Regardless if you’re a new pet owner or have had a pet for a while and no matter the age of your pet, we all wonder if pet insurance is right for us. Being an owner of a dog, cat or both, there is a good chance that at some point in your pet’s life (more often than not for some), your pet will become ill or suffer some type of emergency. At that time, will you be able to afford to help your pet? It’s something many of us don’t really think about, until it’s too late.
Where to start
The first question you may ask yourself is, “do I really need pet insurance?”. For many owners the answer to this is simple: Yes! If you have a young pet now is the time to act, if you have an older pet we still strongly recommend starting insurance, sooner rather than later. We never know what the future holds, so being prepared is the best way to help ourselves out. Pets do silly things like eat stuff they shouldn’t. They can develop a disease that requires lifelong medications or, they can become sick, quickly and need to stay in the hospital to receive medical care. None of these things come with a small price tag. Choosing a pet insurance program that works with your budget can help alleviate the financial burden of an unforeseen medical issue.
Which company should I use and how much will it cost?
There is such a variety of options that we really can’t give you a specific company to choose, you must do your own research. We suggest researching a few different companies to compare, look at costs and coverage. Policies can vary in monthly fees, coverage type, deductibles, and pre-existing conditions all play a role in the final cost. On average you should be expecting to pay anywhere from $50 and up per month depending on the type of pet you have and the type of coverage you choose. Our website offers a few different options of where to start your search
How does pet insurance work?
You’ve decided which company to use and you’ve started a plan. Now what? Insurance companies will want to review your pet’s medical history, so you’ll need to be sure to, let your veterinarian know that it is okay to release your pet’s records to the insurance company. In most cases, when you have a claim to submit, your veterinarian will need to complete a claim form that includes the nature of the claim and the vet’s signature. With most companies, you will be required to pay your vet in full and then the insurance company will reimburse you for the amount that they are covering.
We are sure you have more questions, but we hope this is a good start. Our recommendation is, ask around. Find out which companies people like and don’t like, ask what type of policy people have and ask them if they are happy with their plan.
If you are bringing your pet in for an exam and he or she is between 7 weeks and 8 years of age, ask us how you can apply for a 4 week insurance trial.
