If like most people your pet is a beloved member of your family, they can become ill, have accidents, cause accidents and require life threatening treatment at any moment in any country which can run anywhere between £500 - £3000 or more. Most people simply can't afford that at one time.

This can leave you with heart-breaking decisions to make. When your pet's life may be at stake it seems callous to think about saving pennies. To find out more about the potential health hazards faced by your pet please read our related articles

Within the pet insurance market there are many companies offering varying policies allowing you to insure your pet cat, dog or small animal. All have some common policies and some have specific policies enabling you to tailor the cover you require, and it is best to gather as much information from as many insurance companies as possible before selecting a policy.

As a general rule most insurance companies will cover veterinary fees for accidents and illness (with different time limits and cover typically offered per condition), boarding kennelling/cattery expenses if something happens to you, advertising and rewards if your pet is lost or stolen, third party liability if your pet causes accidental injury, damage or loss to person or property and death from illness or accident. Some companies will also provide cover for holiday cancellations, pets abroad (including loss of pet passport), veterinary fees for alternative therapies such as acupuncture and homeopathy and veterinary prescribed diets and physiotherapy. Access to free bereavement counselling, serious illness and general help lines are also available.

Typically pet insurance policies cover pets from 8 weeks old to 8/9 years of age. Other companies insure pets younger than this and some older until 10 or 12 years old. Some insurance companies will offer policies for older pets with cover that will continue to old age with no upper age limit. Policies may change past a certain age so that death by illness is no longer covered and you may need to pay an excess and possibly a percentage of the total claim.

Pet insurance companies will not cover any pre existing conditions prior to policy being taken like congenital or hereditary conditions (some include behavioural problems) and the routine treatments like spaying or castration (neutering) unless on medical grounds, nail clipping and vaccinations. When the policy is taken out the company may place an exclusion for any pet with a pre existing condition. Policy renewals normally run annually. More information on neutering and spaying

The cost of veterinary treatment can vary throughout the UK. Veterinary fees are generally rising year after year due to the availability of new drugs and medical technology to diagnose and treat pets. This can unfortunately mean an increase in insurance premiums. Certain breeds of dogs generally cost more for veterinary care and require an added breed premium.

Most policies offer premium payments on a monthly basis via direct debit or annually by direct debit, cheque and credit card options are also available. Good savings can be made when buying online and discounts are given when insuring multiple pets with some companies offering discount to pensioners.

On any claims made there will be an excess to pay, this can fluctuate from £35 to £75 for dogs, £30 to £60 for cats and £30 to £55 for rabbits. Nearly all pet insurance companies state that they will settle a valid claim promptly sometimes the same day, or within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the claim.

Take a look at our Compare Pet Insurance section to quickly compare pet insurance packages and discounts on offer, alternatively read our Pet Insurance Reviews