Our pets are considered to be a member of the family, and when they’re injured or get sick, we want to take care of them. So it’s up to us to make sure they have access to top-notch healthcare when they need It the most. Sadly, vet bills and additional medical treatment costs for your pet can add up, especially if surgical or hospital care is required.

For many of us, the only way to do cover all of these unexpected costs is by getting pet insurance. Pet insurance can give you peace of mind and reduce some of the financial burdens when your pet needs medical care. Being prepared and having the correct insurance policy can help you to cover some of the costs of having a pet. One of the most apparent reasons to have insurance on your cat or dog is to cover veterinary bills.

 Otherwise, if you’re financially stable enough to pay a large sum out of pocket for emergency pet care, you can probably do fine without pet insurance as well. But if you wouldn’t be able to pay thousands for unexpected treatments, then we strongly suggest that you stick with an insurance policy.

In this article, we will be looking at the top reasons why you need pet insurance while also doing an in-depth review of ASDA Pet Insurance and comparing it with the most affordable UK Pet Insurance – Emerald Life Pet Insurance, be sure to stick until the end.

Why Do You Need Pet Insurance?

#1 Saves you money

When your furry friend is sick, you can use their health insurance policy to save money. Depending on the policy plan, they will be able to cover vet and treatment fees from as low as £1.000 and to £10.000.

#2 Allows you to pick your veterinarian

 Unlike most human health insurance policies that may require you to use a particular health care provider, pet insurance providers give you the option of picking a veterinary doctor by your choice. You just need to provide the veterinary bill to the insurance company for compensation or send it to their e-mail.

#3 Allows you to focus on your pet’s health

By having pet insurance, you will be able to focus more on the health of your pet rather than the cost of veterinary care. Most of the pet insurance policies compensate up to 80% of costs after deductibles. You really don’t know when the pet insurance will come in handy. If you have a pet insurance policy, then you will be able to afford your pet to have that costly surgery they need instead of worrying about money problems. Without insurance, some of the injuries might cost you thousands of dollars or may not even be affordable.   

#4 It is obtainable for all pets

While it is advisable to obtain pet insurance as soon as you adopt your lovely pet to obtain lower premiums, you can also insure your pet a couple of years later. Pet insurance firms do not discriminate against various breeds or the age of your pet. Even if your pet is older, you will still get coverage for them at pretty affordable rates. 

#5 Easy way to budget pet care costs

You will be able to pay pet insurance policies in various ways, including monthly, semi-annually, quarterly, or annually. You have the option to select which payment plan is the most suitable. Some of the plans will also offer discounts for additional pets in the house, so if you have two or more pets you want to insure, be sure to get that discount.

#6 Freedom to pick your plan

Most of the pet insurance companies will offer various types of policies. Some of them will just cover major medical expenses, while others will cover all types of vet visits.   

#7 Prevents dipping into the family’s emergency fund

True, you can set up a savings account and keep that amount for your pet’s health. But sometimes, other major unexpected expenses can get in the way, like pricey car repairs, house renovations, etc.

ASDA Pet Insurance

Asda is currently one of the most popular supermarkets, but its Asda Money arm also offers a range of financial services such as breakdown cover, home insurance, and pet insurance for dogs and cats. Its pet insurance is supported by Zenith Insurance Plc.

Asda’s pet insurance policy will only cover your dogs and cats, but it doesn’t have an upper age limit for pets, which is a useful feature for owners because it can be quite challenging to get insurance for pets over a specific age.

The only exclusion based on the age that we could see in Asda’s policy papers is for claims for death from illness or accident for dogs over 9 and cats over 11.

The owners of the older pets will have to pay a higher excess, so make sure you review the excess levels you are quoted before you sign the contract.

ASDA Pet Insurance Levels of Coverage

Another crucial thing to consider is the different types of coverage available for your pet. Asda Pet Insurance has three different levels of coverage that you can choose from for your furry friend:

Lifetime Pet Insurance

This is the most comprehensive insurance type, and it covers vet’s fees up to £10,000. This amount is renewed annually.

  • Cover for continuous conditions, not just new ones.
  • £1,500 in complementary medicine cover
  • Claims up to £1,500 in CT and MRI scans and their associated medications (with some limitations)
  • Prescription Food cover up to £250
  • Death from accident or illness up to £2.000
  • Up to £2.000 cover for straying or theft
  • Holiday cancellation 
  • £1.000.000 in third party liability

Besides the £10,000 cap, there also are the £4,000 and the £2,000 vet fees cover. So depending on the option, you go from, the covers will vary. And with all of the options, there’s no limit to the number of separate conditions you can use this cover for.

12-months Cover

The 12 Month pet insurance policy doesn’t have a limit on the number of diseases and will support you in paying the vet bills from the date they’re diagnosed for up to 12 months of treatment. There are two different options that you can choose from:

Value – Up to £2,000 for vet fees, 12-month treatment period, £450 for death, £450 for straying or theft, 1 month of overseas travel.

Standard – Up to £5,000 for vet fees, 12-month treatment period, £750 for death, £650 for straying or theft, 1 month of overseas travel.

Accidents Only

This package deals with those unfortunate and unexpected incidents. It will cover up to £2,500 of the treatment, and as the name implies, cases of illness are not included in this particular cover. What makes this plan even more special is that there’s no time limit on it.

How Much Does ASDA Pet Insurance Cost?

The amount you’ll be charged for their services will vary on various factors such as the pet’s age and the breed. In order to know the correct price, you will need to go to their website, fill out the form, and receive a quote. After researching, we discovered that their rates are pretty much in line with the other companies.

We have also reached out to ASDA Pet insurance and asked for quotes for a couple of pets; on average, their lifetime pet insurance premium for a younger dog will cost you around £160, which is not that expensive.

What Do Customers Say About ASDA Pet Insurance?

ASDA Pet Insurance has received over 200 customer reviews and a rating of 3.5 out of 5. This suggests that there are some customers who aren’t quite satisfied with this particular pet insurance company. After further investigation, we found that most of the lower or negative reviews were about the difficult procedure of making a claim, the higher renewal prices, and the customer support being extremely slow.

The ASDA’s Accident only policy has been given 2 out of 5 Stars by an independent financial reviewer.

Their 12-month policy has received 3 stars out of 5, and the lifetime policy is rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Let’s see some of the positive reviews that the customers provided:

“There is a really annoying telephone wait/queue. But once through there is a good service and I will renew for 2nd time this year. Just improve the waiting queues, please!” – Jimmy

I have an exotic pet which is really hard to find pet insurance for, but they made it easy and hassle-free, shall use it again! – Harry

Now let’s have a look at what specifically customers are angry about:

“I took out ASDA’s lifetime pet policy for my 2-year-old dog with no pre-existing conditions. She became very ill and required extensive vet treatment. The process of making a claim is quite difficult and stressful. If you are searching for a quick and clear process I do not recommend you to go with Asda pet insurance, I have yet to even reach the claims processing bit and it’s already unnecessarily complicated and frustrating. ” – Daisy

“At the start everything was great and the policy was really affordable, but after a year (I didn’t even have the chance to make a claim with the pet insurance) the price doubled! I’m really not satisfied with this and I will go with a pet insurance company that offers better renewal prices.” – Mike

Alternative To ASDA Pet Insurance

ASDA Pet insurance can be a solid option, but we think that Emerald Life Pet insurance offers a more comprehensive cover for your pet at even more affordable rates.

  • Four levels cover up to £7,500
  • Monthly instalments at no extra charge
  • 10% multi-pet discount

Emerald Life Pet insurance is also very clear when it comes to renewal prices and has pretty fast and polite customer support that will get back to you as soon as possible.

Emerald Life and ASDA pet insurance are close when it comes to pricing. Starting at only £2.59 per week or only £10.36 a month, Emerald Life is a lot more affordable than most pet insurance companies in the UK.

Interested in learning more about Emerald Life, then be sure to check out this blog, where we briefly explain everything about our pet insurance policies. And if you want to get a quote right now, then just click here.

Conclusion

With the range of pet insurers on the market, it gets harder to find an insurance provider that suits your pet’s condition and your finances.

The variety of cover levels available, the 24/7 online services, and the discounts offered make Asda Pet a somewhat good choice for your lovely pet.

FAQ

Does ASDA Pet Insurance Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

No, ASDA Pet insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. Like most pet insurance policies, they won’t cover any medical condition that your pet had before the start of your policy or any type of symptoms that might occur during the first 14 days.

How Do I cancel ASDA Pet Insurance Policy?

You will be able to cancel the policy within the first 14 days. If you haven’t made a single claim, then Asda will refund the period of unused cover.

If you want to cancel outside the 14 days period and haven’t made any claims, Asda will only charge you for the period that you have been on cover.

How To Make a Claim?

You must notify Asda of any claim within the first 90 days of the vet bill. You will be able to e-mail them a claim through their website by filling out a form or call them directly at 0370 405 0007. Every claim made will be strongly reviewed and compared to other claims with similar treatment.

Is there a waiting period?

Yes! The cover is excluded in respect of costs relating to illness (including claims for death) within the first 14 days of the policy. So be sure to know where your waiting period starts!