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Direct Line Pet Insurance UK: Dogs And Cats

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Published: August 9, 2007

It's a pet guardian's nightmare; the puppy gets hit by a car and requires emergency surgery, or the cat gets ill and has to be hospitalized, or the dog swallows a foreign object and it has to be surgically removed to save his life. Besides being stressful, these scenarios are also very expensive. Pet insurance can help.

Direct Line pet insurance is a UK pet insurance company that provides coverage for cat and dog guardians living in the United Kingdom. Direct Line pet insurance policies start from as little as 6 pounds a month for cats or 8 pounds a month for dogs. This cheap pet insurance can help protect pet guardians from unexpected veterinary bills. Serious illnesses or injuries can cost thousands of pounds, which could be unaffordable without Direct Line pet insurance. The RSPCA advises that responsible pet ownership includes taking out an insurance policy for every pet to ensure that necessary and un-planned-for health care will be provided.

There are two basic policies available through Direct Line pet insurance; essential and advanced. Pets must be healthy on the start date of either policy in order to receive coverage from Direct Line pet insurance. Direct Line pet insurance's essential policy provides 4,000 pounds per injury, disease, or illness for a maximum of 12 months worth of treatment. This type of coverage is good for most illnesses and injuries, especially in young dogs.  However, if treatment extends past 12 months or costs more than 4,000 pounds, such as a disease like diabetes, the condition loses coverage. The guardian of the pet must then pay for the insulin and other diabetes-related tests and treatments on their own.

The advanced Direct Line pet insurance policy covers up to 6,000 pounds per injury, disease, or illness with no time limit for meeting the maximum coverage cost. The higher maximum coverage and lack of time limit helps pet guardians with the costs of more expensive, longer-lasting treatments. It is good to keep in mind that even 6,000 pounds provided by Direct Line pet insurance won't cover the cost of some lifelong diseases, such as diabetes in which daily insulin shots are required.

Additional coverage is also available through Direct Line pet insurance. One option will pay up to 500 pounds in ads and rewards if a pet is lost, strays, or is stolen and will reimburse the purchase price of the animal up to 1,500 pounds if pet is permanently lost through theft, straying, or accidental injury. This option from Direct Line pet insurance also covers up to 1,000 pounds if a guardian's holiday needs to be canceled because of loss, illness, or injury of a pet. Also, boarding costs up to 500 pounds will be covered if the pet's guardian has to spend more than 4 days in the hospital.

Another option from Direct Line pet insurance, for dog guardians only, is third party liability. If a dog injures someone or damages property up to 1 million pounds of legal liability will be covered. However, dangerous dogs and working animals are excluded from all policies offered by Direct Line pet insurance.

A third additional coverage option from Direct Line pet insurance is for overseas travel. It extends the coverage choices listed above to include trips made to countries in the UK government's Pet Travel Scheme (PETS). Direct Line pet insurance liability coverage is not available for the USA and Canada. Coverage includes the cost of quarantine, a lost pet passport, repeated tick and worming treatments, and emergency expenses while abroad. This additional coverage is good for guardians planning on traveling abroad with their pets.

Direct Line pet insurance can help pet guardians who are responsible for a dog's health and/or a cat's health. The cost of a pet's health care can get very expensive. Unexpected costs from illness, injury, or disease can add up quickly and be a strain or impossible without pet insurance. It is good to keep in mind that lasting conditions aren't covered and need to be planned for in addition to having the essential or advanced UK pet insurance policy. Being a responsible pet guardian means providing the best possible care for the animal and Direct Line pet insurance helps make the best care affordable.


Sources:
Pet Insurance: Summary of Cover. Direct Line. 1999-2007. RBS Insurance Services. 11 July 2007.
http://www.directline.com/pet/page02.htm

"Direct Line Advises on Post-Kennel Pet Insurance." Fair Investment Company. 4 March 2006. Adfero Ltd. 12 July 2007.
http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/insurance-news-D irect-Line-advises-on-post-kennel-pet-insurance-17 />
"RSPCA: Pet Insurance Vital for Uneducated Pet Owners." Fair Investment Company. 12 July 2007. Adfero Ltd. 12 July 2007.
http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/insurance-news-R SPCA:-Pet-insurance-'vital'-for-uneducated-pet-own />
Fairfax, Chris. "Animal Friends Insurance." 2006. Animal Friends Insurance. 12 July 2007.
http://www.animalfriends.org.uk/why_buy_pet_insu rance.html
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