Health Insurance for Pets

While health insurance for pets isn't new, it's widespread acceptance is relatively recent. Spurred by advances in veterinary medicine that have significantly increased costs along with the growing trend towards viewing pets as "part of the family", more and more pet owners are turning to pet health insurance.

Pet insurance resembles medical insurance for humans in some respects. But, there are some important differences. To choose the right plan and get the most benefit from it, it's important to understand how health insurance for pets differs from health insurance for humans.

Here are some things to keep in mind while shopping for pet insurance:

While prices among competing insurance companies may seem pretty level, what you get for your premium dollar can vary greatly. It's imperative to do your research. Here's a video that demonstrates how dramatic the difference can be.
When you visit the doctor, you can usually rely on your doctor's office to file the claim for you. Not so with most pet insurances. Generally, you will need to file the claim yourself and the company will reimburse you instead of paying the vet directly.
You may have become accustomed to a $20 - $30 co-pay when you visit your doctor for routine matters. Pet health insurance doesn't typically cover routine expenses unless you purchase a wellness plan.

One Pet, Four Different Plans
A Comparison of Benefits

There are currently a dozen different pet insurance programs available in the U.S. alone. Only four of them are mentioned in this video.

There are several other excellent pet insurance companies that were not included in this study that deserve your consideration. This is a single case study about a dog with a spinal condition. Had a different pet with a different condition been used as an example, the outcome could have been very different.

The importance of this video is that it shows how widely coverage can vary for what you might think would be comparable policies.