Insurance: Pet Treatment Technology More Successful Than Ever - But At A Cost That Will Need Recouping

September 01, 2017

Pet owners taking out cat and dog insurance now are beating an imminent boom in the cost of vet bills arising if their pets suffer illness or injury - with the typical cost of treating broken bones for a cat being anything up to £2,500.

Technology making its way into the veterinary surgery is making a treatment of formerly fatal diseases or injuries far more successful - but at a huge cost to vets' practices.

"Its a dilemma for a pet owner: people naturally think its never going to happen to me or my pet, but when it does, the cost can be shocking. But the other issue is that where there was once little hope for a pets recovery, now the chances are much higher so treatment can also take longer," said Mark Effenberg, founder of Healthy Pets' cat insurance and dog insurance business.

"But with that better chance of recovery, comes a much bigger cost, because it is largely down to new and expensive technology or medication - and vets have no option but to invest in that technology.

"We’re a nation of pet lovers who are also conditioned to having our own medical treatment for free - but there is no such mechanism for the vast majority of pets in households which have any level of income.

"We all know how much technology costs to install in hospitals, but very similar equipment is used in the treatment of pets. Vets have to invest, but they also have to cover the cost of that technology investment - so the cost of treatment is going to start to rise.

"If a human goes to hospital with a broken bone, it’s treated for free in most cases. If a cat or dog needs to have a leg pinned, it’s often a far more complex operation involving just as much technology. Treating a cat with a broken leg can cost anything up to - or even beyond - £2,500; generally the older the cat, the costlier it is because bones get more brittle with age. We have seen claims for up to £6,000 for treatment following injuries sustained in road traffic accidents, where cats have benefited from treatment making previously unsurvivable injuries survivable thanks to modern technology and techniques.

"Cat and dog insurance has never been more important to pet owners."

Peace of mind with pet insurance

Particularly when your pets are highly energetic or prone to be clumsy, it is vital to protect them with insurance. Our cover can be offered for pets from five weeks old and can include vet fees for illness and injury up to £7,500, as well as ongoing cover for eligible new illnesses.

Get a quote

About Healthy Pets

Healthy Pets Insurance, now part of The Ardonagh Group, is a specialist pet insurance company. Healthy Pets can cover a range of policies from Accident Only, Maximum Benefit, and Lifetime to help customers find a policy to suit them and their pet.