by Amy Dunphy
Trying to decide if you should get insurance on your pet? There are of course pro’s and con’s to it. Years ago I decided to try it out. I thought, if something happened, it would be a good decision to have it. Some plans will cover basic vet care and heartworm and things like that. Read through the information below and make a decision for you and your beloved pets.
Standard Care is the essential care that is required for any pet. This usually includes shots, heartworm tests and supplies, and any other preventative care that is required through an animals life. This is usually not covered by most insurance plans and requires a special extra fee. Calculate the cost of this fee and then call your local vets office to get a price quote and compare the two. Keep in mind that sometimes your vet may be more costly than using an online pharmacy, so price out those options as well.
Accidents happen to pets all the time. Just the other day, my dog broke his nail. We had to go to the vet, have it removed, and get a shot of antibiotics. The total cost was $50 for this procedure. Of course, not everything is covered so you need to discuss this with the insurance company and find out exactly what is covered. When I was with one insurance company I actually got charged for submitting claims that weren’t covered. Of course I had no way of knowing what was covered and what wasn’t.
Every owners fear is the dreaded Cancer word. At least I know it is mine. Cancer procedures and testing is not covered by most companies. There are special riders for this as well. But you have to purchase them BEFORE the dog has cancer. Otherwise it is excluded as preexisting.
The bottom line is do your research, talk to your vet, talk to different companies and try to make the best decision you can for your loved ones. I know that vet insurance has worked for so many people. In the long run, I think its a gamble, just like life insurance. If you dont have it and something happens you kick yourself that you should have just done it. But in other cases, you do have it, and nothing thankfully ever goes wrong.
Amy Dunphy is the owner of the Positive Dog Training Blog (www.DogTrainerSearch.com/blog/). A nationally certified dog trainer with the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers, she has attended programs with Dogs of Course as well as the Companion Animal Institute and attends seminars on dog learning behavior and theory. She graduated from George Mason University with a BS in Computer Science and is the mom of one Chesapeake (Dakota), one yellow lab (Nitro) and two young active boys. She’s also a Field Instructor with Paws for a Cause which provides assistance dogs, hearing dogs and seizure dogs.
