When our pets get sick, we want to provide the best health care possible. But how do we do that if hospitalization, treatment and medication would cost about $3000? Pet insurance enables pet owners to have options on how they could provide better for their pets, after all our pets are not just animals around the house. They are our companions.
In the United States, only 3% of Americans got their pet friends insurance. This is lower compared to other countries like Canada which has 19 % of pets insured and with Sweden with an outstanding 49%.
There are undecided pet owners on whether getting pet insurance would be able to benefit them and their animal companions. Let’s understand the advantages and disadvantages of getting pet insurance, to be able to guide us in making the best decisions.
Advantages
The gist of having a pet insurance policy is to make sure that in terms of medical emergencies and accidents, your pets are well provided for. When unforeseen circumstances happen, it would be difficult for the pet owner to come up with a big amount immediately. How many pet owners were forced to touch their personal funds for the sake of their pets.
Depending on the kind of insurance plan, coverage could also include vaccinations, spray, neuter and even flea medications. Veterinary costs are increasing fast. There are already sophisticated medications that could deal with your pet’s sickness. Having a pet insurance could actually save your beloved animal from euthanasia.
Aside from medical reasons, there are also insurances that could cover rewards, posters, advertising and financial assistance for pet owners whose pets have been stolen. In these cases, insurance companies could even provide assistance in acquiring a new pet.
Another kind of insurance will be for kennels and boarding, which will answer to the question when something bad happens to the owner and nobody could take the pets in. A pet insurance policy could help with the cost of kennels and boarding.
Disadvantages
Some pet insurance tend to be overly expensive. However, there are pet insurance companies offering lower plans. You just have to know what kind of coverage you would like to be in your plan so you can choose an appropriate insurance for your pet. The prices also tend to be different based on the animal and its breed. There are some animal breeds that would require expensive medical treatments. For example, when a big dog like a German Shepherd injured his hip, the procedure tends to be expensive.
Pet insurances are also very particular with pre-existing conditions. If you dog is sick and old, then definitely you would have problems getting them and insurance plan. Most insurance companies does not pay the bill upfront. What happens is that the pet owner would have to pay for it and then will have to reimburse if after.
There are times when the pet owner does not have the money yet, there are vet clinic who would allow the pet owner to pay part of the bill and the insurance company will be fixing the balance directly. Before a pet owner could take advantage or use the insurance, it would need a two-week or a few days of wait before the coverage would start.
Thinking about it, getting a pet insurance policy definitely would have its pros and cons. It would definitely be your call as a pet owner if you would like to get one for you pet, but it is important to always keep in mind our responsibility as pet owners and our pets’ welfare.