What Does My Pet Insurance Policy Cover?

Along with pet insurance; vaccinations, microchipping and neutering are all important parts of responsible pet ownership.Many pet owners still have questions around the benefits of vaccination, microchipping and neutering, and whether or not their policy covers these procedures.Petplan takes a look at these measures in more detail.

Vaccination

Having your pup or kitten vaccinated soon after it leaves it’s mother is vitally important.

Vaccinating your pet will provide invaluable protection against several diseases they may be exposed to.

Pups are usually vaccinated at 8 to 10 weeks, with a first course of two injections. A year after your dog’s first vaccination they will be given a booster, which will be repeated every year.

Likewise, kittens usually start with a course of two injections, given at 9 and 12 weeks. A booster follows this first vaccination 12 months later, and then again once a year throughout the cat’s adult life.

Remember, as part of your Petplan insurance, you must keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date.

Microchipping

A microchip is a small electronic chip, roughly the size of a grain of rice, which is implanted under your pet’s skin and contains a unique number that can be read by a scanner.

Your contact details are logged on a central database, so should your pet ever go missing, it can be scanned and returned home quickly and safely.

Microchipping your dog became a legal requirement across England, Wales and Scotland as of 6th April 2016.

The policy objective is to improve animal welfare by increasing traceability of dogs through microchipping and to encourage responsible dog ownership.

It’s important for dog owners to take responsibility for updating their details with the database should their circumstances change.

Whilst it isn't currently compulsory to microchip your pet cat, the Government announced on 13th March 2023 that they will be making it compulsory and owners will have until 10 June 2024 to microchip their pet cat. Microchipping your pet cat gives them the best chance of being identified and returned to you should they get lost or stray.

Find out more about the importance of microchipping from a vets perspective.

Neutering

Neutering (known as spaying in females and castrating in males) is an important part of responsible pet ownership. Spaying not only stops your pet having unwanted litters, but also prevents behavioural and medical issues such as womb infections and the equivalent of breast cancer.

Cats

Male cats are often castrated via a simple operation that rarely require stitches.

Female cats are spayed either via a keyhole incision on the left flank or a small incision on the tummy.

Rabbits

Rabbits can also be neutered, allowing them to live happily together without fighting or breeding.

Dogs

As dogs are bigger, neutering usually requires more involved stitching beneath the skin.

Bitch spays are recommended three months after last season or at six months of age, depending on your individual vet’s recommendation.

Why Petplan does not cover vaccination, microchipping & neutering

Petplan provides peace of mind that your pet will have access to the very best veterinary attention should an unexpected injury or illness occur, that otherwise would not be feasible.

Routine, preventative or elective care of your pet, such as vaccination and neutering can be budgeted for.

This is similar to how your car insurance generally does not cover routine services, tyre care or registration fees.

Petplan has a range of pet insurance policies that cover a range of different needs.

What are your experiences with vaccinations, microchipping and neutering? Let us know in a comment below…