If something unexpected happens to your pet, are you prepared to pay for the cost of services out of pocket? If you don’t have money set aside in an emergency pet care fund (or even if you do), you might want to consider pet insurance.
At South Branch, we don’t want financial concerns to prevent you from providing your pet with needed veterinary care.
Why We Like Pet Insurance
Pet insurance can give you peace of mind. You shouldn’t have to decide between your pet and your pocketbook. When you have pet insurance, even if your pet needs emergency care or a special procedure, you won’t have to worry as much about the cost getting in the way of your pet receiving proper care.
It’s easier than saving for emergencies. Even the most proactive pet owners can’t always plan ahead for pet care costs. Having a pet health insurance plan means you don’t have to have thousands sitting in a savings account just in case.
How Pet Insurance Works
You typically pay a monthly premium as well as a copay for each service or event, such as:
- Wellness exams
- Other routine care (like diagnostic tests)
- Preventive medications (like heartworm and flea/tick prevention)
- Sick visits
- Accidents
- Illnesses
- Hospitalizations
- Surgeries
- Prescription medications
Some plans require an additional premium for certain services/events to be covered, and most plans also have a deductible.
Other services and conditions that some plans are less likely to cover include:
- Dental diseases and surgeries
- Cancer
- Chronic diseases and conditions
- Prescription pet foods
- Spay/neuter procedures
- Alternative/holistic therapies
- Rehabilitation
- Grooming
- Training/behavioral therapy
- Mobility aids
- Cosmetic procedures
Some plans don’t cover certain genetic conditions based on a pet’s breed. Insurance plans also don’t tend to cover diseases or conditions that are congenital (ones that a pet was born with) or otherwise pre-existing (that the pet has already developed). But some may cover pre-existing conditions that can be cured.
Coverage can vary widely from one plan to the next, so it’s important to carefully review the plans you’re considering before making a choice.
Your pet’s age, breed, current health condition, and lifestyle may all make a difference in what pet health insurance plan is best for you.
How to Pick a Pet Insurance Plan
You’ll want to get answers about these pet insurance plan policies before choosing a plan:
- Veterinary hospital—Can you continue to visit South Branch?
- Emergency/specialty care—Can you use any emergency clinic or any specialist?
- Cost—How much is the monthly premium? Are exam fees included?
- Coverage—Which services, events, and conditions/diseases are covered?
- Exclusions—Which services, events, and conditions/diseases aren’t covered?
- Deductible(s)—What amount do you have to pay out before reimbursement kicks in? How often do you have to meet this deductible (for instance, annually, per lifetime, or per condition or item)?
- Reimbursement policy—Do you get a set amount back regardless of how much the veterinary hospital charges?
- Maximum coverage amounts—Is there a per lifetime or predetermined amount of coverage based on a set fee schedule?
Want Help Choosing a Pet Insurance Plan?
Just as with our own health insurance, selecting an insurance plan for your pet can be overwhelming. But it’s important, and we’re here to help.
Don’t be afraid to ask us any questions you might have about pet insurance. Give us a call or stop by to chat.
To start comparing plans, check out petinsuranceinfo.com. At South Branch, when it comes to your pet’s veterinary care, we want to be sure you’re prepared and have peace of mind.