Everything You Need To Know About Pet Insurance, But Were Too Afraid To Ask!
by Pet Pro Supply Co., in collaboration with Fursure
The price of veterinary care has increased continuously for several years. While you may have a healthy bank account to cover any unforeseen incidents with your pet, you can never be too sure about just how much “the unexpected” will cost you at the vet. No one likes to think about harm coming to their furry friends, be it getting sick or hurt, but a dose of reality is important. These things can, and do, happen.
Just like with health insurance for humans, a quality insurance policy can help mitigate the risk of a huge bill And, just like with health insurance for humans, picking the right policy can be really confusing.
Below we give you a complete rundown of what you need to know about pet insurance.
What is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance works the same way as human health insurance. In short, it is coverage for your pet against any medical mishaps that may occur, such as accidents or illness.
Here’s how pet insurance works:
- Purchase your plan
- Bring your pet to vet in case of a checkup up, illness or emergency
- Pay at the time of service for your pet’s care
- Submit your claim to the insurance provider
- Get reimbursed for treatments that are covered under your policy
That’s straightforward; it’s just like out-of-network coverage for people. Go to the doctor, pay it out of pocket, get reimbursed.
Another point to mention is that the insurance itself (and its costs) is customized to your specific pet based on their gender, age and breed. It will also take into account any medical conditions they may have.
Two other important facts about pet insurance:
- In most cases, chronic conditions, disease and/or allergies can be covered
- If you have more than one pet, you can get insurance for each and most providers will offer you a multi-pet discount, which varies between 5%-10%.
The Million Dollar Question: Should You Get Pet Insurance?
The answer is yes. We’re always going to recommend that you get a pet insurance plan for your pet. This is because no matter the age, gender, breed or behavioral tendencies of your pet, there’s always the chance of serious accidents and illnesses occurring. This the reason you have insurance for you and your family – why not for your pet, who you treat just like family?
A common answer is: “well, vet bills are cheaper than human medical medicals.” In general, that is true. But in the case of our pets, especially with accidents that could lead to surgery, or life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, the veterinary treatments are not cheap. Pet insurance alleviates the financial burden on pet parents because (with the right plan) these payments will be heavily subsidized and possibly even fully covered.
Here are some unfortunately common situations that are covered by pet insurance:
In the case of accidents like…
- Your pet gets hit by a car
- Your pet swallows a foreign object
- Your pet breaks a bone
- Your pet swallows something poisonous
- Your pet gets attacked by another animal
Or illnesses like…
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Allergies
- Skin Conditions
- Kidney Disease
Insurance typically covers:
- Full congenital and hereditary coverage
- Exams
- X-rays
- MRI
- Ultrasounds
- Blood work
- Surgery
Additionally, some pet insurance providers will cover wellness visits such as annual exams, flea and tick, shots, teeth cleaning and spaying/neutering.
As you can see, there is a huge range of possible harms that can come to your pet, and pet insurance can help you cover the vast majority of these incidents.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?
