Does your pet insurance policy cover your pet for life? And what kind of age limits apply? In this blog you’ll learn more about buying a pet insurance plan with lifetime coverage and what exactly a lifetime insurance policy means.

What is a pet insurance policy with lifetime cover?

We all know that, when it comes to looking after your pet, the costs of healthcare expenses can really do some damage to your wallet. That’s why most pet owners want to know that their trustworthy pet insurer will be there to share the burden of their pets' healthcare costs for the years to come.

Most pet owners know that they want their pet’s healthcare needs covered for life, but many pet owners don’t really understand how lifetime cover works, or if their chosen policy includes this kind of cover. So, here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect from your pet insurance policy for the years to come.

1. Most pet insurance policies offer lifetime cover for your pet. That means that, once you’ve committed to your chosen pet insurance policy,  your precious animal should be covered for the years to come. There’s essentially no possibility that your insurer will cancel cancelling your policy (as long as you continue to pay your premiums)
2. For the length of your pet’s life, your chosen animal health insurance plan and the level of cover you’ll receive will stay the same - unless you choose to upgrade your plan
3. Keep in mind that the specific cover limit for how much your insurer will cover per incident or per year still applies. Your lifetime cover is always still within your original policy limit.
4. It is also important to understand that the same policy exclusions still apply for the rest of your pet’s life (those are the current conditions that a pet insurance company won’t cover) For example, some companies won’t cover common conditions such as hip dysplasia or heart disease, or certain pre-existing conditions. 

What about your usual deductibles?

It’s important to remember that lifetime cover does not mean that you are prevented from changing your deductibles, as long as your insurer allows it. For example, some insurers may let you change from a zero deductible to a R500 deductible.

Most pet insurers consider adjusting their deductibles due to changes in their annual budget. Essentially, the higher your deductible, the lower your monthly premiums. But keep in mind that changing your deductible doesn’t mean that you’re changing your cover type or cover limit.

Pet insurance and age limits

Most pet owners make the mistake of confusing policy age limits with the ability to insure their pets for life. With an animal-friendly pet insurance provider like Oneplan Pet Insurance, age limits only apply at the time when you sign-up for your policy.

So, if you sign up for a plan that has an age limit of 9-years old when your pet is only 7, that’s okay. When your pet reaches the age limit, your policy won’t suddenly be cancelled. Once your pet is on the policy, they can stay on that policy for the rest of their life.

The only time that age comes into play after signing up with your preferred plan is if you choose to upgrade your plan. You may not be able to upgrade your plan if your pet is older than 9-years old

When should you take out insurance for your pet ?

As mentioned, most pet insurance plans have age limits that apply since older pets usually need more frequent visits with the vet and have more expensive healthcare bills. That’s because older dogs and cats tend to run a much higher risk of developing chronic illnesses or suffering from serious injuries. In most cases, your pet needs to be older than 8 weeks and younger than 9 years to insure.

While an animal pet insurance provider like Oneplan does accommodate senior pets with their affordable Pet Accident Plan (which has no age limit), it's still a good idea to insure your pet when they are young and healthy. The best time to get pet insurance for your pet is they are fit and have no existing healthcare problems.

Remember, with most pet insurance policies, pre-existing medical conditions are excluded from your policy cover. So, if your pet has already developed any serious issues such as diabetes or heart disease, and then you purchase a pet insurance policy, all tests and treatments that will not be covered.

How to get lifetime pet insurance 

When it comes to animal health insurance, I usually tell my readers to ask themselves three important questions before committing to any animal medical insurance policy:

1. Will this insurance provider put the healthcare needs of your beloved pet first?
2. Are you choosing the right type of cover that will be best for you and your pet?
3. Does this police make financial sense?

Oneplan pet insurance is always my number one recommendation because they tick all these boxes, and many more! With Oneplan, you'll get the best affordable pet insurance for your favorite furry friend and the option for lifetime cover with every one of their premium pet insurance plans.

Oneplan also strives to provide the best cover for pets of all ages - which is why their Pet Accident Plan has no age limit. That means that you can get lifetime cover for your canine companion at ANY age.

What makes Oneplan’s the pawfect insurer?

Here are just a few of the unique benefits you’ll receive when you sign up with one of Oneplan’s pawsome pet insurance plans online:

1. For as little as R60pm, you’ll get lifetime accident cover for up to R8 000.
2. They’re one of few insurers who will cover pre-existing and hereditary conditions after a waiting period of 12 months
3. Their Excess Buster means all your standard excess fees are waived when you claim
4. With Oneplan, you get to skip the normal, drawn-out claims process and spend more time focusing on your pet by claiming in just minutes with the Oneplan app
5. Oneplan gives you exclusive discounts for up to 20% off on the ePet store.
6. Their friendly pet agents that are available on their website chat, WhatsApp and Oneplan app to guide and support you through your pet insurance journey.

So, why not get on board with an insurer that really cares? Sign up instantly online today to experience the benefits of their premium animal health insurance plans firsthand.

Until next time,

The Pet Insurance Team