Parrot insurance: how do I choose? How much will it cost?

You've adopted a parrot and want to protect it with dedicated health insurance. This is the solution if you want all or part of the vete...

You've adopted a parrot and want to protect it with dedicated health insurance.

This is the solution if you want all or part of the veterinary care your little companion may need to be covered.

While there are more limited options for protecting NACs, there are some interesting offers for taking care of your parrot at a lower cost.

1. What are the characteristics of these formulas? 
2. How do you choose them?
3. Where and how can I find them? 
4. What price can you expect? 
5. We take a closer look in this dossier.
6. Why take out parrot insurance?

Parrot

The parrot is an exotic bird belonging to the Psittacidae family. Although they are classed as new pet animals (NACs), there are in fact many different species, with life expectancies ranging from 20 to 50 years or more. Whatever the case, these animals are fragile and susceptible to disease, which is why they need care throughout their lives.

Taking out parrot insurance reduces the veterinary costs that the pet owner has to pay. This type of pet health insurance covers a whole range of care in return for a contribution. By opting for a care package, the parrot's owner can obtain full or partial reimbursement for the care covered by his contract.

It should be noted that veterinary consultations and care for parrots - as for all NACs - are generally more expensive than for dogs and cats. In fact, these procedures are billed at a higher rate because of the specific training that vets have to undergo in order to carry them out.

To reduce your expenses, you can therefore choose to take out an insurance policy with more or less coverage, which will enable you to benefit from a higher or lower level of cover.
Taking out parrot insurance: a good way to look after your little companion

As parrot owners well know, these exotic animals require specific care that can quickly become costly. They are fragile, sensitive animals that can fall ill very quickly, from a simple draught, or fall into deep depression.

Here are the main ailments to which parrots are exposed.

• Depression: hypersensitive and highly intelligent, parrots have a hard time coping with change and unhappy situations in general, to the point of suffering very quickly from stress, anxiety and depression. The animal then starts plucking its feathers, remains motionless, stops expressing itself, refuses to eat and eventually dies after a few days to a few months.
• Pacheco virus: sometimes invisible, this herpes-like virus causes loss of balance, anorexia and depression in the animal, as it attacks the liver, kidneys, spleen and intestines. There is, however, a vaccine to protect against the disease.
• Beak and feather virus: very common in young birds, it causes septicaemia and severe fatigue. The animal may have an abnormal beak and feathers. Unfortunately, the disease cannot be cured, but its effects can be alleviated by antibiotic and antifungal treatments. The animal may die after several years.
• Polyomavirus: this virus can cause diarrhoea, neurological disorders and haemorrhaging, generally leading to the rapid death of the animal. However, it can be prevented by vaccination.

To prevent these risks and take better care of a sick, injured or suffering parrot, taking out dedicated insurance is the best solution for the owner.

Parrot insurance: what price should you expect?

Although there are still limited offers for parrots, they are developing more and more, with insurers increasingly keen to stand out from the competition with packages that are ever closer to the specific needs of pet owners.

There are three categories of parrot insurance:

• low-cost plans, which cover up to 50% of the cost of the main veterinary treatments for a maximum premium of €15 per month;
• intermediate plans, which cover a wider range of veterinary treatments and provide reimbursement of up to 70%, for a contribution of around €15 to €20 a month;
• top-of-the-range plans, the most comprehensive and advantageous, providing full or near-full reimbursement for most veterinary treatments, for an average monthly contribution of 25 to 30 euros.

To protect your little companion's health, you need to budget between €15 and €30 on average each month. The more comprehensive the plan, the more expensive it will be, but the more treatments covered, the higher the reimbursement rate, the higher the annual reimbursement ceiling and the lower the excess. You can also benefit from other advantages, such as cover in the event of theft or death.

How do I choose parrot insurance?

To find the parrot insurance package that suits your budget and your pet's needs, we recommend using an online comparator. Of course, you can approach companies one by one, but this free, no-obligation tool will help you save precious time and money!

All you need to do is fill in a short questionnaire and the online comparator will give you several offers that match your needs in just a few seconds. It's then up to you to request detailed quotes for those that are likely to interest you. Make sure you compare them on the basis of equal cover, so you can choose the plan that offers you the best value for money!

Conclusion

The benefits of this practical tool don't stop there. Because it allows you to receive several offers at the same time, you have a powerful negotiating tool at your disposal to get extra benefits from the insurer that convinces you the most. Savings, additional cover or relaxed terms and conditions... don't wait to take advantage!