Pet Medical Insurance - Now Or Later?

Thursday, January 2, 2014
Should you get pet medical insurance now or later? Your pet is young and healthy. They received all the proper shots and early care before you took over their primary care and you still have months to go before they are due for more shots. It is tempting to let the pet insurance wait until a problem arises. There are many reasons why this is not a good idea. The most critical of these is the fact that insurance companies most often refuse to insure pre-existing conditions. If you wait until a problem develops you will be too late to get coverage and could end up paying out thousands of dollars in veterinary bills.

Some pet medical insurance companies will offer separate policies for your puppy or kitten that can transition into an adult policy as the animal grows. Puppies and kittens require more care in the first six months of life, not the least of which is spaying or neutering. Getting this coverage will not only ease the financial burden of caring for your new pet, but will help you get into good health care habits with your pet from the very outset. Study after study has proved that regular health care from an early age can help your pet live a longer and more active life.

Many people seem to be penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to health care for their pets. They balk at getting pet medical insurance for fear that they will pay monthly premiums for years and never need the insurance. This policy is short sighted to say the least. Studies show that basic health care for you animals can run upwards of $3000 over the lifetime of the animal that that is without considering any accident or critical care. A pet insurance policy can cost in the neighborhood of $3000 as well, but if there is an accident or traumatic illness the insurance will cover that cost. The key is to balance your lifestyle and the lifestyle of your pets against the probability of injury or illness and make your decision whether or not in invest in pet insurance.

For most of us it just makes sense to get pet medical insurance when our pets are young and maintain a policy throughout their lives. A good medical policy will give you peace of mind knowing that no matter what problem arises you will have the financial ability to deal with it.

Sherry Harris is the author of a wide range of dog topics including, but not limited to: dog insurance, puppy training, dog grooming, pet travel, dog training and much more. Your dog means the world to you, and that is why you need to make sure you have pet insurance. Dog insurance offers you a way to budget your vet's bill.