Okay. Here’s the pitch. They say that a large percentage of pets are put down rather than the owner face the cost of an operation. The problem is, that’s true. But here is another policy where one should tread carefully as it is not a case of “now that little Mister Tibbles is covered, nothing can go awry!”

So, what are the dodges? Well, some policies only cover for a certain number of claims. So the cover runs out if Mister Tibbles gallops out of the surgery, his paws all fixed up, only to return a month later with a little problem in his nose. Also watch here for excesses that occur per type of cover, rather like travel insurance. So, his operation carries one excess, his post-op may carry another! The biggest to watch for is co-insurance, where the owner has to pay a % of the claim, rather than an excess (or even in addition to the excess!).

But there are so many good reasons to get this cover it’s worth doing your homework. For example, if you are taken into hospital, your pet needs to be boarded somewhere, and if he goes missing for more than a few days, you may value being a member of the Missing Pets Bureau, and a little help toward advertising & rewards will not go amiss.

Another help is if your pet is stolen, or if he causes an accident, with you carrying the liability. In fact if you have a dog, this last part may make the policy worth having on its’ own. Make sure though that you can cover all your pets, and that they will be covered for ongoing treatment for an illness, and it’s worth checking to see whether the insurer provides a helpline for when you aren’t sure whether to take your pet to the vet.