What To Consider Before Buying

If you're a pet owner, you've no doubt noticed that veterinary care for your pet can be quite expensive.

Just a routine check-up and vaccinations can run a couple of hundred dollars or more.  If your pet has an emergency, the costs can be staggering.

Pet owners want to do what they can to help their furry loved ones in need, and it can lead to difficult, heart-breaking decisions.

There are options for emergency situations.  There are several companies that offer credit to help with the costs of veterinary care, but with interest rates as high as they are, that's not always a great option.

More and more people are turning to pet insurance, and depending on who you talk to and what company they use, you're bound to get many differing opinions.

Is pet insurance worth it?

Decisions need to be made based on each individual situation.

We recently researched this for our two dachshunds.  Both are 3 years old and in good health.  By insuring both our dogs, we received a discount.  Our total monthly premium is about $51 or $612 for the year.  We chose not to include routine visits or any of the add-ons.  Our goal is to insure our boys against major catastrophic emergencies.

The coverage we bought will cover each dog up to $7,000 a year minus a $700 deductible.  When you consider the cost of treatment should they develop cancer or some other malady, the savings could be significant.

The amount you'll pay for insurance will depend on things like breed, age, and location.

Keep in mind that pet insurance won't cover pre-existing conditions.  In our case, the dogs had to have had a check-up within the past year, and the insurance company received our dogs' health records from the vet.  Then there was a two-week waiting period before coverage kicked in.

During our research, we found some wide differences in coverage.  Also, check   I strongly advise you to do your research, including asking the people in the vet's office (not necessarily the vet, but the people at the front desk who handle billing).

Is Pet Insurance Worth It In 2023? – Forbes Advisor