Pet Insurance
To so many of us, pets are precious family members without whom we can't imagine our life. India has rapidly seen the evolution of pet-owners to pet parents and we're here to tell you about the ultimate safeguard for your furry babies: pet insurance plans!
What is Pet Insurance?
Bike insurance is a contract between the insurance company and the policyholder in which the insurance company provides coverage against damages caused to your bike/scooty/scooter/moped due to accident, theft, or natural calamities. There are three types of bike insurance plans offered by insurance companies in India which are standalone own damage plans, third-party insurance plans, and comprehensive bike insurance plans.Pet insurance is a special type of insurance for various animals which safeguards their overall health and wellbeing. Just like we buy health insurance for ourselves and our loved ones, insurance for pets has become a great way to provide for our pets if they happen to need medical and other financial help.
With annual routine expenses for animals rising, being a pet parent does not come cheap. Vaccination, tick treatments, grooming etc. cost anywhere from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 54,000 annually. Out of these, the vet fees and subsequent medical and surgical costs are the highest if your pet is in need of such care. With a pet insurance policy, your pets will get the best medical and legal assistance in case of unexpected situations.
Why Would I Need Pet Insurance?
With rising costs of personal care, grooming and medical expenses, it's not uncommon to see people spending Rs. 70,000 - Rs. 80,000 annually on their pets. Already a thriving practice abroad, pet insurance in India has been gaining popularity thanks to a range of benefits it brings:
1. Ensures Best Health
Your precious pets will get the best treatment and medical care thanks to the insurance policy
2. Affordable and Saves Extra Expenses
By investing just a small premium, your pet can get covered for a range of benefits including medical care, accidents, and even overseas protection in many cases!
3. Safeguard from Accidents
While we can't peel our eyes away from our furry babies, they sometimes get hurt while playing or because of other reasons. Your insurance will cover all these medical expenses so that you don't burn a hole in your pocket.
4. Other Benefits
Depending on your insurer, your pet will get exclusive benefits like coverage for third-party damages, or your pet getting stolen.
Types of Pet Insurance
While insurance companies in India had been offering cattle and livestock insurance for many years, private-sector insurers not only offer protection against death but also a lot of other expenses like worldwide transit, third-party liabilities, theft or loss of pets, entry fees for dog shows and much more. As of now, there are the following types of insurance plans for pets:
1. Dog Insurance
The most common pet insurance in India, with an estimated 28-29 million overall pets in India, dogs make up a huge bulk of this number. Especially since the COVID-19 outbreak, this number saw a huge rise with a lot of people turning towards human's best friend. Most pet insurance plans available aim at dog parents who want to protect their precious babies from all possible harm.
2. Cat Insurance
All animals are lovely, and so many insurance providers have started offering benefits to people who have cats as their pets. If you're a cat owner, your pet cat insurance will protect your fierce feline from all her adventurous falls and ensure her overall wellbeing.
Pet Insurance Inclusions
The range of benefits varies with the insurer as well as the cost of the premium. Following are the coverage provided under Pet Insurance:
Surgery Expenses Cover
Death due to accident/Diseases
Hospitalization Cover
OPD Cover
Lost or stolen pets
Pet InsuranceExclusions
In some cases, the insurer shall not cover the medical expenses:
Any surgeries that are not necessitated because of illness or accident
Surgeries to cure deformities or congenital defects are not covered
Surgeries done due to pregnancy or whelping are not covered
Any surgery related to grooming is excluded
Any cosmetic or elective surgery which is not related to injury will not be covered
Any dental surgery not caused by an accident or injury will not be covered
Eligibility for Pet Insurance
Depending on the insurer, you can buy pet insurance for pets aged between 2 months to 10 years.
In the case of dogs, canine insurance can be bought for indigenous, cross-bred as well as exotic dogs. Please note that depending on the age, breed and size of the dog, the premium of the insurance plan will vary.
