Pet InsurancePet insurance is not for everyone. Some people treat their pets as if they were disposable. If the treatment costs too much, they will just have their pet put down and get themselves a new one. About 50% of the people fall into this group. The other 50% will do whatever it takes to save their pet. Which one are you? If you would do whatever it takes to look after kitty, buying pet insurance would probably be a wise investment.The Insurance PolicyThere are a number of factors to consider before you buy an insurance policy for your pet / cat. Some policies dictate which vet you will need to take kitty to. Others will allow you to choose the vet you want to use. The deductible on the policy can be as high as $50 per use for basic health care or there may be a co-pay clause. Also be aware of the caps or maximums for the various illnesses and procedures. There are annual caps and life time caps. Do you need to add riders to cover things like dental care, preventative care, prescriptions or cancer or are these included in the base policy.All policies will have exclusions – pre existing health conditions. The younger the pet / cat the fewer pre existing conditions there will be. An exception to this rule is with pure breeds. Certain pure breeds are known to have a higher health risk in some health areas. That area of risk may not be covered with your pure breed. Some policies will offer additional benefits. There could be damage liability coverage. Pet boarding fees may be included. Some policies will offer discounts if you insure more than one pet. Some will even include free subscriptions to pet magazines. Check to see if the policy allows the premiums to be paid annually. If you can afford to make an annual payment rather than a monthly one, it will usually save you some money.
Make sure you understand the policy before you sign up for pet insurance or for that matter any type of insurance.
When to Buy Your Pet InsuranceChanges in veterinary science, the cost of operating a vet office and the newer, advanced treatments being offered today have caused the price of pet care to sky rocket. Insurance can cost between $2000 and $6000 over the life of your pet. Cats generally have a lower insurance fee than dogs. It is cheaper if you enroll your pet / cat at a young age. The older your pet is when you sign up for a policy, the higher the premiums will be. Some insurers won’t cover pets over 9 years of age. As your pet / cat ages the policy becomes a better deal. Pet insurance is always a worthwhile consideration if you have a pure breed as, like mentioned earlier, pure breeds tend to have some sort of problems later in life.Do You Need Pet Insurance?Also as stated earlier, pet insurance is not for everyone. You will have to decide if the premiums will be more than you expect to pay for vet care for your pet. The insurance should be used to cover unexpected expenses like sicknesses or accidents. Ask yourself “If I have to pay for the entire expense myself, how much can I afford?” By paying for pet / cat insurance before your pet / cat gets sick, you won’t have to worry about paying the vet bills.If you are willing to do anything for your pet if it gets sick or injured, pet insurance may be the preferred alternative to debt. Leave Pet Insurance and Return to Cat Health Page |