This entry was posted on Sunday, August 31st, 2008 at 3:07 pm and is filed under Pet Information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Although pet insurance has been available for about 20 years, only 3% of dog owners carry insurance. And 63% of US homes have pets. 1 in 10 employers offer pet insurance: $15 for cats, $20 for dogs, including veterinarian services such as vaccination and cancer treatment. Check The Canine and Feline Store for information about pet insurance and companies offering pet insurance. See also the selection of dog backpacks.
In considering the issue of pet insurance, ask yourself some questions: Do you consider your pet a member of the family? Could you afford to pay potentially thousands of dollars in medical bills for serious illnesses such as cancer? How would you feel if you had to euthanize your pet because you did not plan ahead for medical crises?
1. Kinds of pet insurance. An average plan costs anywhere from $20-$40 per month and either has no annual benefit limit or a limit of perhaps $15,000-$20,000. Most plans offer discounts for multiple pets. Deductibles can be in the $100 per year range. Standard coverage can include vaccinations, neutering/spaying, annual check-ups, and dental care.
2. Restrictions. There can be age limits. There will be certain coverage limits like pre-existing conditions or genitic defects. Some policies exclude cancer. Be careful about waiting periods before coverage starts. These can range from 2 weeks to many months. You may also be limited to a list of approved veterinarians.
3. There are some alternatives. One example is a pet health care discount program (i.e.-Pet Assure). This program provides up to a 25% discount if you patronize their list of veterinarians. Membership also includes prescription drug discounts and access to product coupons.
