There is no legal necessity to have dog liability insurance in the United Kingdom. So, why do so many pet owners opt for it? Let’s find out in this article.
Why Do I Need Pet Liability Insurance As a Dog Owner?
Owning a dog is a strong desire of most UK households. Pet ownership statistics in the UK shows that about 33 percent of UK households own a dog. 59% of UK households own at least one type of pet. This includes pets like cats, birds, reptiles, rabbits, etc.
It’s not enough to own a dog or any other type of pet. You need to know that you are legally responsible for anything that your dog does. So, if your dog bites someone, harms livestock in poultry, damages property, or runs out into the road and causes a traffic accident, you are liable for all the costs. To avoid paying for these legal claims from your pocket, you will need dog liability insurance.
Your pet liability insurance will cover you from any form of legal repercussion when your pet injures someone or damages someone’s property.
What is Covered by Dog Insurance in the UK?
The majority of people who get bought by many pet insurance policies do so in order to cover unforeseen medical expenses. You don’t have to worry about financing the costs of vet treatment yourself if your pet becomes ill or is involved in an accident if you pay a monthly or yearly premium to a pet insurance company.
Other types of coverage, such as liability insurance, are usually included in most vet fee policies.
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What Breed of Dogs Are Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
In the United States for instance, the following 10 dog breeds are excluded from homeowners insurance because of their aggressiveness.
- Pit bull
- Rottweiler
- Chow chow
- Presa Canario
- Akita
- Doberman Pinscher
- Wolf hybrids
- Mastiff
Most home insurance companies in the UK won’t cover these breeds of dogs under the homeowners policy. This is because they have already been excluded in the Dangerous Dogs Act of 1992.
Is a Trip to the Veterinarian Really So Expensive?
Veterinary expenditures can climb into the thousands of pounds if your dog requires significant surgery or suffers an ongoing ailment that needs treatment or medicines from a veterinarian over a long period of time. Consider the following examples:
- Luxating Patella: If your pet required surgery on both knees, the cost might be about £1,500.
- Heart Issues — congenital heart defects in pets can cost up to £6,000 in surgery.
- Hip Dysplasia — replacing both hips in your pet might cost £7,000.
These are the types of circumstances in which pet insurance reveals its worth.
Why veterinary fees are so expensive in Great Britain is because of the following reasons: location, most UK residents don’t know the cost of healthcare because the National Health Service already takes care of their medical cost, most vet machines like the MRI are expensive and finally, it’s common for a small business owner like a vet doctor to charge more.
What is the most expensive vet visit you have had with your pet? Karen Tiede, in response to the question asked on Quora about the most expensive vet visit said that she spent over $4,000 altogether to get her pet back to health. You will be required to pay as much as £7,000 to treat a French Bulldog with a fractured leg.
In summary, dog vet bills are expensive because there’s no NHS for dogs. If your dog gets sick, you will have to pay from your pocket if you don’t have any dog liability insurance cover.
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What is the Average Cost of Canine Insurance in the UK?
Basic pet insurance can cost as low as £3 per month, but prices vary greatly depending on your pet’s kind and breed, where you live, how old your pet is, and how much financial protection you desire.
What Can I Do to Obtain a Better Deal on Pet Insurance?
There are several choices available to help you save money on pet insurance.
Multi-pet insurance, in which you protect multiple pets on the same policy, is usually less expensive than insuring each pet separately because pet insurance firms offer discounts. Many Bought offers a 15% multi-pet discount and Bought By Many offers a 15% multi-pet discount.
Compare dog insurance quotes and find the best deal for your pet by being wise and shopping around.
What other benefits does pet insurance provide? Pet insurance can also help with costs if your pet is lost or stolen, or if you have to place your pet in kennels unexpectedly. Third-party insurance for dogs is the best way to save costs in case your dog causes an accident.
What Does Dog Liability Insurance Not Cover?
It’s vital to keep in mind that your dog liability insurance is intended to protect you financially from unexpected expenses. As a result, it does not cover the price of standard veterinary care such as neutering or vaccinations. Most pet insurance policies also exclude coverage for any medical issues that your pet may have at the time of purchase (known to pet insurance companies as a pre-existing condition).
Furthermore, some procedures are only covered by more expensive lifetime pet insurance policies, but not by less expensive basic pet insurance policies. These are some of them:
- Treatment for a pet’s dental problems
- Dog hydrotherapy, for example, is an alternative treatment.
- The price of pet diet food
- End-of-life expenses (that is, the cost of having a pet put down)
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What If I Don’t Want to Get Pet Liability Insurance Coverage?
The most popular option if you don’t want any pet liability insurance cover is to just take a chance and pay vet fees as they come up.
Some people choose to self-insure by putting a fixed amount of money into a savings account each month that they can then use if their pet needs treatment. The main downsides of this approach are:
If you need to pay for expensive treatment early in your pet’s life, you may not have built up enough funds in your savings account to cover the costs. Public liability insurance won’t cover your dog vet treatment nor when it injures someone.