Pet Insurance

Is it smart to buy pet insurance? Pets are a big part of the family. For those who have a dog, cat, bird or other animal as a cherished pet, they certainly love them like a family member. Caring for your pet is much more than simply feeding him and keeping him clean. Read on to learn all about pet insurance and then be sure to enter your zip into our free tool for pet insurance quotes!

It is important that your animal get exercise, regular veterinary check-ups and preventative care to avoid serious health conditions. When injury or illness occurs, it also means getting veterinary care to restore your animal’s health. Pet insurance is a great investment for the loving pet owner who wants to be sure that he or she can afford to do what is necessary if his or her animal is injured or ill, but can be saved.

Veterinary pet wellness plans and adequate pet insurance coverage can be great tools for making sure that your pet has the medical care that they need without breaking the bank. To compare free pet insurance quotes be sure to enter your zip code above.

Pet Insurance Providers

Pet insurance is available from a number of different specialty providers. Individual plans are available in a variety of different formats based on the species of your pet. As with other types of insurance, there are different plans available, ranging from basic to comprehensive coverage.

Types of Pet Insurance Plans

The most common type of plan is the basic one that covers illness and accident. It is the less expensive option in terms of pet insurance. However, it is also the most restrictive. There are numerous limits to coverage, as well as the exclusion of many situations that would require veterinary care.

Alternatively, the comprehensive plan covers a wide range of things including regular check-ups, sterilization costs, vaccinations, prescriptions, dental care and alternative therapies, as well as illness and accident. Often such plans even have a death benefit and a reward program if lost pets are recovered.

As with other types of insurance coverage, you can customize your plan by adjusting co-payment percentages, deductibles, coverage limits and more to make the plan fit your needs and your budget. Many plans also allow you to opt out of certain types of coverage like prescription drug benefits and dental benefits in order to save on your premiums. Catastrophic pet insurance plans with low premiums and high deductibles are also available from many providers.

How Pet Insurance is Different from Regular Health Insurance

Pet insurance was created in order to alleviate the risk that pets will need costly veterinary care at some point in their lives, due to illness or injury. Typically this type of insurance will reimburse 80% to 90% of the veterinary fees associated with treatment. However, like other insurance, there is typically a deductible and a co-payment that are applied before claims are paid out. Unlike the health insurance that most people carry, pet insurance usually requires you to pay up front for the expense and get reimbursed after the fact.

Another difference between people insurance and pet insurance is that, in some ways, pet insurance is less restrictive than many health insurance plans. You are not limited to the veterinarians you can use for treatment of your animal. You can opt to use the best vet available and your policy will still cover you.

Limitations Commonly Found in Pet Insurance

As with any type of insurance, there are some limitations to be found with pet insurance. In many cases, pet insurance policies are non-lifetime plans, which means that if a claim had been made for a specific illness or injury in one year, the same problem would be ineligible for further claims in the future. This can cause a great deal of difficulty, especially in the case of chronic illness or injuries with residual effects.

There are also other limits that are commonly placed on claims payout for pet insurance. A per condition, per year limit is common for pet insurance, as are overall per year limits. If you are looking to buy pet insurance it is important to understand these limits and if they apply to the policy you are about to purchase.

There are also a variety of other standard exclusions found on pet insurance policies such as pre-existing conditions, elective procedures, behavioral issues, special food, grooming and hereditary conditions. However, there may be some very limited amounts of coverage available for hereditary conditions after the initial year of the policy is complete.

Age is a factor for many insurance companies that offer pet insurance. If your cat or dog is over the age of 10, you will find that it is increasingly difficult to obtain coverage. For certain breeds, it becomes difficult after age 8 or even 6. If you do happen to find coverage for older animals, the limits will be more stringent than on a similar policy for a younger animal and you will definitely pay more. Certain insurance companies will also opt to exclude coverage on select breeds.

Things to Know When Looking to Buy Pet Insurance

As with many types of insurance there are ways to earn a discount on your pet insurance. If you have more than one pet, you can save money with a multi-pet discount when they are both insured by the same company. There are also group discounts available from certain insurance companies. If your pet has a microchip in it or has been spayed or neutered, you will receive a discount on coverage. In addition, if your animal is used as a medical service pet, you will also get discounted pet insurance. Your payment method can also reduce your total cost to insure your pet.

Following the purchase of pet insurance, you will have a period of usually about 2 weeks during which you cannot make claims. This is standard for many policies and especially for illness coverage. However, some companies offer accident coverage as soon as the day after your policy is taken out.

Read the fine print for any pet insurance policy that you are considering purchasing. You may find that the company has pre-set benefits for certain procedures, based on an average of what it should cost. This may not be reflective of actual prices in the area in which you live. Your claims should be based on what you actually paid.

Buying Pet Insurance Coverage

Much of the technology used in the treatment of pets is the same as that used for humans. The advancement in veterinary medicine in recent years has contributed to the high cost of vet bills. However, it also means that our pets live longer and healthier lives and fewer of them die of treatable illnesses. Investing in pet insurance is well worth it for your peace of mind when it comes to your pet’s health.

Like other types of insurance it pays to shop around and compare prices and coverage. Use an online quote tool to get multiple quotes from different insurers at once. They are typically presented in an easy to compare format that you can use in your decision making. If you find that one of the quotes is significantly lower than the others, examine it carefully to be sure that you are being quoted on coverage comparable to the others.

You may also want to check out how reputable a company is before purchasing pet insurance from them. Contact the Better Business Bureau to see if complaints have been made about their service. In addition, you should do an Internet search for complaints about the company to get additional information.

Get Free Pet Insurance Quotes Online

By considering the insurance plan offered, the price and the company’s reputation, you should be equipped to make an informed decision. Get started today with online quotes for pet insurance and before you know it, you’ll have found the ideal coverage to insure the health of your best friend. Buying pet insurance online is easy. Start comparing pet insurance quotes now!