With high veterinary bills crippling many pet owners in these recessionary times, pet insurance can be a life-saver, writes CAROLINE MADDEN.

IT’S ALL too easy to fall for the charms of a pair of take-me-home puppy-dog eyes or the persuasive purring of an affectionate feline, without stopping to consider such mundane issues as veterinary bills and medical costs.

But, as anyone with a furry family companion knows, pets are not only accident-prone but can develop a remarkable array of costly conditions, from obesity to overactive thyroids.

And unfortunately, although your pet may be pocket-sized, veterinary bills never are. For this reason pet insurance can be a life-saver.

“We cannot stress the importance of pet insurance enough,” says Orla Aungier of the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA).

“Like any insurance, you don’t know when you’re going to need it. Unfortunately with pets, if they end up having . . . surgery . . . the costs can spiral so quickly. Equally, pedigree dogs are more prone to certain conditions.”

In recent months, the DSPCA has noticed a significant increase in the number of people ringing it who simply cannot afford the veterinary care that their animal requires.

“It’s heartbreaking for someone who loves their pet and gets a vet’s bill for, say, €1,000 and they don’t know how to pay it,” Aungier says.

The DSPCA has also noticed a 35 to 40 per cent rise in the numbers availing of its mobile veterinary clinic, which operates four nights a week in various parts of Dublin and is open to pet owners in receipt of social welfare benefit.

“We’re putting it down to the recession – people just can’t afford veterinary care,” Aungier adds. “There’s no question that the recession is having an impact on animals.”

The DSPCA advises anyone adopting an animal from it to take out insurance. In fact, all animals are covered free for the first six weeks of their adoption by Allianz Direct and, if the adopter chooses to renew this policy, Allianz makes a donation to the DSPCA.

Until recently, Allianz has dominated the Irish pet insurance market with its PetPlan product, but the good news for consumers is that competition in this space is hotting up, with 123.ie also entering the fray.

In general, pet insurance covers veterinary bills arising from injuries and illnesses up to certain limits, as well as third-party liability cover in case an owner becomes liable for damage caused by his or her pet.

In addition, pet insurance policies often cover the cost of advertisements and rewards if a dog or cat goes missing, kennel costs if the owner is hospitalised and the cost of holiday cancellation if a pet requires life-saving surgery.

When selecting a policy, it is vital that pet owners check the terms and conditions that apply, rather than being swayed simply by price.

It is particularly important to check the policy exclusions. For example, a claim can be invalidated if the dog or cat has not had a yearly health check and dental exam.

Having said that, it is worth shopping around for both price and cover before choosing a policy.

For example, the cost of insuring a four-year-old crossbreed dog in Dublin with Allianz is just under €150 a year. This includes a 10 per cent discount if the policy is taken out online.

For a pedigree dog, such as an Aberdeen terrier, the premium rises to almost €210.

To insure the same crossbreed dog with 123.ie under its entry-level accident-only bronze package it would cost less than €84 a year, but this only covers veterinary fees of up to €2,000 for one accident, doubling to €4,000 for two accidents, and so on.

The premium rises to €149.92 if a customer opts for 123.ie’s top-of- the-range comprehensive gold product.

This is roughly equivalent to Allianz’s quote, but 123.ie will pay out up to €2,500 a year for each condition that the pet develops, up to a maximum of €25,000 a year, whereas the PetPlan product will cover veterinary fees up to a maximum of €4,000 a year.

Therefore pet owners should consider what level of cover they would prefer before making a choice.

One of the key differences between the two players is that 123.ie will insure pets of any age whereas with Allianz, insurance must be taken out by the pet’s eighth birthday.

Allianz also excludes pets that have pre-existing health conditions, whereas 123.ie says it will assess this on a case-by-case basis.

Both insurers offer continuous cover, which means that if an insured pet has a chronic condition such as diabetes or arthritis they will be covered for this for life.

Finally, owners looking for canine cover must be prepared for an element of discrimination when applying for insurance, as a number of breeds are blacklisted by insurers.

Allianz, for example, excludes American pitbulls, racing greyhounds, guard dogs and, bizarrely, wolves.