Mama first heard about the launch of Happy Tails, the second pet insurance in Singapore, back in October 2014. Its coverage sounds more promising, but it also has stricter terms compared to Singapore’s very first pet insurance – PetCare by Liberty Insurance.
I guess I took so long to write about it because mama is not keen on purchasing it yet. That is due to my young age and also the fact that my luxating patella is already considered a pre-existing condition. Nonetheless, mama still thinks it is a policy worth considering. [Update: I am now insured by Happy Tails.]
Happy Tails Pet Insurance plans and coverage
Happy Tails is underwritten by NTUC Income and arranged by Aon Singapore Pte. Ltd. There are three plans to choose from. Based on my particulars (female, Westie, two years old, spayed, no surgical history), these are the policies and premiums:
Just by comparing the FUR plan with Liberty Insurance PetCare’s cheapest plan (both have similar premiums based on the above-mentioned particulars), the FUR plan has better benefits in terms of surgical treatment and follow-up.
Unlike its competitor, Happy Tails doesn’t cover non-surgical treatment, choosing to focus on a pet’s surgical needs. It also covers the following specified hereditary and congenital conditions for pets enrolled before the age of six, subject to a 12-month waiting period from the policy’s first commencement date for these conditions:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
- Luxating Patella
- Glaucoma
- Cherry eye
- Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD)
- Femoral Head and Neck Excision
Happy Tails vs. PetCare coverage
Click to enlarge the image.
Co-insurance & deductible
For co-insurance, Happy Tails has different percentages for different age groups:
- 20% for dogs enrolled before age 4
- 30% for dogs enrolled before age 7
- 40% for dogs enrolled before age 9
PetCare has the same percentages for all ages:
- 50% for non-surgical
- 30% for surgical treatment
You will also have to bear a fixed amount of $250 in any claim for Happy Tails. PetCare only requires you to pay the deductible for accidental injury ($50) and third-party liability ($500).
No claim discount
Double good news for those who do not need to claim insurance! You will get to enjoy significant discounts regardless of your choice between Happy Tails or PetCare.
| Period of Insurance | Discount |
| Preceding year | 5% |
| Preceding 2 consecutive years | 10% |
| Preceding 3 consecutive years or more | 15% |
What we prefer
Mama prefers Happy Tails Pet Insurance because it has:
- better overall coverage for surgical and chemotherapy treatments, which is what she feels we would need pet insurance for – the big unexpected expenses
- lifetime coverage, as long as your pet is insured before turning nine years old
- lower co-insurance for younger pups (below four years old)
- coverage of certain specified hereditary and congenital conditions (excluding pre-existing conditions)
- a dedicated website with good information and online generated quotes
What’s the catch?
- The premium may increase
In instances of certain conditions or adverse claims, the premium may be increased to reflect the risk incidence to the overall premium pool.
- Mandatory clinical exam
It is mandatory that the pet undergoes a clinical examination for enrollment within 30 days of the commencement date of the insurance. You must produce the report when making a claim for the first time. You can download the clinical examination form here.
PetCare by Liberty Insurance does not require a medical examination.
- Exclusions
For pets that are not spayed or neutered, there is no coverage for illness related to prostate problems, hormonal skin conditions, perianal hernias, testicular tumours, perianal tumours, mammary tumours, uterine and ovarian conditions.
- Age limit
Your pet has to be above 16 weeks and below nine years old at the commencement of this insurance.
- Vaccinations and microchipping required
You must microchip your pet and license her with Agri-food and Veterinary Authority in Singapore. She only needs to receive all required puppy vaccinations.
- Working pet ineligible
Your pet cannot be a working pet. E.g. not for the purpose of racing, breeding, law enforcement, guarding, or for other commercial use.
Conclusion
Happy Tails pet insurance is a good choice if you’re most concerned about the hefty vet surgical bills. The fact that the policy can cover your pet for its lifetime is also a huge plus for us.
What do you think of Happy Tails Pet Insurance? Would you get it?
Happy Tails insurance | Website | FAQ | Get an online quote
12 comments
Hi~ Since you are insured by Happy Tails, can I check if the process of application is easy or smooth? I’ve seen reviews that many customers have difficulty reaching the team & filing for claims.
We have not tried filing a claim yet but will surely write a review when we do. It’s now underwritten by NTUC and claim forms can be downloaded online.
Hi, thank you for this. The Liberty insurance website, under Medical illness, is covers surgical benefit of up to 10K. A little confused with the chart, is there a reason its been shown differentely here?
Hi Rushit, thanks for highlighting this. I’ve checked and there’s indeed a mistake. I’ve updated the chart correctly 🙂
Yes, I’m also looking at happy tails cause of the coverage for the surgical bills for my kitten. Just waiting for him to complete his course of vaccinations and get microchip
Hi, can you advise if the insurance covers sterilisation for dogs? Can I make claim for such matters?
Hi Annie, sterilisation is not covered by any pet insurance policy in Singapore. It’s categorised as preventative care, not treatment. Hope this helps!
Oh. I guess that means mine will never be insured then since he’s not having his annual vaccination which caused chronic skin problem.
Me too! You can learn more about the other insurance, Liberty PetCare. Don’t think they mentioned the need for vaccination. But we think the coverage isn’t as good.
Thanks for the comparison! Especially as I didn’t get any response from the Liberty lady heh..
I suspect the premiums are affected quite heavily by breed, and possibly gender. Because the quoted premiums I got are very much higher than yours! ><"" For a spayed/neutered young dog in the pink of health, it's almost 50% more… just updating on this in case your other readers are interested.
Oh gosh! Ok thanks for letting me know. I will update the post to mention that).