Health insurance for your guinea pig

For many years, health care for guinea pigs has lagged behind that for dogs, cats and rabbits, and whilst not everything that can be performed on these species, can be performed on guinea pigs, veterinary medicine has advanced in leaps and bounds over the last few years, so much more is possible nowadays. Not surprisingly, these advanced surgical and medical treatments are often expensive, so that a veterinary bill for complicated surgery or a prolonged course of treatment may be several hundreds, or even thousands of pounds. Many pet owners worry that they will not be able to afford to pay for treatment if their guinea pig becomes sick or has a major accident.

During the past two decades an increasing number of pet owners have chosen to take out insurance to cover the cost of veterinary treatment. Insurance should be seen as an emergency fund, if the worst happens and your guinea pig needs expensive veterinary treatment. It is not there to cover preventative or routine healthcare, such as the cost of neutering, nail clipping etc. There are many different companies in the pet insurance market, although a limited number that offer cover for guinea pigs. If your guinea pig needed treatment that would cost several hundred pounds and you would struggle to find the funds, you should think about taking out insurance.

The cover provided by different insurance policies varies according to the type of policy required, and the cost of the premium. Typically, a policy will pay for the costs of veterinary treatment for illness or accident. Some insurance policies will reimburse you the costs of advertising the animal if it goes missing, and boarding fees should you become hospitalized. You will need to ensure you read all the small print, before taking out a policy, so you know what is and what isn’t covered.

As with all household and motor insurance policies there is likely to be an excess on the policy so you will pay a small proportion of any veterinary bills. Policies are not designed to cover day-to-day maintenance and routine health care. Treatment for diseases which were already present at the time that the animal was insured will usually be exempt from cover. Neutering costs and other routine preventive treatments are also exempt under most policies, as are the costs relating to the trimming of teeth or pregnancy.

It is important to read insurance documents with care to make sure that the proposed policy is the one which will suit you and your guinea pig:

• Some policies have a time or cost limit for the treatment of each condition. So, there is a danger that your guinea pig will run out of insurance cover if it requires long-term treatment for a chronic problem.
• Find out if your guinea pig will be covered for the whole of its life because your pet is more likely to need veterinary treatment as it gets older.
• Consider the amount of time and effort that will be needed to make a claim. A good insurance company will process most claims within two-five working days of receiving the documents from your veterinary practice.

The cost of insurance will obviously depend on the type of animal insured and the sort of cover that you require. Some policies offer cover for as little as $12 per month. The average premium will be between $180 and $240 a year depending on where you live, and premiums tend to increase as your pet gets older (as they are more likely to require veterinary treatment). You may be able to get special discounts on your insurance if you are a pensioner or have more than one animal insured. Pet insurance is a competitive market, so it pays to shop around. Nevertheless, remember that the cheapest company is not always the best value for money. Look carefully at the policy to see exactly what is covered by the insurance and be sure that it is what you need. Your veterinarian will not be able to recommend a company but can suggest what you should look for with a policy and some companies to get a quote from.

There is no compulsion to take out pet insurance and it is for you to decide whether it is necessary. Certainly, cost may be a factor, but the average increase in the premiums for veterinary health insurance policies have gone up far less over the past few years than the equivalent policies for human health care. For a relatively small annual cost every guinea pig owner who takes out insurance has peace of mind. If your guinea pig has health insurance, you know that everything will be done to restore them to full health and fitness if they become seriously ill or have an accident. If you are in any doubt it may help to ask a friend who has some experience of insuring their animals.