According to the American Hospital Association, only 3% of pet owners carry pet insurance, a startlingly low percentage when you consider that 88 percent of us consider our pets to be members of our families. Given that dogs are most susceptible to arthritis, heart disease, liver and renal disease and cancer, it should come as no surprise that the end of your dog’s life is sometimes an expensive time. You may spend $500 on a harness, ramp, and a year’s worth of medication for an arthritic dog. Why, then, do so few people carry pet insurance?
Why don’t more people get dog insurance?
There are frequent excuses people use for not purchasing dog insurance. This reasonable objection, “I don’t understand which policy to buy,” is true for a lot of people, though. The majority of people go to a veterinarian for medical care and most veterinarians don’t make it a point to suggest particular health insurance companies. Different plans offer various types of coverage, and many policies give substantial coverage. “I’m scared it won’t cover all my pet’s medical costs,” is another common thought on people’s minds. But it’s nearly impossible to discover a strategy that provides for everything. But practically anything is still preferable to nothing, right?
Aspects to consider before getting dog insurance
Things to consider when purchasing pet insurance: senior dog insurance isn’t always available. Some insurers won’t accept dogs older than 10, but there are others that have no upper age limit. Not all insurance policies include cancer coverage. When you sign the dotted line, it would be a good idea to find out if your plan covers this expense given that cancer claims account for roughly half of all elder pets.
Conditions that already exist will not be covered. To demonstrate that this is not a disease you have known for a long time, you will likely need to provide your insurance company with all of your medical records if you present them with a hefty cost. With covered services, you often pay the veterinarian first before submitting a claim for reimbursement of the animal’s expenses. Your budget will be heavily influenced by how soon you get payments from your insurer. Find a firm that pays claims promptly, provides direct transfer to your account for reimbursement, and accepts claims through fax or email rather than merely mail.
Ask your vet, front desk staff or pet friends which companies offer the best dog insurance. It’s simple to have a stunning website, but inquire about a business’s reputation and clientele. Avoid the unfamiliar and places where friends or other vet clients have had negative experiences. Numerous options exist to reduce the initial cost of pet insurance. To begin with, most businesses provide discounts for many pets. The likelihood of an unanticipated accident or disease does not decrease with the number of pets, but some administrative costs, particularly those related to marketing, are decreased, and most businesses will pass these savings along to clients in the form of a pet discount.