You adore your pet and are committed to providing your furry friend with the highest quality care to ensure they enjoy a long, happy, healthy life. Keeping your pet healthy can be expensive, but pet insurance provides a safety net, ensuring your pet gets the care they need without a devastating financial burden. Many pet owners are curious about pet insurance, and our team at Williamsburg Animal Clinic explains the many benefits. 

#1: Pet Insurance mitigates the cost of routine veterinary care

Regular wellness care is vital to your furry pal’s health, happiness, and well-being. Routine veterinary exams are an investment in your pet’s long-term health, and pet insurance can offset these necessary services’ costs. Routine veterinary services include:

  • Wellness examinations — Pets instinctively hide illness signs, and should be examined by a veterinary professional at least once per year to detect conditions such as heart murmurs and arrhythmias, dental disease, and abdominal masses.
  • Routine blood work — Pets may not exhibit signs until a medical condition has advanced, but routine blood work can detect conditions, such as diabetes, and liver and kidney disease, in the early stages when they are easily manageable.
  • Spay and neuter procedures — Spaying or neutering your pet protects them from certain cancers and infections and prevents some behavioral issues. 
  • Parasite prevention — Your pet needs year-round protection from parasites such as heartworms, fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms.
  • Vaccinations — Keeping your pet current on their vaccinations is important to protect them from dangerous diseases such as rabies, distemper, and parvovirus.
  • Microchipping — Microchipping your pet is the best way to provide your pet with permanent identification and help ensure you are reunited should they go missing. 

Routine veterinary care is essential to detect and prevent pets’ potential health issues before a condition becomes severe. With the right pet insurance plan, these necessary services’ financial burden becomes manageable, allowing you to budget effectively for your pet’s healthcare needs.

#2: Provides a safety net for unexpected veterinary emergencies

In addition to mitigating routine veterinary care’s costs, pet insurance provides invaluable financial support during emergencies. If your pet experiences a sudden illness or injury, the unanticipated costs for emergency veterinary care can be substantial. In emergency situations, timely medical intervention can be crucial for a pet’s survival and long-term health, and without financial backup, you may be forced to make difficult decisions based on cost rather than on your pet’s medical needs. Fortunately, pet insurance can significantly alleviate this financial burden, allowing you to focus on your pet’s immediate care and recovery rather than on worrying about the associated expenses. A pet insurance plan typically covers myriad emergencies, including accidents, sudden illnesses, emergency surgeries, and hospitalization, ensuring your pet receives medical attention without delay.

#3: Pet insurance allows you to customize your veterinary care budget.

Many pet insurance providers offer adjustable monthly premiums, deductibles, and reimbursement levels when you first enroll, making good coverage affordable. Consider these pet insurance fundamentals:

  • Deductibles — A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before the insurance company begins reimbursing you. Most insurance companies have an annual deductible, which is reset each year after you renew the policy. Some providers apply the deductible per incident. In this case, after you pay the condition’s deductible, the plan reimburses you up to the policy’s limits without resetting at a new policy period. Consider which deductible type works best for your pet’s needs to ensure you save the most money possible. 
  • Reimbursement levels — Reimbursement is the amount a pet insurance company pays you for veterinary expenses, usually a total treatment cost’s percentage. Most insurance companies offer reimbursement options such as 70%, 80%, or 90%. ​​If you choose a high reimbursement percentage, you are reimbursed a high dollar amount, but if you choose a low reimbursement percentage, you pay a low monthly premium.
  • Payout limits — Some pet insurance providers have an annual payout limit—a maximum reimbursement amount for claims within a 12-month policy period after you meet the deductible. An insurance provider that has no stated annual limit has no reimbursement cap amount for covered veterinary costs. 
  • Discounts — Ensure you understand the policy’s details, because you may be entitled to certain discounts. Many pet insurance companies offer discounts, including:
    • Insuring multiple pets
    • Working for a particular employer
    • Diminishing deductibles if your pet stays healthy
    • Paying annually rather than monthly

If you have additional questions about pet insurance coverage or need help choosing the right plan for your pet, contact our Williamsburg Animal Clinic team.