Choosing Your Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is much like any health coverage insurance for the rest of your family. In the event of an illness, injury, or emergency it can mean the difference between life and death of the pet if you cannot afford the thousands of dollars it may cost. However, unlike your insurance, pet insurance will not normally cover any routine care such as check ups and regular shots. Some companies will offer this coverage but charge an additional fee in order to do so. Find out if your potential insurer covers these. If so, determine what you currently pay and see if it will be beneficial in the long run or not.

In order to determine the best possible solution for insuring your pet there are several factors that you will need to look at. Many pet insurance companies will not cover hereditary conditions, pre-existing conditions, or an illness that continues over a long period of time. If your pet is diagnosed with a new condition and is being treated, there may be a length of time that is acceptable. Once you have reached that time limit, they will claim it is a pre-existing condition and no longer cover it.

The age of your pet will likely play a role also. Some companies will not insure your pet if it is a dog over eight years old. On the other hand, your pet insurance company may cancel your policy once your pet reaches a certain age or at least increase your premiums. These age restrictions and guidelines will vary dependent on the type of pet you own, the breed, and life expectancy.

Another thing you want to check is if the pet insurance company employs a maximum payout. In the case they do, they will only pay up to a specified dollar amount per illness, injury, ailment, etc... The rest will be left for you to pay!

Of course, as with most any insurance plans ensure you know and understand the following:

• Monthly premium costs.
• Excess, how much you will pay per vet visit.
• Exclusions, are there any cases they specifically won't cover?
• Are any extras included?

Pet insurance not only is beneficial for medical reasons. Many people don't realize that some pet insurance companies cover other aspects of owning a pet, other than medical. Some examples of these are given below. Determine if you feel they are important in your case. Be sure to inquire about these if you feel you may need them.

If your pet is a dog, it can be important to find out if they cover liability. In the case that your dog causes damage to someone's property or for some reason bites another person, will your pet insurance cover it?

Some pet insurance companies even cover the costs of recovering your beloved pet if they should stray away.

Pets don't have the safety net that we normally do. They can't show an ID and get treated for an emergency regardless of insurance or income. Should something happen, it is up to the owner to be able to provide care for them. Fortunately, there are at least a handful of pet insurance companies these days. When choosing a company, search the above criteria and ensure your potential insurer is a reputable company.