Does your pet need Insurance?
Imagine your best friend gets seriously sick or injured and needs major medical care. We all know that veterinary care can become costly, but you want what is best for your pet. Now, what if there was a way to reduce the expense of veterinary care in these cases? One of the best ways to ensure that you can get the best care for your pet is pet insurance. There are several companies that offer pet insurance at comparable rates.
There are several things to consider when looking at pet insurance.
- What do you need to be covered?
- Some companies cover medical care and routine care, some only cover medical care, and some companies cover additional things like alternative therapies, prescription foods, advanced care provided at specialty clinics or universities.
- What you want your deductible set at, and what percentage do they cover?
- Of course, setting your deductible at the level you want is important to ensure that you do not have to stress about money when your pet is sick. Also, what percentage of the charges do they cover?
- What are their policies on reimbursement?
- We all know that financial concerns are stressful, and when your pet is sick, the last thing you need is more stress. So, knowing that your pet insurance company will reimburse you in a certain time frame will go a long way to reduce that stress!! Also, some insurance companies are also implementing instant payment to the vet of their portion. This is a HUGE benefit because it automatically pays their portion and reduces the overall vet bill you must worry about!
- How do they handle preexisting conditions?
- In many cases, if your dog has a pre-existing condition such as an ACL repair, insurance companies may not cover any ACL repair on the other leg within a certain time frame. It is important to know what the time frames are, so you know what to expect. Also, in some companies, they have one deductible for one condition or a deductible for each visit. Making sure that you know which way your insurance policy is set up will reduce stress when you need it.
How does it help? This summer, I have three dogs that required major medical care. One required two surgical repairs of a cleft palate, one was diagnosed with immune-mediated neutropenia, and one was diagnosed with osteomyelitis of the proximal humerus. Now, between the three of them, I was reeling at the vet bill when it was all said and done. If I had insurance on them, the majority of that would have been covered and it would not have been such a hit to my bank account. This is where pet insurance really makes a difference in the lives of our clients and pets.
Now, pet insurance from your veterinarian’s view is great!! It reduces the amount of stress you have and allows you to focus on your pet during these trying times. It also ensures that you are making decisions in the best interest of you and your pet’s health and not having to worry about the money as much.
There are several pet insurance companies on the market now and they all have different coverage, deductibles, and policies. By sitting down and considering what you need in pet insurance and what you think is important you can choose the best plan for you.
As with all insurance plan, the younger you get your pet insured, the less expensive the monthly rates are. So, when you adopt that new dog from the animal shelter or bring that new kitten home from the breeder, be sure to check out pet insurance first thing so that you are covered!! Young dogs and cats are notorious about getting into stuff they shouldn't or experiencing unusual injuries, so getting insurance early may reduce the overall expense of your pet!
One great place to start researching pet insurance is petinsurancereview.com. This website allows you to see reviews of pet insurance companies and compare rates. If you find one or two that you really like you can then go to their website to learn more or enroll your pet. If you do have your pet insured, please be sure to let us know, that way we can assist you with any necessary claims paperwork and be authorized to share your pets medical records with the insurance company.
14811