Pet Insurance: Join The Pet Set

Summary
Going abroad with your pet? Then this article about overseas pet insurance, is essential reading.

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PETS passports

If you want to take your pet with you abroad, you will need to get your pet insurance company to issue you with what's called a PETS passport. This PETS acronym stands for the Pet Travel Scheme. The scheme was introduced through a government initiative in 2000 and allows animal owners to take their dogs, cats and other furry friends to and from most countries in the European Union without having to place them in quarantine. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, last year over 50,000 PETS passports were issued in the UK.

To qualify for a PETS passport (or, if you are travelling outside the EU, a "Third Country Official Veterinary Certificate") your pet will need to be identified with a microchip, treated against ticks and tapeworms at a registered veterinary surgeon, vaccinated against rabies and have passed a blood test via an EU approved laboratory.

Check your pets' insurance policy

However, an insurance policy and PETS passport will not be sufficient to ensure your pet is covered abroad. Travel cover is not a standard part of all pet insurance policies, so do not assume that your pet will automatically be insured when you go abroad. Well before you go check the policy wording carefully and if in any doubt, phone your insurer to find out.

Some insurers will offer travel insurance but offer it as an optional extra. If you have not included that option, then you will not be insured. But most will allow you to add it seperately to your policy at a later date. It would be galling if you had simply omitted to tick the right box and your pet needed veterinary attantion whilst abroad especially as the extra premium is negligible. For example, in the case of a neutered three year old male Border terrier standard cover costs £12.41 per month with overseas cover and £11.54 without it.

Be aware that even when you have cover for overseas travel, there will be exclusions. For example, there could be a limit on the length of time spent outside the UK - a maximum of three trips a year or 30 days is common place. The policy is also also likely to restrict overseas travel to cover dogs and cats. If it is a horse you'll need something extra special!

Get on your way

Once cover is in place, pet insurance will cover your four-legged friend for accident, illness and emergency veterinary treatment while overseas. There may also be some additional benefits, such as cover for any unexpected quarantine costs. But there are many different pet insurance policies and cover varies greatly so check the policy carefully.

You should also be aware that excess payment are often the same for “overseas claims” than they are in the UK. In fact, one insurer we are aware of does not charge an excess for veterinary treatment overseas so long as the condition cannot wait until you arrive back to the UK, like for example, a cut paw.

Cancelled holidays

Some policies also offer cover if you are forced to cancel your holiday because your pet has had an accident or fallen ill. Cover for this typicall varies between £5,000 and £3,000 so again check out your policy.

And do not think that your “human travel insurance” will cover you for holiday cancellation resulting from a problem with your pet. Your own travel policy is essentially designed to insure humans, not animals!