Pet Insurance for Dogs and Cats

Is it Worth the Money?

Trying to decide if you should invest in a pet insurance policy for your "friend"? Here are some commonly asked questions and statistics, which will hopefully help you, make up your mind.

Why should I get Pet Insurance?

Vet fees are steadily increasing every year due to the increased cost of running a clinic. If your "friend" gets sick, vets can now offer treatments that were not even considered just a few years ago, such as radiation therapy to kidney transplants, etc., but at very high prices. Costs even for common illnesses can be quite steep. See approximate costs below:

• Motor Vehicle Accident $4900
• Ingestion of foreign body $4300
• Cancer treatments $3600
• Bladder infection $2750
• Hip dysplasia $2400
• Fractured leg $2500
• Pneumonia $1900
• Diabetes $1750

Pet insurance could help mitigate a lot of these fees, and it usually only costsabout $1 a day.

Why do I need Pet Insurance if I have an indoor pet?

Indoor pets don't always stay indoors, and when they do get outside, they are more at risk to get injured since they are not use to this environment. Indoor pets are also just as likely to ingest objects and get infections or cancer.

The decision to get Pet Insurance basically boils down to determining if you will have the money set aside to cure your pet, if your "friend" does get seriously hurt or ill. Everyone has great intentions to set $x away each month in case of an emergency, but if I had to guess, only about 5% actually succeed. It would be absolutely awful, to have to say goodbye to your "friend" just because you didn't have the money set aside to cover the vet fees.

Questions to ask, when researching a Pet Insurance program: If you decide Pet Insurance may be an option, consider these questions when researching your options:

• Does your Vet have to be part of the network?
• Are there deductibles?
• Discounts available for multiple pets?
• Are hereditary conditions covered?
• What is Covered under the Policy (ie: Illnesses, Accidents, Routine Care, etc)?
• Are there lifetime limits?
• How to submit a claim?

Research all of your options. Click around on various websites that offer Pet Insurance, and at a minimum ask the questions above. Unfortunately all of the plans are structured differently, and have different options available. Take your time to ensure you are getting the best plan for you and your "friend."