There is one thing that we, pet lovers, always had in common – to see our pets grow healthy and happy. They are part of our family, so we have to give them the best possible care they could have. But sometimes, unexpected things happen, because of course, they are pets. They will roam around, they will play, most of the time rough play, and they will tear and eat whatever is in their sight. Because they are family, once these circumstances arise, we have to give them the best possible vet care.

Imagine this – your dog got diagnosed with Parvovirus, you panicked, and you hurriedly ask your vet to do whatever it takes to save your dear friend. Though you trust your vet with a dog’s life, and you were thankful that he nursed your dog back to health, but you had a whopping bill of almost $3,000. Of course, you understood how that bill came about, but you keep thinking that you could’ve avoided this had you only researched for pet insurances.

After that day, you would immediately research and get your dog pet insurance. It would be the best decision you could’ve made. We should understand that our furry friends are playful and sometimes clumsy. They feel like they are invincible and will do everything they want out of curiosity. Plus, you would always worry about your pets, especially when you are travelling since some of them do not like going on long distances. It is a good thing that some pet insurance have overseas travel insurance.

There are several things that you must take into consideration if you are getting pet insurance. You must look at their coverage, the critical coverage terms, and the price equivalent to the policy.

For the coverage, there are at least three levels:

Accidental only – this includes treatment for specific injuries like a broken leg. Accidental-only is the cheapest policy; hence, it does not cover treatment for illnesses medical conditions. There is also no maximum age limit for this policy, and there is almost no waiting time from the approval of your membership until you get to use the plan.

Accident and Illnesses – this policy covers both accidental injuries and treatment for certain illnesses. This policy is an essential coverage, as this can sometimes suffice your pet’s needs.

Comprehensive – this policy has extensive coverage as it includes accidental injuries, illnesses, and other benefits like routine care, cruciate ligament condition treatments, and deworming. This policy has the highest maximum cover and reimbursement rates.

While reading the terms and conditions of your preferred policy, there are specific keywords that you must take note, such as:

Annual Benefit – this is the maximum amount that you can get for all claims in one policy year.

Sub-limit – in other pet insurances, you will encounter this word. Sub-limit is the maximum amount that you can get out of specific additional treatments in your policy, such as paralysis tick treatment.

Reimbursement Rate – this is the percentage of how much your insurance company can reimburse your treatment costs. It usually ranges from 60% – 80%.

Excess – this is the amount excluded from your claim. In some insurance policies, the application of the Excess is usually only on the first time your pet received treatment, or sometimes the first time your pet received treatment every policy year. Others also pay the Excess in every visit to the vet. The range of a company’s Excess is from $0 – $200, and some other policies let you pick your Excess.

Deductible – This is what you pay before they give any services to your pet. Every insurance program has a different level of deductible.  If you have a bigger budget for your pet insurance, it is better to pay a higher deductible to reduce your insurance cost.  

Waiting period – this is the number of days you have to wait from the time they approve your policy until the time you can fully avail of your claims. For example, your plan has a waiting period of 30 days, and your pet had an accident within those 30 days, you cannot yet avail your policy within that period. Other insurance companies allow a 30 day waiting period while others are only 21 days.

Pre-existing conditions – these are conditions already diagnosed just before you have availed your insurance policy. So if your pet had an illness way before you had your pet insurance, any further treatment for that illness will not be covered by your insurance company. A pro tip: it is better to get pet insurance while your pet is still young and healthy to keep any exclusions of your policy short.

The prices for pet insurance policies depend on the coverage of your system. The wider the coverage will have, the more expensive the amount of the program. However, there are still certain factors you must consider, like the breed of your dog or cat, the age, the coverage levels that you would like for your pet, your age, and the place where you live.

Spaying or neutering your pets is one of the essential parts of your pet’s life. Primary insurance policies do not include neutering; however, you can have it added in your wellness and preventive care policy. And since this can be an add-on or directly involved in your chosen insurance program, it is more expensive than an accidental injury and illness coverage.

Whenever you choose pet insurance, always make sure that you are confident, satisfied, and comfortable with the company that you selected. Since we are talking about your pet’s health and also the money that you are going to invest, you must be sure about which company to choose.

However, if you are unsure about specific companies, you can check our comparison chart on pet insurance companies and their coverage and prices. In there, you will keenly see and compare which insurance company best helps your furry friend.

You could also check our reviews on the pet insurances available on the market if you want in an in-depth search and information about insurance companies that interest you.