When subscribing for the first time, it is important to know how animal insurance works. Joining a dog or cat with offers considerable advantages for your budget. The insurance contract, the monthly direct debit date, the free month… We tell you everything!
Animal insurance contract: what information to provide?
The animal you want to insure should be tattooed or chipped if possible. This identification allows animal insurance to know the complete identity of the dog or cat. Thus, thanks to this useful information, the insurer can offer you an offer adapted to the profile of your pet. However, if the animal is not identified, it may still be eligible for insurance coverage. The medical examination ( veterinary certificate ) is also not requested during the first subscription. However, it is strongly recommended to certify the good health of the animal.
It is possible to take out pet insurance online. All you have to do is request a free quote. First, you will have a form to fill out: information about your pet (species, name, breed, date of birth, etc.) but also your details. You will have to answer a few questions relating to your expectations regarding the best protective formula for your dog or cat.
Following this information, you will have a price proposal. When concluding the contract, you will need to bring your European direct debit authorization (SEPA). You will immediately receive your contract by email along with treatment sheets. The commitment is for a minimum period of one year with the tacit renewal of your contract.
How do I cancel my old pet insurance?
There is nothing to worry about! animal insurance advisers take care of the termination of your previous contract. Do not hesitate to contact them on 0 805 201 202 (free call from a landline and at the cost of a local call on a mobile) or 01 77 94 89 02.
First animal insurance subscription: the effective date of coverage for the animal
The effective date is effective on the 1st of each month. Depending on the subscription date, the effective date is the 1st of the current month or the 1st of the following month. In the event of an accident or injury, it is important to know that there is no waiting period with animal insurance. Your pet is covered immediately upon subscription!
First animal insurance subscription: when does the monthly debit take place?
pet insurance offers you the option of scheduling your direct debit on the 5th, 10th, or 15th of each month. This advantage allows you to better manage your monthly budget!
First subscription: the 1st month is free!
After the conclusion of the contract, you will not have to pay a penny for the 1st month of animal insurance membership. Indeed, with the insurer, the 1st month is free! Thus, your animal is fully protected and you will be compensated for veterinary costs. Know that there is a second advantage… you also receive a very practical connected tag-free of charge in the event of loss of your animal.
Whether it’s a cat or a dog, health insurance for animals works the same way for everything related to reimbursement and guarantees, only the prices vary according to the animal, its age as well as of his race.
SUPPORT AND DEDUCTIBLES
Each insurer offers different formulas allowing you to benefit from different levels of reimbursement. The most expensive formulas will, for example, offer greater coverage, presented as a percentage of the actual costs incurred.
Let’s take the example of an insurance that would reimburse medical expenses in the event of an accident (consultation, medication, transport… to see what animal health mutual insurance covers, see this article) up to 80%: the insurer will then reimburse you 80% of the total amount you have paid upon presentation of the invoices.
In addition to these reimbursements, it is not uncommon for insurance companies to offer ” prevention packages ” in the form of annual checks between 30 and 150 €, which can be used for additional costs such as sterilization, vaccines, electronic chips … costs which are not covered by the other guarantees because they are not health costs caused by an illness or an accident.
However, four limits are opposed to this coverage: the reason for the care (in the event of accident or illness), the waiting period, the ceiling on reimbursements, and the deductible.
REASON FOR CARE
It is common for the cheapest pet insurance plans to cover medical expenses only in the event of illness and not accidents. Sometimes, surgical costs will also be covered in the event of accidents but not medical costs, so it is important to consult the policy’s guarantee grid.
THE WAITING PERIOD
There are animal insurances that claim to be “all risks”. In reality, almost all insurers cover the same guarantees with waiting periods (also called waiting periods) which can vary:
- Accidents (0 to 7 days of waiting.)
- Diseases (usually 45 days) except rabies, hereditary diseases, developmental anomalies (malformation) are not covered.
- Surgery (6 months for surgery following illness, 120 days for orthopedic surgery in general.)
Waiting period: this is a period set by the insurance contract during which the guarantees are not yet active. For example, if your cat falls ill one week after signing the contract while the waiting period is 45 days, you will not be entitled to any support. These deadlines vary according to the contracts and the insurers.
REIMBURSEMENT CAP
Insurers set an annual reimbursement ceiling generally between approximately €1,000 and €2,500. Once this amount is exceeded, you will no longer be entitled to any support. There may also be a ceiling per procedure and per reimbursement.
FRANCHISE
As with all insurance products, the mutual animal insurance company may have deductibles, even if this is not always the case because some formulas do not have them. For others there are two possibilities:
- The annual deductible: each year, during your first health expense, whatever it may be, a deductible which can be between 10 and 75 € will be deducted. The more expensive, and therefore complete, the formula, the higher the deductible.
- Deductible per act: some insurance companies apply a deductible to each activity carried out (20% of the expense for example)
In conclusion, it is imperative to read your animal health insurance contracts carefully because this information is not always visually highlighted. You should not necessarily opt for a formula without deductible because it will necessarily be less covering, and, conversely, if you want 100% coverage then it is unlikely that you will have no deductible. . It all depends on your budget and your pet. As for the waiting periods, you must take note of them, but it is probably impossible to find a contract that does not present any.
