Pet owners have a choice. They can purchase pet insurance, or they can decide not to. There are no laws that require pet owners to buy this type of insurance. Is it worth it for you to spend money on a monthly pet insurance premium? The answer for that question depends on many factors.
Pet owners love their pets. Many pet owners consider their pets to be as important a part of their family as the human members are. How often have you heard a person refer to their pets as their “fur babies”? I have seen people shopping in retail stores who are pushing a stroller that has been designed for small dogs to ride inside of. It is obvious that many people truly love their pets.
Pet insurance is for dogs and cats what health insurance is for humans. Typical pet insurance includes “routine care coverage”. This part covers regular preventative veterinary care.
In general, it will cover the cost of annual physical exams, vaccinations, heart worm detection and treatment, spay/neuter procedure, teeth cleaning, prescription medication for flea control, and a comprehensive health screening. Some will also cover de worming, fecal tests, and microchip identification (but not all policies of this type will do that).
Is this type of pet insurance worth it? Financially speaking, it could save you some money in the long run. If your dog or cat receives preventative care now, it could prevent him from developing a serious illness later on. Vaccinations can prevent your dog or cat from catching certain diseases. Health screenings can catch health problems before they become big health problems.
Pet major medical policies cover serious medical conditions. It will cover the treatment needed due to accidents, or due to a serious illness. It covers MRI, CAT Scans, X-rays, surgeries, hospitalization, and even snake bite treatments. It also covers ingested foreign objects.
Is this type of pet insurance worth it? This sort of depends on exactly what happens to your pet. Does your dog have a habit of eating socks (and other non-foods)? If so, then purchasing a pet major medical policy could cost less than multiple trips to the vet to remove the foreign objects that your dog ingested.
Surgeries can cost thousands of dollars. Yes, it is possible that your pet could be exceptionally lucky, and will never require surgery. Do you really want to take that gamble? You may find it easier to pay a monthly insurance premium than to pay a large amount of money all at once on the cost of your pet’s surgery.
Image by Yukari* on Flickr