Is Pet Insurance Right For You?

Very few Pets insured

Pet insurance is nothing new; it has been around for almost 30 years now. Still there are very few pet owners who actually carry insurance for their pet(s). It's seems that the majority of pet owners don't even realize that pet insurance is available, or even an option. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturing Association, only about 3 percent of dogs and 1 percent of cats are insured.

"We try to educate people on pet insurance," commented Jean Smith, hospital manager with Defiance Veterinary Clinic Inc., "We keep brochures handy at the office. Pet insurance is something we even hear about at seminars."

Pets have become a more integral part of the family than in previous years, and pet owners are less likely to be willing to have a sick or injured animal euthanized. Veterinarian Richard Broussard has seen owners become more emotionally attached to pets over the last 25 years. Pet owners are building longer lasting relationships with their four-legged companions, and therefore more likely to pay their insurance premiums, in case there is an accident.

Unlike health insurance for people, most pet insurers allow owners to choose any veterinarian to care for their pet. Usually the pet owner will pay for services out of pocket, and send off for reimbursement from the insurance agency.

"We don't have a lot of people using it, about four or five," a bookkeeper at the Northwest Veterinary Hospital, Karen Krumm stated. "We do recommend it.

There are many factors that can influence plan coverage and cost. Generally cats are cheaper to insure than dogs, also small dogs, and mixed breed dogs tend to be less expensive to cover than larger or purebred dogs. Also it's best to get your pet insured while it's young, since they are less likely to have any pre-existing health conditions and many policies won't cover these conditions.

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