So many of us consider our pets as so much more than just animals, they are loved members of our families, and we would do anything to help keep them healthy, or save them in a time of medical crisis. However, many of us do not have savings or a “rainy day” fund set aside to cover an unexpected illness or injury. Pet insurance provides peace of mind for the unknown and helps reduce “economic” euthanasia (where a pet owner’s only option is humane euthanasia when treatment becomes too costly).
There have been so many incredible advances in veterinary medicine over the past decade, that now there is even more than ever before that can be done for a pet. Consider that treatments like chemotherapy and organ transplants, once only considered for humans, can now be performed on pets. Veterinarians also have far more tools available for diagnosis, such as MRI’s. These advances are costly, but pet insurance can help! Take a look at http://trupanion.com/pet-insurance/actual-claims for an idea of the costs of some common illnesses, accidents and hereditary conditions.
There are a number of different insurance providers for pet insurance, so shop around and find out the details of each. Policies, premiums and deductibles can vary widely, find out if there are limit payouts by incident, year or the animal’s lifetime and ask about discounts for insuring multiple pets. It is always in your best interest to get the insurance as early on in your pets life as possible, while they are young and healthy, and do not have any conditions that will be classified as “pre-existing” and will not be covered. Some providers may also provide coverage for routine pet costs such as vaccines, dentistry, pet food and training. Ask your veterinarian about signing your pet up for a free trail, this way your pet will be covered for free while you do your research into the different companies and decide which is right for you.
Visit http://trupanion.com/canada and https://www.petsecure.com/ to get some free quotes for your pet. These are 2 of the most popular pet insurance providers but there are others!
Still not sure? At the very least make sure you do put aside some savings for your pets. At least $20-60 per month (about what you would pay for the average pet insurance policy) is a good place to start. But keep in mind, should a large unexpected accident or illness arise, you may not have accumulated very much in your savings to cover it. However, if paying into a pet insurance policy, even as soon as your wait period is finished, you could be covered up to an unlimited amount!
If you have further questions please call us at Chestermere Veterinary Clinic 403-272-3573.
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Sources:
Trupanion Pet Insurance http://trupanion.com/canada
Pet Secure Pet Insurance http://www.petsecure.com
Weston, Liz. “Should you buy pet insurance?” MSN Money, Personal Finance 2010. Web May 3, 2013. http://money.msn.com/insurance/should-you-buy-pet-insurance-weston.aspx
