The Benefits of Pet Insurance

For many Americans pets are more than just companions, they are valued members of the family. They are always there when we need them and they accompany us when go for a walk in the park or travel across the country. Nevertheless, taking care of pets is more than just feeding and in some cases clothing them; we also need to plan for their medical expenses. The cost of health care has increased not just for humans, but for animals as well.

In the last decade alone, veterinarian bills have nearly doubled. With the current economic circumstances, many today have a hard time covering the rising costs of treatment for their pets. Pet insurance was created to address this need. With a pet health policy, the owner can gain greater peace of mind knowing they will be able to cover expenses should there be an unexpected health concern.

Pet insurance comes in a wide range of plans. Deductibles can range from $100 annually with higher premiums to per incident deductibles with lower premiums. In most cases, the policyholder is able to use their own veterinarian. This allows the owner to stay with the person they trust to care for their pet without the need to choose from within a network of providers (like with many human health insurance plans).

In addition, many policies allow the insurance to be used with specialists and/or any licensed pet physician throughout the country. So if your pet suffers an illness or injury while traveling, you can take it to the nearest licensed vet for treatment. Since most pet owners want to have them along on long trips across the country, this adds an additional layer of security to the plan.

Pet insurance plans normally come with a liability component as well. This means that if your pet injures someone or damages the personal property of another party, the policy would cover these instances as well.

Although pet health insurance is a relatively new idea, it is one that is gaining in popularity as the cost of treatment continues to rise. No longer do owners need to make the difficult decision to euthanize their pet simply because they lack the funds for adequate treatment. With pet insurance, they can be assured that their canine and feline family members will be covered if the need for medical care arises.