Finding Pet Health Insurance
Just Got Easier

Fact:

All pet insurance companies in the United States permit you to visit any veterinarian in the country including emergency veterinarians and specialists. Some pet insurance companies, will even cover you in Canada, Mexico, and other parts of the world when you are on vacation.

Pet insurance is what is known as a indemnity insurance where you pay the claim up front and the company reimburses you after applying your deductible and co-pay, until you reach your policy's annual or lifetime maximum.

The main reason for reimbursement payment is that pet insurance is a very, very small industry compared to human health insurance. The computer systems aren't in place that would allow direct reimbursement to the veterinarian and these networks are incredibly expensive to build. However many companies, can and do make exceptions to this but these must be arranged between you, your veterinarian, and the pet insurance company on a case-by-case basis.

Most pet insurance companies will issue a new policy to pets aged 8 weeks to up to 8 or even 10 years old, sometimes older if your pet undergoes a medical exam. Usually there is a waiting period and some pre-existing conditions may be excluded temporarily or permanently from your policy.

The waiting period is the time between when you first sign up for pet insurance and when your full coverage kicks in. For example, if you sign up and begin coverage on March 1st then your waiting period for accidents may be two or three days after, say March 3rd, and for illnesses as long as 4 weeks later, say March 31st.

Most pet insurance companies have a waiting period of 48 hours for accidents and between 14 and 30 days for illnesses. The waiting period is there so that no one takes out insurance immediately after an accident or illness.

The waiting period only applies in your first policy year, after that there is no waiting period on your pet insurance.

Once you've gone to the veterinarian, you pay the bill and fill out a claim form that your veterinarian signs. You fax or mail this form in to the pet insurance company along with your paid and itemized veterinary bill.

Once you've sent in your claim form, it is assessed and you usually receive a check or direct deposit back into your account minus any deductible or co-pay that apply to your policy, until you reach your policy's annual maximum.

If you paid for additional coverage's like routine care or prescription drugs then these will be reimbursed on your claim too according to your pet insurance plan's limits.

Myth

You can't get pet insurance for an older pet.

Since my pet is well now there's no point buying pet insurance.

I have to wait until my pet's current medical condition has resolved itself before getting pet insurance.

Pet insurance is only worthwhile if you have a very active pet or an older pet that is likely to develop problems.

Pet insurance should pay for routine care coverage such as vaccinations and spaying/neutering.

I don't need pet insurance because I can save a small amount each month to pay for anything that might happen.

Keys to Affordable Pet Insurance

Not only are there lots of pet insurance companies and plans out there but every pet parent's definition of "affordable" is different. Here's what you should know about making pet insurance affordable.

Pet insurance can cost as little as $10 or more than $50 per month although the majority of plans are between $20 and $40 per month, about the same as your monthly cell phone bill.

Pets aged 8 weeks through about 5 years usually get the best rates and premiums may increase as your pet gets older.

Although there are a number of factors that determine how your pet insurance premium is calculated, in general you can make pet insurance more affordable by:

* Choosing a higher deductible
* Choosing a higher co-pay
* Taking advantage of any pet insurance discounts for which you may be eligible
* Choosing a lower annual maximum
* Paying annually instead of monthly
* Choosing not to take routine care coverage

Remember, the idea behind pet insurance is to share in the cost of veterinary care with you. The more of the veterinary costs you absorb through things like a higher deductible, the cheaper and more affordable your pet insurance will be. Discounts Make Pet Insurance More Affordable

Some companies also provide discounts on pet insurance if you:

* Insure multiple pets
* Enroll in their employee benefits program
* Get your cat or dog micro chipped
* Work full or part-time in a veterinary clinic or hospital

Ask if you are eligible for any of these discounts as they can definitely make your pet insurance more affordable.