As you will already know (or will soon find out), the south coast of KZN is tough on all of its inhabitants. For our dogs and cats, we’re talking parasitic ticks, fleas, tick- and flea-related diseases, snakes, porcupines, monkeys, dung beetles, wild boars, wild stray cats, road rage and potholes, fighting stray dogs, sunny skies, beaches, fishermen, break-ins and indigenous plants to name but a few.
Statistics say that every year, two in every three dogs will most likely need veterinary care.
We might not be able to protect our pets against all these elements, but we can give them the best possible treatment if something does strike. Dogs and cats can have health insurance too… well, their responsible owners can.
Pet health insurance is defined as insurance against the potential risk of incurring medical expenses. Such insurance is funded by a group of individuals, i.e. pet owners, collectively pooling a predetermined amount (called a premium), into a funding account (managed by a pet insurance company as a product). This funding account then compensates a policyholder at the time of need. It is important to note that pet health insurance does not prevent a pet from getting sick (more reserved for medical aid schemes); it is merely there to help cope with the financial implications if it does happen.
Your pet will need veterinary attention throughout its lifetime. Owners should thus not wait until something happens before you start them on pet medical insurance.
Veterinary medicine and human medicine are moving closer and closer together. The demand for high-quality and professional veterinary care is on the increase. We at Vet Hospital Port Shepstone strive to offer our clients the best possible veterinary care and options. As with all good and specialised services, this sometimes comes with a hefty (mostly unexpected) price. Be prepared and consider a specialised health insurance plan for your pet.
Frequently asked questions
Routine care includes, for example, vaccinations, deworming, tick & flea control, sterilisations or anything related to pregnancy and grooming. Policies may vary in their coverage of this.
Pets may be required by some policies to be microchipped for permanent identification.
Breed exclusions and genetic or hereditary conditions are subjected to the specific policy wording of the underwriter. Medipet, for example, has no breed exclusions, whereas Rogs Pet Insurance does not cover genetic conditions.
Vet Hospital Port Shepstone has no official affiliation with any pet medical insurance company. The policy is between the policyholder (yourself) and the underwriter. The policyholder is free to use any veterinary practice of his/her choice. Even our regular clients can claim from any other veterinary practice.
Because most medical insurance companies compensate the client/policyholder and not the veterinary practice, Vet Hospital Port Shepstone does not deal directly with pet medical insurance claims (apart from completing the required medical history and invoice details on the claim form). It is still the responsibility of the client to settle the veterinary bill in full and to claim back from the medical insurance company.
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