Today is Easter day – and so, of course, we turn to thoughts of the Easter bunny… But while an injured Easter bunny is probably destined to end up as a chocolatey snack, what about REAL rabbits? How easy is it to find insurance to pay their very real (and often very expensive) veterinary bills? Is rabbit insurance even a thing?
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What is different about rabbits?
Rabbits make brilliant pets and can be great companions for us. Rabbits, like every other living animal, can get ill. Unfortunately, when rabbits get ill, they often do so very quickly. They often show no clinical signs of illness until they are drastically ill and need intense veterinary treatment in order to recover. This is because they are prey animals. They do not want to appear as the weakest amongst the rabbits, otherwise they will become the target for the predator.
Does pet insurance even exist for rabbits?
Fortunately, yes it does. And pet insurance for rabbits works in a very similar way to that of dogs and cats. You will need to pay a monthly fee for your rabbit’s pet insurance. But always remember the same caveats apply:
- Your rabbits’ pet insurance will have a ‘warm up’ period in which you will be paying for your rabbit’s insurance but not able to make a claim on it.
- Your rabbit’s pet insurance will have an excess fee. This is an agreed sum of money that you must pay before they will pay towards a claim. For example, if the entire bill to treat one condition in your pet is £500 and your excess is £200, then you would pay £200, and your insurance company would pay the £300 extra.
- For most insurance policies, you are not able to cover any pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition is any condition that your vet has noted on your pet’s history before you take out pet insurance.
Although fewer companies may offer insurance for your rabbit, many large, corporate businesses will offer pet insurance
You can sometimes pair up your other insurance policies for better deals within the company. Comparison sites often have deals allowing you to suss out which is the best option for you.
You can input the monthly fee you want to pay and your preferred excess value to see which products meet your needs. In addition, you should input all of your pet’s previous medical history. Failing to tell your insurance company important details regarding your rabbit’s health may result in the insurance policy becoming void. Make sure you contact your pet insurance company before committing to the policy. This allows you to see what their response time is like and gives you the opportunity to ask any questions. When your pet is ill, you will want a company who responds and acts quickly and professionally. This is so, when the time comes to make a claim, the process will cause as little stress as possible during this very emotional time.
We always recommend starting the insurance policy when your rabbit is young
This is because young animals generally have fewer or no health conditions, so any new condition will be covered. Starting your pet insurance whilst your pet is young means your monthly fees will be lower. And some insurance policies will offer you a fixed fee for life. Unfortunately, some pet insurance policies will not offer insurance to pets over a specific age. This is due to the increased likelihood of them falling ill and you needing to claim large sums for vet bills.
Rabbits live for 8-12 years on average, so committing to a pet bunny does mean committing to caring for a bunny until the end of their lives; which could even be up to 16 years! If your bunny does become ill, it is often sudden and intense. Veterinary care can be very expensive. If you feel a smaller monthly sum of money being paid is more suitable to your lifestyle and budget compared to saving up and paying a large one-off sum, should you need to, taking out pet insurance is worthwhile.
As with most other pet insurance policies, some things will not be covered by your insurance including preventative health care (vaccinations, grooming, flea and worming products), regular health check-ups and routine dental appointments. These treatments will need to be paid for in addition to your monthly insurance fee. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of your pet insurance thoroughly. This is because some insurance policies may have specific terms and agreements which you must follow.
Get a quick quote from one of the UK’s leading pet insurers…
Learn more about them on our Pet Insurance page
To summarise…
To conclude, if you are searching for insurance for your rabbit, you should be able to find multiple companies that offer it. Be sure to find a policy that works for you and ensure you know exactly what you must do in order to meet the requirements of the deal.
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