One of the most common questions we hear from our clients is “is pet insurance REALLY worth it?”. Many times the emphasis is on the word “really.’ It’s as if the client has a hunch pet insurance companies are all a big scam and hearing us say “nope, not in the slightest” will vindicate their suspicious theories. Well, here’s the thing-in many, we would dare to say in nearly all ways, the answer is yes. Yes its worth it. Absolutely. Go get some. Like, now. Did you sign up yet?
The problem is, health care for pets is expensive. Sometimes, when you’re least expecting it, its REALLY expensive. For instance on a Sunday afternoon a few hours after you get home from the pet store…
Lets say your dog happily chews upon, then swallows, the $5 toy you bought her at the pet shop. Suddenly, through no fault of your own you’re staring down the barrel of a $3000 surgery to retrieve that adorable squeaky dinosaur. Now, that’s a problem. Despite our best efforts most of us don’t have a few thousand dollars set aside ready for situations such as this. Ideally of course we would all be prepared for all eventualities, but in an ideal world would our furry companions swallow plastic dinosaurs? No, probably not.
If you had it, pet insurance would make this situation MUCH easier to swallow.
Many of the popular policies we see clients sign up for reimburse around 80% of their bill. That’s $2400 coming your way just after you paid for that $3000 surgery! And its not just for emergencies…there are different policies for different requirements, some pay completely for wellness visits, vaccinations and lab work. (There are different monthly premiums depending on how much coverage you are looking for) In addition pet insurance companies work differently than those for humans, they’re generally much simpler…You don’t have to call around searching for an ‘in network provider’, you can see whomever you like (or perhaps more importantly, whomever your pet likes) Generally speaking once you pay your bill at the vets office, you submit a copy of your invoice and the insurance company reimburses you directly in the form of a check or a direct deposit .Its simple, easy and can really save the day in terms of paying for expensive pet health care.
So until healthcare for pets becomes nationalized and we all get free vet visits, insurance is the next best thing. We would encourage all our clients to look at getting insurance for their pets. Especially new pet owners who might not realize the hidden dangers of $5 plastic dinosaurs…
(For an up to date comparison of insurance companies and their rates, click on our pet links tab and scroll down to compare all insurance companies, then get shopping…)
