Critters
by Debra Bell
Special to The Weekly
When we adopted Laura in 2008, lots of things seemed extraneous. For instance, we didn’t understand why anyone would want to pay for a pet insurance policy. After all, it seemed like an unnecessary expense.
Then after the first trip to the emergency vet after she downed a whole pan of chocolate brownies, we started to understand. After the second trip to the emergency vet after she ate three loaves of rising bread dough, we determined that our initial instincts were off. Emergency vet visits were expensive.
So we started looking at pet insurance companies. A friend shared with us that she used VPI Pet Insurance for her dogs. After looking into several companies, including MetLife and the ASPCA’s pet insurance plan, we determined that VPI would be the best fit for what we needed.
At that moment Laura joined the more than 1 million pets nationally with pet insurance, according to the North American Pet Health Association.
While many pet parents choose not to insure their pets (only 1 percent of owners insure their charges, the association notes) the benefits of pet insurance shouldn’t be discounted. Take, for example, our most recent vet bill (courtesy of Buddy). I wrote last month about how Buddy ate a pair of socks and one had to be surgically removed. Had he been insured before the incident, our out-of-pocket costs would have been drastically less than the $3,200 we spent to save his life. He’s worth it, but it reinforced to us that any dog we own from here on out would be insured.
Buddy was insured a day after his surgery and while it wasn’t in place to help during the emergency, it’s peace of mind for us now.
So what does pet insurance cover? Our plan with VPI not only helps to offset the costs of an emergency, but it covers a lot of their basic wellness visits. Buddy and Laura’s insurance plans refund a portion of the cost of routine vaccines, heartworm and flea and tick preventatives, emergencies and even a dental cleaning each year.
Just like with human health insurance there are factors that are taken into account as you’re being approved. This includes pre-existing conditions and breed-specific health issues. Age is another factor and a reason why our Maine Coon Cat Olivia isn’t insured.
When you’re in the midst of an emergency, money can be a big concern and often factors into the treatment plan. But knowing that there’s a safety net in place makes treating our furry family members a little less stressful.
So where do you start when you’re looking for a plan?
• Pet Insurance University at pet-insurance-university.com. This site is a clearinghouse put together by a vet to help make the process of looking and comparing plans easier. In addition, the site offers guides and information on what to look for from a policy and what a good pet insurance policy should include. Making the investment to insure your pet should be a win-win for the pet and for your pocketbook.
• Your veterinarian. Your veterinarian should be able to give you guidance to help you as you look for plans. They may be able to recommend additional coverage that you may want to look into based on your pet’s breed and hereditary issues. For example, greyhounds not only have terrible teeth, but are prone to certain types of cancer. Our vet was able to give us an idea of what we’d want to look at when it came to coverage.
Whether you decide to insure your pet or start an account to cover expected (and unexpected) expenses, taking time to reduce your risk will pay off well for you in the end.