We strongly advise you have your pet insured and continue on with this for the lifetime of your pet. Please view and print our comparison chart before deciding which insurance company to go with.
It is a great peace of mind knowing that if your pet does unfortunately need veterinary attention at some stage in his life - and he will - that he can receive the very best of treatment including referral to specialists if required with having to worry about the cost - and these costs can be very substantial. For example surgery to remove a cataract, and save your pet's sight, could cost in excess of €1,600 - per eye! Even something as seemingly simple as a case of vomiting can cost over €600 if bloods, x-rays, fluids and hospitilisation is required for a day or 2.
All the staff members at Blacklion have their pets insured, and for good reason. We may be able to examine them for no charge but laboratory fees, medications, referral costs etc are all very expensive, and indeed we have all made claims on our pets' insurance policies!
With who and how can I get my pet insured?
If you wish to take out insurance it is easiest to do it online with one of the following companies:
If you have any queries please let us know - whilst we cannot recommend any one company or policy over another we will be able to give you general information and explain many of the terms and conditions to you.
Are all the companies and their policies the same?
No. Whilst most policies will cover most things, there are some very important differences. Most of these are outlined in our comparison chart. Be aware of the following important differences between insurance companies:
Allianz will increase your premium if you have claims, by up to 50%.
Argos, 123.ie, Petinsurance.ie and Petinsure do not currently increase their premiums if you have claims.
Allianz will not always pay all vets directly, the others currently will.
Please view and print our comparison chart before deciding which company to go with.
How it works, what it pays for and what it doesn't cover:
Your insurance will cover all your veterinary fees incurred for any illness or injuries (less the excess*) up to a maximum amount per policy year. This maximum amount differs between policies but is in the order of several thousand euro.
You should take out insurance for your pet as soon as you get your new kitten or puppy to ensure there are no 'pre-existing conditions' that will not be covered later in life. However it's never to late to have your pet insured - just because they are healthy now doesn't mean they won't have an illness or injury tomorrow.
What are pre-existing conditions?
Be aware that no insurance company provides cover for conditions that were in existence before you take out your policy - these conditions are 'pre-existing'. For example, if your pet has diabetes you will not be covered for this should you take out a policy after diagnosis. (You will though be covered for everything else.)
However 'pre-existing conditions' are also conditions that you may not be fully aware of but which the vet had noted at a vaccination visit for example, such as you mentioning that your pet was lame, or coughing. Also if your pet had even 1 visit for diarrhoea or itching as a kitten or puppy, and even if it got better very quickly, it is possible this will be seen as a pre-existing condition and will not be covered.
Therefore it really is best to take out your pet insurance as soon as possible. If taking out a policy on all but a baby pet, it is best to get advice from us first; it is often wise to include a full clinical history (which we will supply for you free of charge) when applying for insurance so that you can be clear on what is covered and what is not covered.
Can I change insurer?
Yes, of course. However be aware that, unlike in the human health insurance market where there is a legal requirement to do so, a new insurer does not have to provide cover for all existing conditions that your previous insurer had covered and paid out for. In fact if you change insurance company any conditions that you had previously claimed for will be seen as pre-existing conditions and will not be covered. Therefore we suggest you talk to us before changing, and that you send in a full clinical history to your new insurer to check on what may not be covered before canceling your old one.
Can I take out insurance for a pet that has an ongoing problem, or who has had previous illnesses or injuries?
Yes, you can take out insurance for your pet even if they have had a problem. They will be covered for everything else apart from a recurrence of this problem as this will be seen as a pre-existing condition. In this case it is best to ask us for advice, and we can send a full history to the insurers for clarification.
Can I take out insurance for an older pet?
Yes, of course, but again pre-existing conditions will not be covered. For pets over 8 years of age only 123.ie will offer insurance. To explain better - for all insurance companies, once a pet is insured they can remain covered for life provided you keep their policy paid. However 123.ie is the only company who 'let in' pets over 8 years of age.
How do I claim for veterinary fees from my insurance?
If your pet has availed of veterinary treatment with us, we will complete a claim form for you at the time of settling your account so that your fees can be reimbursed to you. You should receive payment within a few days at best, or a few weeks at most, it depends on the company (Allianz take the longest, average 2-3 weeks).
If the amount is large and you are not in a position to pay your account in full until you receive your cheque from the insurance company we can, by prior arrangement, arrange a line of credit so that you may settle your account when you have been paid.
Alternatively for 123.ie, Petinsure and www.petinsurance.ie we can claim your veterinary fees directly so that all you have to pay us is the excess; your insurer will pay us the reminder directly.
What if my insurance doesn't pay in full?
We will work on your behalf to ensure your insurance company has all the information required to settle your claim, and we will advise and assist on any further information they may require. We will always work with your insurance company to iron out any queries they may have so that your claim is settled in full and as quickly as possible.
We can also complete a 'pre-authorisation' form in advance of treatment to ensure your fees will be settled in full before we start - this can be done in a few hours and is a good idea if we are about to embark on an expensive course of treatment.
However if there is a problem with your insurance the account is still yours - our contract is with you, not the insurance company. The insurance company has the contract with you, to pay your account on your behalf. As such you are responsible for settling your account even if your insurance does not pay, but we will always assist on any appeal you may wish to take against an insurer's decision not to pay (which very rarely happens). The most common reasons for non-cover is your insurance lapsing in error (hence we recommend you avail of Direct Debit payments for your premiums), or if it becomes clear that the condition was an undisclosed (or unknown by you) pre-existing condition.
Both of these are very rare occurrences, but if in doubt we can seek a pre--authorisation to put your mind at ease.
What is generally NOT covered by pet insurance?
Again whilst policies differ in general your insurance will not cover:
any ILLNESS occurring within 2 weeks of the inception date of the policy (injuries are covered in full immediately after inception).
fees for routine procedures such as neutering, worm/flea treatment or vaccinations.
cost of foods, even those recommended by us for aiding the treatment of a condition, except specific foods used to dissolve kidney/bladder stones.
fees incurred for illness or injuries which occurred or were present prior to the inception of the policy (including a condition which occurred but resolved before inception but which recurred after inception).
fees incurred for treating illnesses that can be prevented by vaccination should your vaccines not be up to date.
treatment for dental or gum disease is under some circumstances covered by Allianz, but is definitely not covered if your pet does not have annual check ups.
*excess payable is the amount you must pay per condition per policy-year before your insurance takes over. For example for 123.ie it is €69 for pets under 8, or €69 + 15% of the remainder for pets aged 8 and over. This is better explained in our comparison chart.
