Should you get insurance for your pet?
Long ago, the only thing you needed to worry about was getting a good insurance policy for yourself and your family.
However, the last few decades have seen a huge growth in the number of ‘paw-parents’, and there’s naturally been an increase in the number of pets who live for years with their owners until they are old and frail with age.
Just like humans, animals also tend to suffer from various diseases as they grow older. The only way you can either cure them or give them relief from their pain or suffering is by getting the right treatment or even opting for operations in some extreme cases.
In this article, we’ll go over what pet insurance policies really cover, if they’re worth it, and why you should or shouldn’t consider getting them.
Disclaimer: I’m not an insurance expert and this article only outlines my opinions, experiences, and results of research.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Whether you have a Golden Doodle, one of the various French Bulldog breeds, or an entirely different type of pet, pet insurance could be what you need.
All insurance policies work differently, but in general, there are some main aspects of your pet’s medical bills that most policies will cover.
This includes:
- The medical bills of the treatment if your pet suffers from injury or illness
- The purchase price if your pet happens to die due to a sudden accident or injury
- Some insurance policies offer third-party liability where a fee is paid to a third party if a pet (usually a dog) destroys their property or injures them in any way
- Some policies offer a fixed amount for veterinary fees each year – this is usually on the expensive side, but it is worth investing in if your pet suffers from long-term conditions which make you a regular visitor to the vet clinic
Also, you can choose to be covered for various third-party liabilities.
For example:
- Kennel fees for the pet if the owner is hospitalized and no one is there to care for the pet
- Travel schemes that cover the pet’s medical fees at the vet’s when abroad for a short period of time
- Money for retrieving a pet if they are lost or stolen
- Or even the advertisements are required to help recover a pet
Pet insurance for pre-existing conditions is possible in some cases but may be extremely unlikely in others. Good pet insurance providers will be able to walk you through the process.
It will depend on whether your pet has a chronic condition, a hereditary issue, or a health issue that is expected to resolve over time, such as a broken leg.
Do You Need Pet Insurance?
Now that you have a gist of what pet insurance basically is and some of the major aspects it covers, you can consider the next question- whether or not you need it.
Some questions you can ask yourself in order to gain some clarity on the subject are:
- Can I afford to treat my pet if there is an accident that injured it tomorrow?
- Can I afford to pay a large sum of money at one go if my pet were in need of immediate surgery due to a life-threatening illness?
- Can I afford to pay the vet’s fees every year if my pet was undergoing regular treatment for a condition it suffers from?
If you can afford to pay all of these without having to think too much about it, then no, you needn’t worry too much about getting your pet insurance.
However, if your answer was no for some or all of them, then considering pet insurance is something you should do, simply because all of these incidents are sometimes inevitable in a pet owner’s life.
Getting The Right Insurance
As mentioned earlier, there are different pet insurance policies that cover a number of different aspects.
You know the policy that will best suit your pet’s health issues and vet bills, so you’ll need to consider all the expenses (and potential future expenses) that will come under the right insurance policies in the future.
To make your job of going through various policies and understanding the technicalities easier, you can have a look at these top pet insurance providers.
This will help to make sure you’re making an informed decision before you invest in a policy for your pet’s benefit in the long run!
Pet Insurance Tips
Here are a few final tips on getting insurance for your dog, cat, or other pet:
- Generally speaking, the younger your pet is when you get pet insurance the cheaper it will be
- Once a pet is determined to have a condition it will be impossible or too expensive to find cover
- Good pet insurance should cover up to 90% of vet bills and other covered bills
- There can be a delay between when you sign up and when insurance coverage begins (usually 2-3 weeks)
- Make sure you get a number of free insurance quotes for pets before settling on a provider
So whether you are getting a new puppy or adopting a dog, make sure you consider getting pet insurance before problems arise.
High-risk pet insurance is harder to get, but not impossible, so make sure you look into it before the need for it arises.