Every day, owners are greeted by pets awaiting their return after a long day at work. Cats and dogs alike have become beloved members of families all around the United States, so it is no surprise that more and more pets have their own pet health insurance. Is pet insurance worth the cost, and what does pet insurance cover?
What is the Cost of Pet Insurance?
Pet health care can vary in cost based on which coverage plan an owner chooses. Similar to the human counterpart, insurance for pets can include annual or per-visit deductibles, annual limits, additional limitations and so forth.
Also, a dog’s health insurance can cost more or less than a cat’s health insurance. In addition to this, certain breeds of cats or dogs can also vary the costs of health insurance for pets.
Generally, basic coverage can run just a few dollars a month. Premium coverage can run up to 100 dollars or more each month. Many companies also offer additional discounts for multiple pet insurance policies to help ease the costs of increasing pet care.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Most basic insurance plans cover emergency situations, such as the following:
- Accidents, including car accidents or dog attacks.
- Accidental poison ingestion, (some include dogs eating chocolate.)
- Foreign object ingestion (such as a toy.)
- X-rays and surgeries necessary for any above-mentioned conditions
- Additional medical treatment is often also included for any of the above-mentioned conditions.
Basic pet insurance coverage is often the most affordable pet insurance available. Some consider it to be the best pet insurance an owner can get, simply because it covers the unknown.
However, some pet owners may opt to pay for premium pet insurance plans. Top of the line premium plans most often cover all the above, plus additional coverage for:
- Cancer in both cats and dogs, including treatments such as chemotherapy and cancer support.
- Canine diabetes or feline diabetes, including continuing care.
- Heartworm issues (as long as proper heartworm prevention is followed prior to the condition.)
- Illnesses, including common pet ailments such as ear infections.
- Allergies in both cats, dogs.
- Arthritis in both cats, dogs.
- Preventive care including annual exams, annual vaccinations and dental cleaning.
In addition to these, some companies will also cover disease that certain breeds are predisposed to, such as hip dysplasia. This type of coverage is often an additional, larger fee. However, not all companies do this, and many pet care insurance providers do not cover hereditary problems or genetic conditions.
Lastly, some pet insurance providers follow certain codes of ethics when it pertains to animals. These codes often mean that none of their insurance plans will cover treatments such as dewclaw removal, tail docking or ear cropping.
Is Pet Insurance Worth It?
For many, low cost pet insurance that offers basic accident coverage is a necessity.
Overall, it is at the pet owner’s discretion whether or not they believe the insurance is worth it. Some pet owners may feel basic coverage for accidents is necessary, whereas others may feel that their pet needs the best of the best for lifelong pet insurance.
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