Do you have pet insurance? If not, have you ever considered it? While it may not seem like a worthwhile expense to some, pet owners should be aware that their furbaby can have health and medical issues that are similar to those that humans experience. The only time my family ever owned a cat, Lacey, he was diabetic and we had to give him insulin shots on a daily basis. I never would've imagined such a thing if I hadn't experienced it.
Some common medical conditions that dogs and cats experience include:
- Bladder or Urinary Tract Infection
- Vomiting and Upset Stomach
- Skin Allergies or Infection
- Diarrhea and Intestinal Upset
- Ear Infection
- Excessive Thyroid Hormone
- Non-cancerous Skin Mass
- Periodontitis/Dental Disease
- Lymphoma
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Chronic Kidney Disease
Aside from these types of health issues, they may have injuries as a result of a fall or some other trauma. Their routine veterinary visits and unexpected emergency visits can add up to a pretty penny. Will you be prepared?
Kristen Lynch, executive director of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), says “It’s puzzling why we are a nation so in love with our pets, yet so slow to embrace the concept of pet insurance”.
Here are some reasons from industry experts regarding why they think it's smart to buy pet insurance:
- Provides an easy way to budget for pet care costs. You can be better prepared for unanticipated accidents and illnesses that could lead to additional veterinary expenses for surgeries, treatments or medications.
- Pet care costs are rising.
- Provides pet owners with peace of mind.
- Pet insurance companies offer insurance regardless of breed and size.
- Most policies allow you to choose any licensed veterinarian in the U.S.
- Pet insurance may allow you to do what is right for your pet and not just what you can afford at the time.
- Pets may live longer, healthier lives.
Of course some pet owners feel it is a waste of money to purchase pet insurance. Among the reasons for this are:
- Some insurers don’t include routine or preventative exams, visits or vaccinations in their policies, and
- Your pet may never end up needing the type of care that you're paying for in your monthly premium.
Insurance of any type can be a conundrum. We pay for health, home and auto insurance regularly, but it seems that when we use our insurance our premiums increase even though we've paid a lot of money to have it... that is if we're not dropped altogether. It causes many to see insurance in a negative light.
Whether or not to get pet insurance is a very personal decision, so be sure to do your research and weigh the pros and cons that pertain to your situation when deciding what to do.