GUIDE: Pet Insurance Plans in the Philippines

(SPOT.ph) Pets are an irreplaceable part of our family and while we wish they could live forever with zero pain and problems, there's just no guaranteeing it. Humans have insurance and healthcare plans for emergencies, so what's stopping us from providing our furry friends with the same insurance? While we never wish ill upon your pets, it's always nice to have a fallback for such situations. Here, we round up some of the insurance plans available to pets and pet parents in the Philippines.

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What is pet insurance?

Like insurance plans for humans, pet insurance covers unexpected expenses related to illnesses and accidents your furbaby might encounter. Most plans cover accidents and medical bills incurred from emergencies, but some plans may also cover vaccinations.

Insurance covers the following, but are not limited to:

• Injuries and emergencies due to accidents
• Minor and major illnesses
• Congenital and hereditary conditions
• Behavioral issues
• Chronic conditions
• Prescription medication
• Prescription supplements and food
• Microchip implementation
• Alternative therapies

Do take note that your pet has to be within the age window of the company's coverage. For example, puppies at two months old are usually not covered, and senior dogs and cats aged 10 and above are often too old for insurance plans.

On top of age requirement, some plans only accept dogs, while some accept both cats and dogs, but only pedigreed pets.

Most of these insurance plans will require to submit an updated record that lists down vaccinations, deworming, and other medical updates pertinent to your pet, along with photographs.

Here are the pet insurance options for your furry friends in the Philippines

BDO Pet Dog & Cat Insurance

BDO offers insurance for both dogs and cats regardless of breed starting at P560. The most affordable—Plan A—covers a range of medical expenses for accidents and provides up to P15,000 per accident. Pet insurance plans at BDO range from P560 to P920, with increasing coverage limits.
Do take note that you must present an updated vaccination record and photos of your pet, and pets used for commercial and security purposes are not covered by BDO’s insurance plans.

For more information, visit BDO's website.

Cocogen Pet Furtect Pet Insurance

Cocogen Pet Furtect Pet Insurance covers both pet and pet owners. Pets must be five months to seven years old, pure to mixed breed but up to three mixes only, and pets with microchip are preferred but not required. Pet owners must be 18 to 75 years old. Medical reimbursements, death coverage, burial expenses, hospitalizations, and lost pet advertising are included in the plan.

Plans are highly specific and curated, so you’ll have to send in an inquiry to get a quote. There are three pricing tiers with varying benefits, with add-ons available depending on your pet’s needs.

For more information, visit Cocogen's website.

Liberty MePets

Both dogs and cats can be covered under Liberty MePets’ pet insurance plans. Coverage for pets include accident death and disablement, medical reimbursements for accidents and common diseases, financial assistance for burial expenses, and lost pets. There are also benefits in case pet owners encounter an accident, disablement, or death. Liberty MePets offers five pricing tiers for different coverage needs starting at P2,064 for both dogs and cats.

For more information, visit Liberty Insurance' website.

Metropolitan Pet Insurance

Unlike some insurance plans that cover only dogs, or pedigreed dogs, Metropolitan Pet Insurance covers both dogs and cats and starts at P1,125. Benefits include up to P50,000 for accidental death and permanent disability, P10,000 for pet medical cash assistance, P5,000 for pet burial assistance, and up to P10,000 for lost pets.

For more information, visit Metropolitan Insurance's website.

Malayan Pet Care Lifestyle Insurance

Malayan’s Pet Care Insurance plan covers dogs between six months to eight years old, provided that they have been vaccinated as prescribed by the Philippine Animal Hospital Association or PAHA. The annual premium for the classic plan is P2,995 and covers medical reimbursements up to P100,000 and owner’s personal accidents up to P50,000.

For more information, visit Malayan Insurance's website.

Standard Insurance Pet Health

Standard insurance Pet Health also offers insurance for both dogs and cats regardless of breed. However, their plans only cover fur babies aged eight weeks old up to nine years old. Puppies, kittens, and adult insurance plans start at P3,960, while senior plans start at P5,860. Coverage includes consultation fees, surgery, hospitalization, diagnostic tests, and other medical reimbursements.

For more information, visit Standard Insurance's website.

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