Before you sign on the dotted line for a pet accident plan, let’s make sure you know exactly what you’re getting!
Every single day we get a number of questions from curious pet parents wondering about pet insurance, from price to necessity. However, one of the most frequent questions we get is about pet accident plans. While it is definitely becoming quite the buzzword in pet owner communities, it seems that its definition has become a little murky.
The best paw parents around are the ones that are knowledgeable, and so, we thought we’d help you out today. Let’s demystify what a pet accident plan is together. Essentially, prepare to send this blog to all of your fellow animal lovers as we decode what pet accident plans are and what they can do for you and your fur friend.
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Defining “accident”
Accidents happen and boy, are they expensive.
As pet owners, it’s easy for us to become eternal optimists – and we love it! However, we can’t ignore the fact that accidents are a common occurrence amongst our pets. But whenever you see a pet insurer refer to an “accident” what exactly does that mean for your pet?
Well, an accident to a pet is an unexpected incident that causes them bodily harm and needs emergency medical attention. For an accident to be covered by an accident plan, the wounds need to be physical and obviously caused by the accident itself (being hit by a car, falling from a height or swallowing something they shouldn’t have) and treated in hospital as per the set requirements. An accident is not a slowly developing illness like sore joints, sore bones or an abscess – there needs to be an instant cause and effect.
Illnesses are not a part of the plan
Contrary to popular belief, a pet accident plan does not cover illnesses. It is a common misconception that most pet parents make. To avoid a costly mistake, it is vital that you understand that any illness such as abscesses, cancer, allergies, diabetes, kidney failure and hereditary/congenital conditions are not accidents. Keep in mind that some breeds are prone to developing medical conditions over time, so make sure to do a medical check on your pet to check for potential illnesses.
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Oneplan Pet Accident Plan
Our Pet Accident Plan is our most basic policy and is perfect for pet parents who want to protect themselves with basic bill coverage in the event of an accident. You can have a maximum of 8 pets per policy, and we don’t say no to any old-timers, but your pet needs to be older than 8 weeks old. You read that right: our pet accident plan does not have a maximum age limit!
Simply put, we cover you for the things you can’t control (especially if we’re talking about a boisterous puppy or curious kitten) like car accidents, burns or electrocution, animal fights/attacks, near drowning, poisoning or swallowed foreign bodies. This is when we swoop in and come to your pet’s rescue!
Which pets should consider the accident plan?
If you currently have a tighter budget, then an accident plan might be ideal for you! This way you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that should your pet be in an accident you are covered. Especially given the fact that accidents tend to rack up quite the bill too! In fact, these vet bills often cause pet parents to either incur serious medical debt or worse off, have to consider economic euthanasia.
Pet accident plans are also great for all senior pets too! If your pet is no longer eligible for pet insurance given its age, accident plans are the perfect policy for your pet. This means that while they may not get access to comprehensive cover, all of the big bills in the case of an accident will be covered.
Final words on pet accident plans and cover
Accident cover is a viable option for pet owners if you consider the fact that you will have to cover the rest of the bills that fall outside of an “accident”. This includes things like routine cover, annual vet visits, non-accident-related surgeries and illnesses. Essentially, the key to knowing whether or not you should take out an accident plan is fully dependent on your finances.
Sit down and have a proper look at how much you can put towards a comprehensive pet policy plan. If you can push it a little more to at least an accident and illness plan, you definitely won’t regret it.
A pet accident plan is there to be your safety net in unexpected emergencies! Also, keep in mind that you are not alone. Our pet-obsessed team are more than happy to sit down and walk you through all of your options – and they are just one click away too!
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Yours in exceptional pet insurance,
Oneplan
