Pet Insurance: Why You Should Have It

If you have a pet, you should think about purchasing a pet insurance. The buzz is on if you sit in the vet's office long enough. I was dumbfounded when I first heard about this. What is that? What did you say? Pet insurance? I don't even have life insurance, but my pet must have insurance? It is a must! So I was told to look into this predicament, and make a decision about enrolling.

Ask yourself this question first: if your pet gets hurt or becomes ill, can you afford the medical bill? If the answer is no, then pet insurance should be in your future budget.

Why you should get pet insurance

1. If you don't have money ready in case of emergencies, then insurance provides protection against this worry. Since operations and treatments for common pet illness could cost as much as $5,000.

2. If your pet is younger than 10 or 11, consider buying a pet insurance because many plans won't sell insurance to older pets, and if they do issued insurance, the premium will be higher. However, if you decide not to purchase insurance right now, sign up by the time your pet is around 7 years of age. Oddly enough, this is the time they believed that most illnesses will develop.

3. If your pet doesn't have any pre-existing conditions, get the insurance now because insurance company won't cover if there is proof that your pet has experienced ailment before.

What plan

Pet insurance is not much different from human insurance. Premiums and benefits are varied by plan. It depends on your preferences and your individual pet. Pet insurance can be costly, but it could also save you from having an astronomical bill if your pet gets sick. The web sites below will give you a free quote.

1. Veterinary Pet Insurance - petinsurance.com

2. ASPCA Pet Insurance - aspcapetinsurance.com

3. PetCare Pet Insurance - petcareinsurance.com

4. Petshealth Care Plan - petshealthplan.com

What you should know

- Before you can enroll your pet in an insurance plan, the vet must do a comprehensive checkup, and detailing about your pet's health.

- Ask your pet insurance company if you can bring your pet to any vet, and if you will get the reimbursement for that visit.

- Depending on the plan you choose, and your pet's age, the monthly premium is usually from $16 to $40. There is no co-pay.

- There are many plans to choose from, such as catastrophic accident, comprehensive illness, preventive care, and routine wellness visits. Look over the plan carefully and choose what is right for you and your pet.

- Talk over with the pet insurance representative about the deductible based on your plan. Make sure you read the fine print of what included in the coverage, such as medicine for your pet, and how much can you expect for the reimbursement after you've met your deductible.

I took our puppy to Banfield Clinic in Petsmart, and this is where I enrolled him in preventive care and routine wellness visits. My monthly premium payment is $16. It offers me a way to pay for my vet's bill, without having to come up with a large sum of money, and keep our puppy up-to-date with his shots. As he gets older, I might have to look for different plan to accommodate his needs. For now, pet insurance is the way to go if you own a pet.