Please mention The Gers Local when responding to adverts Pet Insurance in France - How well are you covered?
When buying pet insurance it is definitely a ques- tion of buyer beware, explains Peter Driscoll from DSA Europe
In Britain 20 percent of dog and cat owners take out pet insurance (and in Australia the figure is similar). In France, however, just 1.8 percent of owners do so. At first glance this seems logical - after all it is the British who pride themselves on being animal lovers. However, the fact is that the French spend more on their pets than the British. Furthermore, in this country there are more vets that deal with dogs and cats, more breeders and, perhaps less unsurprisingly, more parlours. De- spite this, there has been reluctance for French insurers to enter the very specialised market place of pet insurance. The result has been high policy prices and low benefits.
This, however, is changing and today more French as well as non-French based insurers are entering the pet insurance market place. But why is insurance needed at all? Simply, it is there so pet lovers can avoid having to make an agonising decision on whether a pet lives or dies based on cost. All pets get coughs and colds and these cost relatively little to treat and therefore do not need insurance. Serious accidents or illnesses, though, can see vet bills rising into the thousands of euros. A simple road accident involving two bro- ken legs to a dog can cost upwards of €2,000. When compared to annual insurance that would cost, say €200 per annum, the benefits are imme- diately visible. The problem for the pet owner is trying to decide whether a policy that costs €450 a year is better or worse than one that costs €200.
When buying pet insurance in France the devil is always in the detail. At first glance many policies look like extremely good value – ‘Insure your Pet for just 12€ a month!’ - but buyer beware. The price may be cheap but the benefits offered may be correspondingly low as well.
The headline price is usually followed by long lists of things that can be covered by the policy. It is not until later in a buying process that reference is made to the annual level of cover that is actually on offer. It is vital to read the small print in pet policies so you fully understand what is really being offered. In particular, take a look at:
Cover: how much cover will you receive? With some policies it could be as low as €1000 a year, a level that will simply not provide the monetary
protection that may be required. Many policies only cover accidents and not medical illnesses or surgical procedures. When buying a pet policy always consider the worst case scenario and purchase cover that will really mean something if your pet becomes ill. Remember that radiographer fees, scanning fees, surgical fees, and medications will all be on top of your vet bill, so make sure the cover you buy will do what you want it to do, especially where only a percentage of the fees are covered.
Waiting periods: some policies impose excessive waiting periods – as long as six months - regarding illnesses, which means no claims can be made during this time. Times vary from policy to policy and all good policies should offer almost immediate accident cover (24-48 hours) and illness waiting times of less than a month.
What animals are covered: often, attractive headline rates for dog and cat policies apply only to some breeds. There may be, for example, one rate for a poodle and a totally different rate for a Great Dane. In reality vets fees for treatments of the two types of animal vary only slightly and probably do not merit huge differences in premiums. Few insurers will take on a dog aged over five years of age at inception and even fewer will guarantee to accept dogs and cats after the age of nine years. Look for policies that do not discriminate against various breeds in their pricing and ones that will continue to insure your pet after the age of nine.
Unwanted cover: many policies offer cover that is never going to be used, such as public liability insurance. This type of cover is usually included in standard home insurance policies and as double claims are not permitted, the cover offered is non-existent.
So, when buying a pet insurance policy, look very carefully at what is covered. Take time to read the terms and conditions and if you are unsure of what is and what is not covered, ask, before you purchase. Too often, good money is paid for cover that is either insufficient or worse, not needed.
DSA Europe offer a benefits-focussed pet- insurance policy called VETPLAN. For more information see
www.vetplan.fr or ask your insurance agent about VETPLAN
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