Veterinarians to educate Kiwis on pet health insurance

It's heart-breaking when a well-loved pet is sick or injured and can’t get the treatment it needs because their family can't afford it.

"Kiwis love their pets and want them to have a good quality of life. There’s nothing worse for an owner and their veterinarian than having to choose treatment options based on finances rather than having access to the preferred treatment,” says New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) Chief Veterinary Officer Helen Beattie.

In some instances, that may mean having to choose euthanasia for a loved family pet when treatment was an option if the cost could be covered. “That’s a terrible decision to have to make for the pet, the owner, and the veterinarian and their support staff," she says.

"We want pet owners to have the choice of getting the right treatment, should something go wrong for their animal."

That's why the NZVA is teaming up with Southern Cross Pet Insurance to help increase awareness of the benefits of pet health insurance.

Veterinarians to talk about the benefits of insurance

Southern Cross Pet Insurance and the NZVA will work together to help veterinarians have informed conversations with clients about pet health insurance. There is no focus on 'selling' a particular policy, but on having honest chats about the benefits of insurance over a pet's lifetime.

With no public health system or ACC for pets, medical costs can add up quickly. Having pet health insurance can provide more treatment options and help avoid heart-breaking decisions.

In just one case last year, a 10 month-old Labrador puppy received more than $4,000 worth of treatment for elbow dysplasia, which causes severe limping. But because the family had Southern Cross Pet Insurance, they were able to claim back $3,227*.

NZ pet health insurance rates are on the up

Kiwis have the second highest rate of pet ownership in the world, but we have low pet health insurance rates compared to other developed nations.

“The good news is that this is starting to change”, says Southern Cross Pet Insurance General Manager Anthony McPhail.

“In the past year, the number of pet lives we insured grew by 28% to more than 27,000, so it’s clear that Kiwis are beginning to see how pet health insurance can improve their animals’ lives.”

Interested in protecting your pet with Southern Cross Pet Insurance? Get a quick and easy online quote now.

*This customer had a 20% co-payment plan, which means they contributed 20% towards the claim costs. This allowed them to have a lower premium. See what our different policies cover here.