Pet insurance can help with the high cost of vet’s bills

People often only consider pet insurance when they face the vet’s huge bill for treatment. Like any member of the family, treatment costs for pet injuries and illnesses is not cheap – an unfortunately there is no medicare for pets. Think of Pet Insurance as a safety net to help you take care of the cost of unexpected vet bills, so you can take care of your pet in the manner in which he or she deserves!

Why consider insuring your pet’s health?

Over time, just as with humans, your little pal is likely at some point to face an illness or accident.  All to often this can cost thousands of dollars, and unfortunately only a few people have instant access to this sort of cash. Only yesterday, I heard about a well-known Australian personality who paid $4,000 to get his cat’s tail fixed.  As he said, that could have paid for a face lift!!  (Not for the cat)!!  Jokes aside, health care, whether it is for humans, cats or dogs is simply expensive. 

With no pet insurance in place, your expenses can blow up. Think about where the cash is going to come from – selling the car, giving up a holiday or a loan from the bank? With Pet Insurance in place which can pays a sizeable proportion (for example up to 85% with no excess) of the vet’s bills, this sort of situation can be avoided. This is one good reason why you should consider pet health insurance for your cat or dog.

 How do you compare pet insurance options on the market?

When you look at pet insurance options, you will discover that most policies in Australia accept cats and dogs from 8 weeks up to 9 years of age, for accident and illness cover.  If you leave it too late (ie if they are older than 9 years old) then you may only be able to get cover against accidents.  Many plans also include routine care for things like teeth cleaning, vaccinations, heartworm and help with tick and flea control.  A word of caution – most policies EXCLUDE  pre existing conditions. So this means anything your pet has been treated for before the cover took place, is unlikely to be covered in your policy.  So the important thing is to get the insurance sorted early, whilst your pet is young and healthy – so that the cover is there when it’s needed!

When choosing the level of cover best suited for your pet and your family, think about the level of cover you would like (ie the proportion of the vet’s bills that get paid), and your budget – look out for plans that also include an excess – they may be cheaper, but do not necessarily provide the cover you are looking for.

Related posts:

1. Understanding exclusions in pet insurance
2. Welcoming a new pet into the family
3. What’s more important to you? Your family or your pet?
4. Pet Care Essentials
5. Pet Insurance: Myths