Pet Insurance May make Caring For Your Pet More Affordable.

Time and time again, we’ve seen it help families take better care of their animal companions and afford life-saving procedures when the unexpected happens.

Like health insurance for people, pet policies have different deductibles, co-payments, and premiums. You should be aware that with most policies, the pet owner must pay the vet bill in full, file a claim, and then wait for reimbursement from the insurance company.

There are many insurance companies to consider for your pet's healthcare needs. In our experience, Trupanion, Nationwide, Healthy Paws, Embrace, Pet's Best, and Pumpkin are the top providers. Many companies offer add-on coverage for vaccines and routine lab work; others are still accidents and illness only. The turnaround time on a pet insurance claim can be anywhere from 7 to 30 days, depending on the case and provider. The monthly fees and deductibles are also widely variable. We strongly encourage you to research each provider individually to determine which one suits your needs best.

We do work directly with Trupanion and can bill them at the time of your appointment, which lets us know how much they will cover and what your portion is. All other companies work on a reimbursement basis and require a paid-in-full invoice for submission.

Doing your homework before signing up for a plan is a good idea! Consider the following questions as you research providers:

• Is there a physical exam required to get coverage?
• What percentage of the bill does the company pay after the deductible?
• Is the deductible per incident, per year, or for the life of the pet?
• Are there co-pays?
• Does the plan cover pre-existing conditions and chronic medical problems?
• Can you choose any veterinarian or animal hospital?
• Are prescription drugs covered?
• Does the policy pay if your pet is being treated and dies?

If you’re having difficulty deciding which pet insurance plan is right for you, take a look at Pet Insurance Review — a website dedicated to helping pet owners compare leading pet insurance plans in minutes.