Pet insurance ~ Is it necessary ~

There are obvious reasons for pet insurance and there are obviously pros and cons to it.

Is pet insurance becoming more popular, it appears so, whereas according to reports, approximately 5% of pet households now carry one form or another, which is up from less than 1% in past years. Pet insurance can be expensive. So look closely at different policies before you buy and try and figure out what care your pet will likely need.

As we all know, vet bills are outrageously expensive these days, and they appear to continue to rise. Know Your Vet. Although most vets are reputable, watch closely for add ons which are not needed. When I brought Maxwell into be neutered and micro chipped at my ‘vet at the time’, all appeared to be fine until the checkout. This particular vet informed me that there was a ‘problem’; he told me that Maxwell had a overbite, but he could correct it with braces for a minor expense of over $3,000 +. I looked at this man as though he had four heads and needless to say, Maxwell did not get braces.

Now back to insurance. There are different policies: Safety plans, Wellness plans, Comprehensive plans and so on. So what is what? Well in a nutshell, safety plans are the least expensive, and only covers issues such as broken bones, etc. Wellness plans include routine care, such as physicals and vaccinations. Some experts say that the premiums, deductibles, and copays for these plans usually cost a bit more than paying out-of-pocket. Of course, if your pet gets injured, such a plan may save you money. Comprehensive plans are on the pricier side, some policies cover a broad range of treatments, from cancer medications to acupuncture.

Before deciding on if insurance is right for you, take into consideration all aspects such as your pet’s age ~ some policies won’t cover pets when they reach a certain age and if they do, it could be considerably more expensive. Consider your dogs breed, whereas some breeds are more prone to medical issues than others but if your policy covers those issues, you could save a lot of money in the long run. Consider the overall health of your pet, are they overweight, do they get plenty of exercise, and have they been healthy most of their life. Also to be considered ~ how much can you afford to keep your pet alive. Sometimes with insurance, it is a safety net and you won’t have to think about things like that.

Finally if you decide on insurance, make sure you shop around, ask plenty of questions, check with the Dept of Insurance and read the fine print.