Negosentro.com | How to Buy the Best Pet Insurance Policy | Cats and dogs are not just cute, but they are almost always an important part of the family. Unfortunately, vet bills – especially the unexpected type – can wreak havoc with your family’s budget.
Thankfully, pet owners have an alternative now. Pet health insurance has become very popular because it makes your pet’s health problems more manageable.
What Does My New Pet Need?
When you decide to bring a new dog or cat home, you know you will need a collar for your dog or a scratching post for your cat, as well as toys and food. However, you think beyond the obvious and choose a good pet health insurance plan. With any luck, you won’t need it right away, but someday, you will probably be glad you have it.
Depending on the type of policy you end up buying, pet insurance can help with any or all of the following:
- Illness. For example, digestive system illnesses, infections, or cancer, infections or digestive problems;
- Check-ups and Wellness. This can apply to: heartworm prevention, vaccinations, dental care, including everything from gingivitis t rot canals, as well as flea and tick medications. At the end, it covers cremation and burial;
- Accidents. For instance, if your pet eats something that causes illness, or they get hit by a car or injured by another animal;
- Genetic and breed-specific conditions, such as allergies or hip dysplasia.
In many cases, pet health insurance is an absolute necessity, as a way to prevent unexpected vet bills. Of course, when you decide to purchase such a plan, you will likely have many questions. Don’t worry about it; most people do.
Not All Pet Insurance Policies are Alike – Read Carefully
It is simply a fact that different policies cover different things. For example, there are many policies that won’t cover genetic or breed-specific conditions, and many policies won’t cover pre-existing conditions.
That’s why it is absolutely imperative that you read everything, including the website of the insurer and all of the policy’s codicils and conditions, especially the fine print, before you agree and sign on the dotted line, as it were. Make sure you avoid making any assumptions and “think” you know what’s covered. You have to know what is covered going in.
After all, the reason you’re investing in a pet insurance policy is to prevent unexpected expenses that put your family’s finances in peril. Therefore, if you don’t know what the policy covers, you are essentially negating the intended effect of pet insurance, anyway.
While there are some differences among many pet insurance policies, most policies are largely the same. Very few policies cover pre-existing conditions, which refers to any health concern that predates the issuance of the policy.
Despite that similarity, however, many insurers differ in how they handle pre-existing conditions. In many cases, insurers will cover them if vet records show the condition seems to have been cured for 6-12 months prior to the latest recurrence.
When Should a Pet Owner Buy Pet Insurance?
The best time t invest in pet insurance, whether iit is Pumpkin Pet Insurance or any other type, is when your pet is a puppy or a kitten. That means you should purchase a policy as soon as possible, like right after you take them home, or just after their first vet appointment.
This recommendation, which comes from veterinarians themselves, is because it reduces the likelihood that a kitten or puppy will have a condition that could become a “pre-existing condition” later on. Also, like humans, cats and dogs often develop more health problems as they age.
Over time, pet insurance premiums will become less cost-effective as your pet gets older. It’s easier to get insurance on a puppy or kitten than it will be later.
