Pets are nothing if not unpredictable, and you never know when an emergency will happen. But while daily care and expenses for your pet are easy to budget for, unexpected veterinary expenses can be overwhelming.
September is National Pet Insurance Month, the perfect time to explore potential pet insurance options and make sure your pets are covered when the unexpected happens. Keep reading to discover how pet insurance works and seven reasons to consider enrolling your furry friend today.
How Does Pet Insurance Work?
Pet insurance covers the unexpected expenses that come with pet ownership, like emergency vet visits and surgeries. Typically, pet insurance will cover:
- Injuries like broken bones
- Hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia (usually following a waiting period)
- Prescriptions
- X-rays, blood tests, and other diagnostics
- Emergency room fees
- Surgeries
Pet insurance works as a reimbursement plan. You pay a monthly premium, and the insurance company will reimburse you a selected percentage of your eligible costs once you've reached your deductible.
The amount you pay every month, your deductible, and your maximum will all differ from plan to plan and based on what fits best within your budget and pet's needs.
7 Benefits of Pet Insurance
If you're on the fence about enrolling your pet in an insurance plan, consider these seven advantages:
1. Help Pay for Expensive Vet Procedures
One of the primary benefits of having pet insurance is the money you can get reimbursed for large, unexpected medical costs.
Emergency vet visits and surgeries can add up quickly, and the nature of these visits means it's difficult to budget for them. A $10,000 vet bill is a huge expense, and the average pet owner doesn't have that amount in their savings.
With pet insurance, you can worry less about paying for your pet's veterinary bills.
2. Get Your Pet the Best Medical Care
Without pet insurance, many pet owners are faced with the impossible decision of choosing to skip a vital surgery or opting for a cheaper medical treatment because they can't afford any alternatives.
With pet insurance, you can explore different treatment options and choose the one that's best for your pet without worrying too much about the financial burden.
3. No Restrictions on Vets
Pet insurance operates differently than human health insurance. Because it's a reimbursement plan, you work directly with the insurance company for your claim instead of going through the veterinary clinic.
You aren't limited to a specific network of vets, so you're free to choose the licensed vet that's right for you and your pet's needs. This freedom gives you more options to explore different vets until you find one that your pet enjoys, or you can choose a vet that's more convenient for your location.
4. Take Advantage of Additional Benefits
Many pet insurance plans come with additional benefit that can help make it easier to care for your pet. Many plans, for example, offer 24/7 access to chat with licensed veterinary professionals.
Not only is this chat a more convenient option to help answer your medical questions about your pet, but it can also help you save money.
Many pet insurance plans don't cover typical office visits without an additional plan purchase. You can take advantage of their vet chat to get expert advice for common medical issues like allergies, and save yourself the cost (and hassle) of taking your pet to the vet.
5. You Won’t Spend as Much on Vet Appointments
While traditional plans don't cover the average check-up with your pet's veterinarian, there are many pet insurance plans and add-ons that offer wellness coverage at an additional cost.
This additional coverage can help you budget for your pet's routine care in addition to emergency expenses, helping you spend less on things like routine wellness visits, dental cleaning, vaccinations, and more.
6. Keep Your Savings for Emergencies
While having an emergency fund set aside is a smart financial decision, it's not always possible. In fact, most Americans have an emergency fund that's much smaller than they'd like it to be, with 56% not able to cover a $1,000 emergency expense.
It can be hard to build up your savings, and there are many other emergencies you may need to use that money for that are unrelated to your pet.
With pet insurance helping you cover major pet health expenses; you can hang on to your savings for other unexpected emergencies.
7. Give Yourself Peace of Mind
One of the most important benefits of having pet insurance is the peace of mind that it can provide. When your pet is sick, the last thing that you want to worry about is how you'll afford the examinations and treatment they'll need.
With pet insurance, you can focus on what's most important – helping your pet heal and getting them back to their happy, healthy self as soon as possible.
Do You Have a Pet Insurance Plan?
Pets are family, and we know that you want to keep your furry friend happy and healthy. This National Pet Insurance Month, why not take some time to explore a pet insurance policy offered by AKC Pet Insurance? Each plan (underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company) is fully customizable to fit within your budget—plus, you’ll have the support of the only pet insurance provider trusted by the American Kennel Club.
Pets are full of surprises, and while you can't always plan for accidents, you can use pet insurance to help ease the burden of expensive veterinary bills.
