Pet Insurance: Why It Is Important For Pet Owners

Deep down, you know it is true that most people, if not everyone loves their pet as much as they love a member of their family. Yet, according to the latest American Pet Products Association’s Pet Owners Survey, only 4% of dog owners and 1% of cat owners carry pet insurance policies.

Parents know that the benefits of health insurance surpass the cost of health care for their kids. They can’t imagine their kids going out without insurance for 24 hours. Now consider this: as much as they love their pets, 99% of pet owners wait for that painful moment when they have either two options. I understand that feeling, the moment you have to give up your beloved pet for good or pay really expensive medical bills you weren’t expecting. “It’s puzzling why we are a nation so in love with our pets, yet so slow to embrace the concept of pet insurance,” says Kristen, director of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association.  When a pet medical emergency strikes, just how financially prepared are you? There are very easy steps you can take to avoid worse case scenarios, such as losing the life of your furry family member.

Your pet deserves to be protected at all time. Unlike human health insurance policies that may require you to use a specific health care provider, pet insurance policies allow you to obtain care from the veterinarian of your choosing.  Here is the most crucial part of the story for you. Pet owners like yourself can now to protect their pets from all those uncertainties for just $9 per month. You can rest assured that your adorable furry family member is covered against any unexpected accident.

The problem is that most pet owners do not know that they can ensure their pet animals for so little. This works much like your own health insurance. You can get your pet covered for specific procedures and preventive care. Why is this important? Imagine this; your pet goes outside starts smelling around, eats random stuff off the floor and before you know it he has a virus or gets hit by a car. This is something no one wants to happen but it was an accident something you couldn’t prevent. Now all of a sudden you are faced with a huge medical bill or the dreaded option of putting them to rest.  Pet insurance is worth every penny.

Take, for example, Betty Richards. a school teacher from California had to convince her husband, Mike, into agreeing to purchase a pets insurance plan when they adopted a golden retriever puppy they named Jonas nearly six years ago. In December, their always-energetic dog sat frozen in the driveway, unable to move. Veterinarians at the emergency clinic diagnosed a ruptured disc in Jonas’ vertebrae. He required life-saving surgery that night and extensive post-surgical care that lasted several weeks.

The bill totaled $6,913. Within three days, their pet insurance took care of the entire bill.

“No one is ready for a $7,000 pet emergency bill,” says Mike Richards. “We got Jonas after a failed adoption. To say he is spoiled is an understatement. But our pet insurance came through and I’m happy to say Jonas is back to his old playful self.”

What Pet Insurance Includes

I think you may be finally convinced that pet insurance is just as important as regular health insurance. You wouldn’t want to be in Betty and Mikes shoes without insurance. Healthpawspetinsurance.com says that health insurance covers a broad range of hereditary and congenital conditions such as cancer and other chronic illnesses as well as any other emergency. As for your pet’s teeth, most insurance packages also include a dentist.

The most important part of this is that pet insurance comes with built-in peace of mind. Knowing that your lovely pet will be taken care of if anything were to happen. 99% of the procedures that could save your pet’s life are covered by pet insurance. Talk about walking straight to the vet with your pet without having to worry about how much you have in your wallet or how many other bills you have to pay. Sounds great! Doesn’t it?

Here’s what you can expect from pet insurance policies:

You are allowed to choose your coverage level. Just like you read before, pet insurance is similar to personal protection. Whatever policy you chose is tailored to meet your pet’s unique health need. It doesn’t matter what these needs are. Without a doubt, you are never going to pay for a service you will never use. Several policies exist for different pet owners. Get the catch. You can get basic insurance which covers just accident like a case where your dog snaps a from a terrible fall. The same applies to illnesses. If you take it a bit further with an upgraded coverage, you will get a policy that covers regular checkups, vaccinations, and other routine services.

So is all adds up to this. Health insurance plans allow you to pay premium and deductibles before insurance takes effect. Depending on your coverage or what you have subscribed for, pet insurance plans do come with monthly premiums as well. Another important thing you may want to know is that there exclusive discounts for network participation, and out of pockets minimums and maximums. There is no benefit for sitting on the fence at this point.

Payments are made straight out of your pocket in advance, and reimbursement is paid for charges. CBSnews.com reports that the amount spent on vet care reached an all-time high of $16.6 billion in 2017. You are definitely spending more if you haven’t subscribed to a plan. Unlimited annual expensive plans are always best.

Breeds that are known to have health problems like pure breeds may not be covered by insurance policies. Aside from breed restrictions, there are also age restrictions which may apply to animals like cats that do not have breed restrictions.

The most common Pet Insurance Options
Here are some pet insurance options you may want to consider:
Pets Best – Pets Best offers a variety of pet insurance plans, including accident-only coverage for an average cost of about $38 per month.
Healthy Paws – Healthy Paws pet insurance offers comprehensive plans that cover many areas of concerned pet owners.
Nationwide – Nationwide is on your pet’s side too. The offer plans starting at $33 per month.
Embrace – Customizable pet policies with base plans starting at $13 for dogs and $9 for cats.
Figo – Flexible options for many pet owners with Maximus from $10K.
Are you interested in an insurance package for that adorable pet of yours?

Sources:
1 https://www.valuepenguin.com/pet-insurance/average-cost-of-pet-insurance
2 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pet-health-care-costs-can-top-human-medical-bills-new-cat-and-dog-health-insurance-report/
3 https://www.petinsuranceu.com/pets-best-reviews/
4 https://www.petinsuranceu.com/nationwide-pet-insurance-reviews/
5 https://www.petinsuranceu.com/embrace-pet-insurance-reviews/