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Introduction
When people imagine pets, they often think of little fur balls that are cute and innocent. However, these furry friends can be costly and require a lot of maintenance and care. Pet insurance is one way to help owners manage the costs associated with their pets’ health care expenses while protecting themselves from unexpected costs that may result from an accident or illness.
Most pet insurance plans are reimbursement-based policies.
A reimbursement-based plan will pay for the medical care your pet needs, but it won’t cover any pre-existing conditions. This type of policy is cheaper than an indemnity plan (which we’ll discuss shortly), but you may have to deal with some serious financial setbacks if your pet needs expensive surgery or treatment.
If your dog has a serious condition that requires expensive treatment, like cancer, it’s probably in his best interest to purchase a different type of insurance—a “true” pet insurance plan like those offered by Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. These plans take into account pre-existing conditions and provide coverage even when there are complications during recovery.
Routine care typically isn’t covered.
Routine care is usually not covered by pet insurance, as it can be done at home. This includes things like flea control, vaccinations and annual checkups. The best way to save money on these types of services is by calling around to different clinics and seeing which one offers the lowest prices.
- Routine Care
- Flea Control: This can be done by using a flea collar or purchasing a topical ointment from your vet. Flea collars are more expensive but are safer for your pet since they don’t get into their bloodstreams like some topical ointments do. If you choose to use a topical ointment make sure that you follow instructions carefully because if too much gets into their blood streams it could cause harm. Also keep in mind that some dogs will require two doses of this medication instead of one because they have thicker fur than other breeds do (like my own pup!).
- Vaccinations: Your dog should receive vaccinations every year unless otherwise specified by his/her doctor at time of visit (or until told otherwise). Make sure that all vaccinations are up-to-date before signing up with any company; otherwise he/she may void coverage due
Pets over 7 are a higher risk.
Pets over 7 are a higher risk.
The older your pet is, the more likely they are to develop conditions that can be costly to treat. Older pets have a higher chance of developing chronic diseases, such as arthritis and diabetes. While these diseases don’t necessarily mean your pet’s lifespan will be shorter than average—it depends on their health and diet—they do increase the likelihood that you’ll need veterinary treatment for them in their golden years. In fact, many pets age faster than humans because of their constant exposure to disease-carrying germs like parvo virus and ringworm fungus (not fun!).
If your dog is already getting up there in years but still healthy and curious about everything around him or her—and still has plenty of energy—you should consider taking them on walks every day so they can maintain muscle tone while also getting some fresh air.
Premiums vary wildly.
While you can get a rough idea of premium costs from the list above, it’s important to keep in mind that premiums vary widely. Not only do different insurance companies have different rates, but prices also differ based on where you live and the age, breed, and medical history of your pet. Some companies offer discounts for pets that have undergone spay or neuter surgery (or are sterilized) while others don’t offer any such deals.
If you have several pets with pre-existing conditions like heart disease or diabetes, this will affect your premiums as well. For example: if one of your dogs has been diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life and requires ongoing treatment through chemo therapy—you may end up paying more than someone who doesn’t have an animal with these particular health issues.
Many plans offer deductibles and co-pays.
Some plans offer a deductible, which is the amount you pay out-of-pocket before your insurance company begins to cover costs. Usually, this is about $500 for cats and dogs. Some plans also have co-pays, which are the amounts that you have to pay every time your pet receives treatment or medication (usually about $20). If you have a plan with a high deductible and co-pays, it’s important to remember that not every expense will be covered by your plan—you may still need to pay some of the cost yourself.
Some plans are open while others are closed, which is essentially the difference between pre-existing conditions being covered or not, respectively.
It’s important to note that some plans are open while others are closed, which is essentially the difference between pre-existing conditions being covered or not, respectively. Open policies cover your pet if they have a pre-existing condition when you sign up for coverage—this can be a lifesaver if your pup suffers from something like cancer or heart disease and could use medical care right away. However, these types of plans cost more than closed ones because there’s no way to predict what will happen in the future; this is why insurers want their customers to pay higher premiums now rather than later on down the road when they might need more help financially (or medically). If your dog gets sick early on in his life with something like diabetes or arthritis but doesn’t require expensive treatment until much later on down the line when it becomes serious enough for him/her to need surgery or medication beyond what basic insurance covers (which usually includes vaccines and heartworm preventative), then an open plan would save money for both parties involved since you wouldn’t have had as much time invested into paying into one beforehand without getting anything back out of it yet!
Annual per pet premiums average $485 a year.
Annual per pet premiums average $485 a year.
- For example, if you have two cats who are both spayed or neutered and are healthy, the annual premium for each cat would be about $300. If you wanted to insure both cats at once, that would cost about $840 total.
- If you have three cats who are all spayed or neutered and healthy but one of them has an accident requiring extensive surgery (like having their leg amputated), the insurance company will pay up to $30,000 toward treatment costs (up to a maximum of $60k over their lifetime).
Conclusion
Pet insurance is a great way to help protect your pet and your wallet. Keep in mind that the coverage may not be enough to cover every situation, so be sure to read all the fine print before signing up for any plan.