Pet Health Insurance: A Safety Net

If you are reading this article, then you must be a pet parent who is considering investing in pet health insurance. But does your pet really need pet health insurance, or will it just be a waste of your money and effort? Answering this question is tough, and it ends with an important decision that is different for each and every pet in your household. There are many factors that will determine whether it is worth the effort and the expense to insure your furry friend, and in turn, this requires a lot of thought. You must take into account every detail, from whether you own an indoor or outdoor pet, to their breed and age. You must also consider how you would be able to pay for unexpected costs, as well as factoring in the past health history of your pet.

When deliberating pet health insurance, you may not think to take into account whether your pet is an indoor or outdoor family member. You may not realize how much of an impact this has on your pet. If your pet is primarily indoors, they do not come into contact with many diseases and illnesses. Contrarily, if you own an outdoor cat that spends most of their day investigating the yard or a dog who loves playing at the dog park, this can expose them to dangers like injury or communicable disease. 

For example, your furry friend is more likely to get into fights with other pets or animals, which can either injure your pet, causing an unexpected visit to the vet, or bring harm to another pet which can lead to pressed charges. In both of these cases, pet health insurance would help cover any type of cost incurred. Another danger that can cause a serious accident is, of course, vehicular impact. If your pet is one that is allowed outdoors, you must be prepared to face the costs and consequences that come along with the lifestyle.

Every breed of dog or cat is different and requires specific types of care. This statement is also true when it comes to pet health insurance. This means that some pets will need more medical care, and consequently may cost more to insure. For example, pedigree pets can be susceptible to illnesses, congenital diseases, and hereditary conditions that other types of dogs and cats are not. Moreover, they are more likely to be stolen than a mixed breed or ordinary type of pet. 

Apart from breed, age also has an effect on whether or not you should get pet health coverage. Older pets are more susceptible to health issues; for example, joint problems or other types of age-related arthritis. It is also important to remember that, as your pet’s age increases, so does the cost to insure them. It is, therefore, a good idea to invest in pet health insurance for your pet when they are young, since some pet health insurance companies will not insure older pets. Also to be contemplated is if you own smaller mammals such as gerbils, rabbits and hamsters, pet health insurance is also available but may be of debatable value considering their shorter lifespan.

Having your beloved pet insured gives you a peace of mind, knowing that no matter what may happen, you will be able to afford health care if necessary. Investing in pet health insurance for your dog or cat means that you won’t have to decide between the health of your pet and your savings. Although having pet health insurance requires a periodic payment either monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, those payments will pay off in the event of a serious and expensive surgery or unexpected visit to the pet hospital. Even if you have the budget to pay for an expensive visit to the vet, it would be worth it to be insured, since most pet health insurance companies can reimburse at least 80% of the expenses.

When considering pet health insurance for your furry, reptilian, or feathered friend, you should also take into account how healthy your pet has been in the past. For example, if you are the pet parent of an animal that is accident-prone, or simply always seems to have something new going on, you are probably more open to the thought of pet health insurance. But even if your companion pet is relatively healthy, you never know what could happen in the future and it may be wise to invest in pet health insurance just in case. Illnesses like diabetes or injuries such as a broken leg are health conditions that pet parents never really prepare for. You wouldn’t want to make the decision to not insure your pet and then have to pay for a costly vet bill out of your pocket. 

To conclude, pet health insurance may not be necessary for every pet, depending on their lifestyle, their breed and age, and their past health experience. But you should definitely put some thought into whether you are actually prepared or able to pay for an expensive pet health care cost. In the end, pet health insurance could come in handy for any pet, since you never know what could happen.

To find the best pet insurance for your furry friends, check out our pet insurance comparison tool at our Wellness page.