You would never dream of leaving your kids without health insurance, especially if they had specific health concerns that made them more susceptible to certain types of illness and disease. However, many pet owners do not provide their furry family members with pet insurance coverage, even when they know that their pet is more susceptible to certain health conditions and diseases due to their particular breed and bloodline. If you have never thought about purchasing insurance for your pet, here are a few reasons why they deserve to have insurance coverage just like you.
Your pet relies on you to provide it with the best care possible, because it simply cannot care for itself effectively. If you have ever seen a stray dog or cat wandering around your neighborhood, then you know just how quickly an animal’s health can decline when it is left to fend for itself. Because your pet relies on you for its care, it is important that you make sure you are capable of properly caring for it. This is especially important if you are on a budget and do not have a lot of extra money to put towards unexpected veterinary costs or pet medications. Getting pet insurance will show that you care even more and save money in the long run.
Your pet cannot tell you when it is feeling sick, which is why pet owners are often completely oblivious to illnesses or diseases that their pets are developing until the condition has become very serious. The more serious a pet’s health condition is, the more likely they will need expensive veterinary care. If a pet owner is not prepared for the unexpected cost of surgery or other expensive treatment options that their pet requires, they are more likely to forego care and allow the animal to suffer through the rest of its life. Some pet owners may even decide that they have no other option but to put their pet to sleep permanently. This heartbreaking type of situation could possibly be avoided if the pet owner simply had insurance on their pet.
If you consider your pet to be part of your family, make sure you give it the insurance coverage that it needs and deserves.
Tips When Picking Pet Insurance for Your Dog
The only thing scarier than having to rush your dog to the emergency room is the bill for the visit, if you do not have insurance. Just like for humans, you hope that you do not need to use it, but having insurance in place provides a peace of mind in the case that you do. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the right pet insurance for your pooch.
Pet Insurance Purpose
Pet insurance is basically set up to allow owners to get proper care for their pets when they need it. Unlike human health insurance, pet insurance comes with much less administration and focuses on assisting with making medical payments affordable, similar to a home owner’s or auto insurance policy.
Pet Insurance Options
There are several different insurance options available for pets. Many allow you to customize them to your particular needs. Another positive thing to note is that with the nature of the insurance, it does not cost nearly as much as a human policy.
Questions to Ask Yourself
There are a few key questions to take into consideration when selecting your dog’s policy:
- What care might be needed? Different breeds are more susceptible to certain ailments and diseases; it is good to keep those things in mind when choosing a plan.
- What does the policy cover? Some policies boast several coverage options, however the scope of the coverage may not be enough to cover the expenses. Always read the fine print.
- How does it measure up? Take time to compare plans and make sure that you are choosing the best possible option for you financially and for your pooch’s care.
Your furry friend is a special member of your family. Make sure to treat your dog as such by getting proper pet insurance; it just might save your dog’s life. By keeping the aforementioned things in mind, you can be sure to select the best pet insurance for your pooch.
Things to Avoid When Buying Pet Insurance for Your Dog
Your pet is probably like another member of your family, and you would not leave a human family member uninsured. Without pet insurance, your dog could end up costing you a lot of money, especially if you plan to treat him or her for any issue that may arise. When shopping for a policy for your dog, try to avoid the following mistakes to ensure that you get the best coverage at the best price.
Do Not Procrastinate
Many pet owners say that they will get around to buying pet insurance sometime, but then forget or keep putting it off. Chances are your pet will get sick or injured before you ever actually purchase a policy unless you dedicate yourself to doing it right now. You do not want to end up paying out of pocket for a visit to the vet just because you procrastinated finding the right policy.
Policies Without Standard Full Coverage
Some insurance companies make the claim that they will offer full coverage standard on all dog insurance plans, but may actually have some fine print that limits the amount of coverage they will actually provide. Waiting periods, restrictions or additional coverage purchases may be required to get the coverage you were promised.
Do Not Skim the Terms & Conditions
The Terms and Conditions for an insurance policy can serve as a user’s guide for a policy, so make sure to read yours completely. These documents can let you know exactly what is covered, and provide definitions for terms like “pre-existing conditions.” When you know exactly what is covered in your plan, you are less likely to be surprised when you receive veterinarian bills in the mail.
Wellness Plans vs. Insurance
A wellness plan is not the same thing as an insurance policy, so you should avoid purchasing a plan that only covers regular wellness visits, vaccines and monthly preventative care.
By paying close attention to the policy you are considering, you can ensure that your dog has the coverage that he or she really needs.
Why Owners Buy Pet Insurance for Furry Pals
Owning a dog can be delightful experience, but there is always the possibility of things going wrong. Whether it is an attack from another animal, an accident with a car, or even just a serious illness, your pet could end up with dangerous health problems — and expensive veterinary bills. Pet insurance is a growing field that can help give canine owners some peace of mind.
Dogs might be fun to be around, but sometimes they are not as intelligent as you would like. They eat things they are not supposed to, they get themselves into places they should not, and they often do not watch where they are going. It is easy for your pooch to hurt himself. Even if your dog is not accident-prone, they can still get sick, whether it is a bad case of canine influenza or a serious genetic condition like epilepsy. If a dog is hurt or sick, it can be scary for both the animal and the owner.
Vet bills can be even scarier. Veterinarians must provide advanced medical care with similar training and equipment as a human doctor—but without the same financial support or subsidies. This makes veterinary care expensive. Even simple procedures can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, putting serious strain on a household budget to fix Fido’s broken leg.
Pet insurance, however, can help ensure that your dog gets the care that he or she needs. When you do not have to worry about paying for veterinary care, you can help your animal get medical help quickly and easily. Not only does pet insurance help dogs get better if things go wrong, but it can also help improve the owner’s peace of mind.
Whether you have just purchased a new dog or have had your family pet for years, keeping it safe is extremely important. There are many insurance providers out there, with many different plans and services. Getting veterinary insurance for your pet is one of the best ways to protect them, no matter what might happen.