It doesn’t matter whether your pet is a Heinz 57 variety or a high strung purebred, a cat you found roaming the alley or a distinctive long-haired Himalayan, an ordinary little gecko or an exotic iguana – finding the best pet insurance means shopping for the plan that offers you the kind of coverage you’re looking for.
Perhaps you haven’t even considered getting health coverage for your pet. But if you’ve had a pet for any length of time then you are already aware of how expensive even routine vet visits are. Hopefully you’re pets have never had any serious illnesses or accidents that can often result in vet bills that run into the thousands of dollars.
Now that I’ve got your attention – it was the “thousands of dollars” wasn’t it? – how can you find a quality pet insurance plan?
That depends on whether or not you want a plan that will only cover your pet should they get seriously ill or for accidental injury or if you want to also be covered for routine wellness care.
The coverage you pick, just like your own health care plan, will directly affect the premium you pay. You can often choose your deductible to further adjust your premiums.
You’ll want to check on things like:
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being able to choose your vet
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are there exclusions based on your breed
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are there lifetime limits
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do they cover pre-existing conditions
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limits on age related conditions
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multiple pet discounts
Some policies offer basic “catastrophic” coverage and allow you to choose add-ons for wellness care like spaying/neutering, vaccinations, routine exams, etc.
Pet insurance isn’t just for dogs and cats. You can purchase coverage for exotic animals (especially helpful if your pet is an expensive, rare breed) like birds, reptiles, ferrets, hamsters, horses and more.
While it may seem like an unnecessary cost if your pet has never suffered an illness or accident, keep in mind that nearly 6 million dogs and 6 million cats are diagnosed with cancer every year. (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2005.) And just like human health care, new life-saving treatments become available every year. And also just like our own health care, the costs for these treatments increase every year!
Hopefully I’ve convinced you to at least consider health coverage for your pet. It can be affordable to nearly any budget. Finding the best pet insurance is just a matter of shopping carefully and choosing exactly what it is you’re looking for in coverage. Get the facts about pet insurance at http://petinsuranceprimer.com
