ForestWind   

Pet Insurance is not right for everyone. It is both an emotional and financial decision specific to each pet owner. We strongly urge you to research pet insurance to decide if it’s right for your family. Prior to making any commitment with a company, ask every question you can until you hear the right answer for your family, read the entire contract to the end, and pay very close attention to the fine print. If you don’t understand what your contract says, inquire to its meaning.

 Here are some broad points we’d like you to consider when beginning your research: 

 

Coverage

1) Comprehensive covers both accidents and illnesses - from broken bones, swallowing a foreign object, to diabetes and cancer

2) Wellness or Preventative Care covers basic veterinarian appointments handling vaccinations and annual visits.

3) Accidents is exactly what it sounds like - basically any problems your animal gets into which isn’t illness or disease related.

 

Deductibles: A deductible is your personal payment prior to the pet insurance company covering the bill. Pet Insurance has changed drastically over the past decade. One major change many companies are now offering is customizing your reimbursement and deductible percentages. This ranges between 50% to 100% depending on the insurance company. Generally speaking, the less you pay monthly to the insurance company the more you pay at the vet and vice versa.

 

Benefit Limits

1) Lifetime Benefits - No ceiling on coverage after original deductible is paid.

2) Per Incident Annual - Usually regarding an illness or disease, companies creates a cap in how much they’re willing to cover.

3) Maximum Annual - Some companies create a set amount as to how much they’re willing to pay out annually

4) Lifetime Maximum - A company sets a cap as to how much they’re willing to pay regarding an individual pet.

 

Other Points to Consider:

-Many insurance plans range from $38 - $70, depending on your choice of coverage, reimbursement, deductibles, and benefits. Unfortunately, to receive a personalized quote, you must enter your email for each insurance company.

-It is very rare for pet insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. Should you choose to get pet insurance, the earlier the better.

-Most pet insurance companies require you to pay the veterinarian bill out of pocket, reimbursing you at a later time.

-Different insurance companies have better track records when it comes to reimbursement time and communication. If this is important to you, read multiple customer reviews from multiple sources before deciding.

-Many insurance companies include medication and treatment within plans - but not all.

-Most insurance companies do not cover dental unless the dental issue is accidental.

To explore Pet Insurance Options, check out this helpful page: 

www.consumersadvocate.org/pet-insurance/a/best-pet-insurance?

[ Editor's note: that many companies require you to register to get quotes. You may want to create an email address specifically for this purpose to keep your inbox from being flooded].

Shannon O'Keefe

ConsumersAdvocate.org

Lots 81-82, Street C

Dorado, PR, 00646