Pets bring so much joy to our lives and keeping them healthy and happy is a priority for most pet parents. However, since you never know when your pets may get sick or hurt and with the high cost of veterinary visits, keeping your pet in tip-top shape may leave your budget in need of emergency repair. Although many pet owners have heard of pet insurance, they may find it an absurd idea or consider it to be an unaffordable option. After recently facing an exorbitant vet bill for my dog’s ear infection, I looked into pet insurance out of curiosity. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. After visiting several sites, I was amazed at the affordability of the option, how easy it would be to use and the range of its coverage.

Pet coverage is not a new idea. For those keeping score; the first pet insurance policy was written in 1924 for a dog in Sweden, in 1947 the first pet insurance policy was sold in Britain where the concept rapidly took off, and in 1982 the first pet insurance policy was sold in the United States to cover canine TV star, Lassie. Although dogs and cats are the pets most commonly covered by pet insurance policies, there are many options for pets like: lizards, chinchillas, parrots and other unique animals.

Most pet insurance offers different coverage options ranging from: routine wellness care visits, lifesaving accident protection, illness visits, long-term or chronic conditions, lab fees, prescriptions, X-rays and surgery. After looking through several different sites, it seems it is best to enroll pets while they are young, before any pre-existing condition develops or an accident or illness occurs. Most companies accept applications for pets as young as six weeks old but cease to enroll pets 10-years and older.

I was most surprised to see how easy and affordable it can be to obtain pet coverage. Pet insurance companies offer plans for as little as $7 per month up to $28 per month. Nearly all companies I looked into ask that you pay during time of service, which is not always ideal. However, most offer a quick reimbursement when you simply mail or fax your claim form and receipts to their company. After meeting your policy’s deductible (typically around $100) you are reimbursed according to the plan benefit schedule or the invoice amount.

When you are looking for pet insurance to cover of your animal pal, be sure to add the length of time the company has been in business to your research list. Make certain they employ certified and trained professionals, that they have received veterinary recognition and that they have been around long enough to have insured the lifetime health of a few pets. A visit to the veterinarian can be costly. Pet insurance can give you peace-of-mind by assisting with expenses so you do not have to make a difficult financial decision regarding your pet’s health at a stressful and emotional time.

By Kirsten Goulet