One of the hottest topics or current events today in veterinary health care that animal guardians are faced with is whether or not to purchase health insurance for their pets. Given the complexities and uncertainties of our own health care system, the pet insurance business can be as equally as tricky or difficult to figure out in my opinion. There are certainly many excellent competitive companies out there today, such as VPI, Pet Care, Pet Assure, Embrace, Hartville, Pet Plan USA and ASPCA plans just to name a few.
| In deciding on whether to purchase pet insurance or not, I first tell clients to look at the breed of dog that they are getting, and if they are prone to many chronic diseases. For example, if one is purchasing a beautiful Golden Retriever puppy, which is certainly a wonderful pet (I in fact had one growing up in the 1970s), unfortunately this breed is prone to many problems ranging from chronic skin allergies to more complex problems such as thyroid disease and even many types of cancer. In such a case, I would advise an animal guardian to seriously consider looking at one of the many pet insurance options available. |  |
When comparing these various companies, it’s important to of course first look at the cost, as well as what is actually covered. Many companies cover routine health exams, heartworm tests, stool checks, and vaccinations, while others do not. As with our insurance coverages, there is often a deductible that will vary from company to company. It is also important to consider whether there are any restrictions on the coverage and to make sure that you can choose any veterinarian, rather than one in a restricted network.
I also stress to clients that the coverage be lifetime coverage as well. Pre-existing conditions do come into play, and are most of the times not covered for those animal guardians purchasing insurance on older pets. Many insurance companies will ask for copies of veterinary records when deciding on paying a claim or not. While the decision is not an easy one, there are certainly both pros and cons to owning pet health insurance, so certainly careful thought, as well as comparing the various companies and types of coverages available is recommended. It is always comfortable to know that no matter whether an animal guardian decides on pet insurance or not, that a trustworthy reliable pet health pharmacy such as 1800PetMeds carries both over the counter and prescription pet medications and pet supplies that offer an animal guardian economical alternatives.
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