How to Find the Best Veterinary Pet Insurance

Veterinary pet insurance helps pay the bills.

Veterinary pet insurance is like health insurance for people, except it covers veterinary care for your dog, cat or other pets. A veterinary insurance policy can give you peace of mind, knowing you'll be able to afford unexpectedly high vet bills if your pet is injured or becomes ill. However, it's important to decide what coverage is best for you and your pet, because the difference in what's covered and how much a policy will pay varies widely. Many different insurance policies are available, costing from around $15 a month to $50 a month or more.

Difficulty:

 

Easy

Instructions

1. • 1
     Decide if you want a veterinary pet insurance policy or a discount program. Veterinary insurance works like health insurance, so you pay a deductible, then the insurance reimburses you for all or a high percentage of your pet's veterinary expenses, up to an agreed-upon limit. Veterinary discount programs give you a discount on certain veterinary care, usually in the range of 25 percent, with no deductible and no upper limit.
   • 2
     Decide what's most important for you to have covered, and compare pet veterinary policies. When choosing among insurance companies, some things to consider are: Whether your current vet is on their list of approved providers, how high the deductible is, what the upper limits of coverage are per year or per incident, and what pre-existing conditions are excluded. See if there are ongoing requirements for eligibility, such as an annual exam and vaccinations, or exclusions for certain common problems with a breed, such as hip dysplasia. Cheaper premiums may only pay for treatment of illness or injury, while more comprehensive treatments may pay for routine care, spaying or neutering, preventive care, or even the cost of advertising for your pet if it's lost. The website www.petinsurancereview offers reviews and summaries of many different policies.
   • 3
     Ask your veterinarian if he or she has had experience with the company, and make sure the amounts that the company will pay are in line with the amounts your veterinarian charges. A pet insurance policy may contract to pay 80 percent of a fixed amount for certain procedures, which might be much less than a particular veterinarian actually charges. Unless you're joining a veterinarian discount program, you will probably be responsible for paying your veterinarian and then filing a claim to be reimbursed, so check with the insurance company to see how easy filing will be.
   • 4
     Apply for a pet veterinary insurance policy, if you think pet insurance is right for you. Companies usually offer a multi-pet discount, and allow you to continue to insure a pet for its lifetime, even if the pet becomes too old to be eligible for new insurance. When applying for insurance, make sure to discuss your pet's current health if you have any questions about what will be covered, and also to see if your pet's breed has any exclusions.