Shopping for insurance can be overwhelming. Is it worth it? Will your pet’s past illness be covered if it reoccurs? We did a quick rundown recently of Pawfect Care and other pet insurance options in Hong Kong, but you may have more questions on your mind. For pet parents looking to buy a policy, we thought we’d try to provide more answers to help you understand and decide on a plan for your furry one!
The greater the annual coverage the better?
Not necessarily. Aside from annual coverage, a plan’s reimbursement rate, claim limits for individual benefits, and deductible also determine how much a pet parent can actually claim back. We illustrated this with an example in Part 1 of our pet insurance comparison.
Are chronic illnesses covered?
Chronic illnesses are conditions that last 3 months or more and range from simple allergies to cancer. Because they’re not easily cured, ongoing treatments can be very expensive. Some pet insurance providers may hike up premiums or choose not to renew policies for pets that develop chronic illnesses.
For pets that enroll before they turn 5, Pawfect Care guarantees continued coverage of chronic conditions without big increases in policy premiums. If you’re worried about your pets developing chronic illnesses as they get older, it’s a good idea to enroll early!
Which breeds are covered? Is there a renewal age limit?
Some breeds that are considered dangerous or high-risk may have to pay more to get insured, or they may not be eligible at all for pet insurance. Some insurance plans only cover 16 dog breeds (and mixed breeds), but Pawfect Care accepts all breeds of cats and dogs indiscriminately, provided they meet our enrollment criteria.
Pawfect Care also doesn’t have a renewal age limit, while most other insurers may only cover pets up to a certain age. It’s even more critical for older pets to have coverage as many health problems don’t surface until later in a pet’s life.
Is cancer covered?
Sadly, cancer in pets is not as uncommon as many people think. But as pet parents, you can be prepared to help your pet get through it. Pawfect Care is the only pet insurance in town that offers a cancer cash benefit. If your furry one is unfortunately diagnosed with cancer for the first time, we will give you a HKD 10,000 cash lump sum, in addition to medical expenses that can be claimed under your plan. You’re free to spend this amount on whatever is best for your pet, including chemo, herbal medicine, rehabilitation, or special diets.
How long is the waiting period?
We are asked this question a lot – can you make a claim right after purchasing a policy? Just like human medical insurance, there are waiting periods for pet insurance policies before coverage actually starts. The waiting period for illnesses is 28 days for Pawfect Care (compared with up to 90 days for other pet insurances.)
Pawfect Care also covers cancer, coverage starts after 180 days of policy purchase, compared with up to a 12-month wait under other insurance plans. If you’re anxious to have coverage for your furry one as soon as possible, you may want to prioritize a plan with shorter waiting periods.
How do I file claims?
We focus on what’s covered and what’s not covered when shopping for insurance, but we often forget about the claim experience. It can be frustrating to deal with paperwork and to wait weeks for claims to be paid. As a virtual insurer, OneDegree makes it easy and convenient for pet parents. Filing claims can be done completely digitally from mobile devices. All you have to do is fill out some basic info of the vet visit, snap and upload a photo of the receipt, and we’ll handle the rest.
Does Pawfect Care sound like the right plan for your pet? Get insured in as little as 3 minutes, no physical exam required! Get a free quote today!