As a veterinarian I get asked about pet insurance on occasion, but I really wish I got asked about it more. It’s something that many people know exists, but don’t understand. Pet insurance is very different from health insurance for people. The first major difference is that your pet insurance company doesn’t care what veterinarian you see. There are no networks. The other major difference is that veterinary clinics don’t file the claims. Pet owners file the claim in order to get reimbursed after paying the veterinary clinic. It is an out of pocket cost for you initially, but you get to choose who your pet sees.
So is pet insurance worth it? I think so! I have pet insurance and have been reimbursed well over $5000 in the past two years. Now, I’m not trying to sound like a commercial here. I really don’t care what pet insurance you get. We usually recommend ASPCA or AAHA pet insurance here. Trupanion and Nationwide are also really popular. That’s not the point though. I think it’s worth it for those moments where unexpected vet bills could upend your financial plans or the cost of treatment could affect the level of care your pet receives.
If you are looking into pet insurance there are a few things to consider. The first is to check what they cover. Do they cover orthopedic injuries? Do they cover chronic conditions? Congenital conditions? Cancer? Accidents? Do they cover wellness care? Wellness care plans tend to be very expensive and for many of our Free Vaccines For Life patients, this is probably unnecessary. The rest may be important to you though. The other components are the deductibles and the maximum payouts. You may have good coverage, but if the company will only pay out up to $1000, that could be used up in one day at the emergency clinic. The last thing to consider is the premium. Just like with car insurance, the premium depends on the coverage, deductibles and maximum payouts so you can choose what you need based on your monthly budget.
Pet Insurance University is a page meant for veterinarians, but I think it’s just as helpful for pet owners. Take a look through it. I think you’ll find it useful. Lesson 4 Pt. 3 has a great set of questions to help you decide if pet insurance is right for you!
https://www.pet-insurance-university.com/index.html
Dr. McClanahan
