does not cover any pre-existing conditions that your pet may have. Furthermore, pet insurance is similar to vehicle and house insurance. This means that pet owners cannot repetitively submit claims.
Pet owners are often under the misconception that pet insurance works similarly to medical aid. This is not the case. Pet insurance is only used to provide financial assistance in unforeseen circumstances.
Best Pet Insurance in South Africa
Choosing the best pet insurance is vital for all pet owners. Here are some options for the best pet insurance in South Africa.
1. Dotsure
Dotsure is one of the best pet insurance in South Africa. The company’s main focus is getting your pet the best insurance. Moreover, Dotsure has pet insurance for cats, dogs, birds, and reptiles. They currently are voted as the number one pet insurer on HelloPeter. In addition, Dotsure feeds a sheltered animal for every policy that’s bought.
Dotsure offers clients some additional benefits and features. This includes the following
- Clients can receive a 15% discount is they insure more than one pet on their policy
- Pet owners can choose to go to any registered vet
- Clients can upgrade or cancel their policy at anytime
- Dot sure pays out claims within 48 hours
Dotsure pet insurance plans
Dotsure offers three pet insurance plans for cats and dogs. This includes a Basic plan, a Standard plan, and a Superior plan.
Firstly, the Basic plan starts from R188 per month. This plan covers accidents and partial illness cover. Next, the Standard plan starts from R315 per month. This plan fully covers both accidents and illness. Lastly, the Superior plan starts from R430 per month. This plan covers accidents, illness, hereditary treatment, and a wellness benefit.
In addition, Dotsure also offers two pet insurance plans for birds and reptiles. This includes an Exotic plan and an Exotic Plus plan. The Exotic Plan covers birds and reptiles from accidents and partial illness. Moreover, the Exotic Plus plan fully covers pets from illness and accidents.
To find out more visit https://www.dotsure.co.za/pet-insurance
2. MediPet
MediPet offers pet insurance to help pet owners in case of accidents or illness. Furthermore, they have coverage options to suit every budget. This has been one of the leading pet insurance brokers in the country.
In addition, MediPet is one of the few vets recommended insurers. They offer chronic care support for special needs pets. Furthermore, hereditary and congenital conditions are covered.
MediPet Insurance plans
This pet insurance company offers four wonderful insurance plans. This includes Accidental, Lite, Essential and Ultimate cover.
Accidental cover costs around R215 per month. Here, your pet will be covered for any accidents.
Lite cover costs around R279 per month. Pets are covered for accidents, pre-existing conditions and illness.
Essential cover costs roughly R383 for a dog and R322 for a cat per month. Here, your pet will be covered for accidents and illness. In addition, your pet can enjoy holistic wellness. This cover is ideal for pet owners with more than one pet. This is due to the fact that MediPet offers a multi-pet discount.
The Ultimate cover costs R493 per dog and R384 per cat. This is by far the best plan that MediPet offers. Pets are covered for dental care, accident and illness. Furthermore, the Ultimate plan covers prescription foods and behavioral therapy. Clients can also enjoy the multi-Pet discount if they have more than one pet.
Lastly, MediPet also offers additional add-ons. They have a “Top Pet Routine Care” add-on. This covers vaccinations, tick/flea & deworming, microchipping, and sterilization. Next, they offer a “Top Pet Double Up Routine” add-on. Finally, they also have a “Chronic Care Support” add-on. This is to cover your pet from ongoing conditions.
For more information visit https://medipet.co.za/
3. Outsurance
Outsurance is one of the leading insurance companies in the country. Furthermore, they offer some excellent pet insurance cover. They do, however, only limit this cover to cats and dogs.
Outsurance has some great features and benefits to their pet insurance cover. This includes the following
- Clients can choose their own preferred vet
- A fixed excess, no matter the claim
- Multiple pet discounts for clients with more than one pet. Clients are offered a 5% discount if they insure two or more pets.
- Pet insurance discount if your pet is in good shape
- Clients can get paid out an OUTbonus if they do not make any claims
- Your puppy can attend puppy classes
Outsurance pet insurance plans
Clients can choose the best plan that suits their budget. Furthermore, Outsurance offers three cover plans. This includes Accidental cover, Standard cover, and Executive cover. The annual limit for accidental cover is set at R16,000. In addition, Standard cover has an annual limit of R44,000. Lastly, Executive cover has an annual limit of R65,000.
Furthermore, clients can also take out additional benefits. This includes “Help Pet-Out” and “Health Booster”.
Help-Pet-OUT :
- Available on all plans
- Cover for rehabilitation treatments
- Advertising for a lost pet
- Emergency kennel if you are unable to look after your pet
- Limited to a maximum of 5 events
- Annual claim limit of R2500 per annum
- No excess
Health booster:
- Only available to Standard and Executive cover
- Covers supplements, prescription food, and chronic medication
- Claim limit of R2500
- No excess
For more information visit https://www.outsurance.co.za/pet-insurance/
Conclusion- Best pet insurance in South Africa
It’s essential for every pet owner to take out pet insurance. This can help them financially if something were to happen to their pet. Most importantly, it’s important to shop around to find the best insurance that fits your budget.
Familiarize yourself with the different plans that each company offers. Furthermore, ask questions so that you know what your pet is covered for.
Some important questions to ask pet insurers before taking out cover include:
- Do they cover all breeds?
- Will common breed conditions be covered?
- Do they offer chronic care support?
- Will dental care be covered?
It’s important not to mistake pet insurance for medical aid. Pet insurance is specifically designed to help clients during unforeseen circumstances. Furthermore, insurance does not cover grooming, pregnancy, and elective surgeries. This will have to be paid fully by the pet owner unless otherwise stated by the insurer.
Last but not least, shop around and get quotes from different companies. This will ensure that you get the best insurance deal possible. Always find out with the excess amount for claims will be.
