Do you have pet insurance?
I wish I bought insurance when Sugar was a young pup. Why? As Sugar aged her vet care bills have gone up. Sugar also had several emergency vet care. The funds I allotted for Sugar’s vet care have already depleted. Below is an article written by Natasha Ashton the co-founder and co-CEO of Petplan pet insurance, headquartered in the Philadelphia suburbs.
It’s no secret that for pet parents, our dogs (and cats!) are full-fledged members of the family. This is especially true during the holidays.
Do any of these statements ring a (jingle)bell?
Your pet’s name gets signed on your holiday greeting card
Your pet lines up to have his picture taken with Santa Paws
Your pet’s pile of presents stands higher than your own
I’m guessing most of you barked “yes” to at least one of those! And you’re not alone, especially when it comes to gifts: according to a Petplan survey, 95% of pet parents will give their pets presents this holiday season.
But before piling on the presents, paws to consider a gift that will last longer (and prove healthier!) than goodies galore: the gift of good health. That means a proper diet, regular exercise and annual visits to the veterinarian. For more and more families, mine included, it also means protecting furry friends with pet health insurance.
We never think our pet could get sick or hurt (especially when they’re bouncing around with boundless energy!) but the truth is there’s a 33% chance your pet will make an unexpected trip to the vet in 2015. With insurance you’ll have the peace of mind that the expense will be covered so you can focus on what really matters … helping your pet get better!
One Christmas, our dog Wellington ate an entire box of Belgian chocolates (after carefully unwrapping all 45 pieces!). A trip to the emergency clinic quickly ensued where Welly got the treatment he needed and was able to come home to re-join the celebration. With insurance we had help paying for Welly’s holiday mishap!
When you’re shopping around for a policy, look for a comprehensive plan that covers accidents and illnesses – including hereditary and chronic conditions. You shouldn’t have to purchase additional coverage for things like hip dysplasia or congenital heart disease. A great policy will even include coverage for alternative and behavioral therapies. You also want to be sure that you’ll be reimbursed based on the actual vet bill and not a benefit schedule (meaning the provider will set caps for each incident or illness).
This gift may be harder to wrap but will keep your year merry and bright long after your pet’s other presents have been gobbled up and loved to bits.
If you’d like to get a free quote for protecting your pet, you can visit www.GoPetplan.com.
I agree with you … I wish that I had purchased insurance when Chloe was just a puppy. I have had her since she was nine weeks old. She is now going to be eleven years old! I don’t know where the time goes! Sounds like a great insurance plan…I will definitely keep it in mind for when I might need it.
I agree… it’s important to be on the safe side, no one knows what will happen…
I wish I had purchased insurance when my three were puppies. I think it would have saved me in the long run.
This is one that can be very much HELPFUL… THANK YOU.
we had pet insurance for a long long time but I found each year they seemed to cover less and less – they wouldn’t cover anything that related to allergies and wouldn’t cover any calmative medicines saying it was a ‘behavioral issue’ when in fact in Denny’s case was neurological. I contacted many different insurance companies and found similar ‘hidden’ no cover clauses and of coarse now the boys are older getting new coverage cots so much more.
We would not be without it over here. Have a tremendous Thursday.
Best wishes Molly
Our 13 month old pup was just diagnosed with luxating patella. I think we blew it in not getting insurance for him, though I don’t know if this condition and the surgery he might need would be covered or not.
Sugar thank you for this very informative post.
Hugs madi your bfff
Good advice, Sugar! We are covered 🙂
Mom wishes we could just be listed on her insurance as dependents!
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
Pee Ess – A new POTP page will be announced tomorrow. You can follow us at https://blogvillepotp.blogspot.com/
I’ve never invested in pet insurance for any of my animals. They’re all “older” now so I’m not planning on getting them covered, but it is something I will be thinking about for my next dog. I don’t think I will be getting pet insurance for any cats though because I thankfully barely seem to spend any money on their vet bills compared to my dog.
I am waiting to hear from PetPlan on a policy for Bentley. I’d love to have him insured. Thanks for the tips. ☺
Great Post , I agree this is must for our pets. your article is very helpful. Thanks for sharing.