Anyone that owns a pet knows it isn’t cheap, but these costs are all worth it for the experience of having another member of the family who loves you unconditionally. Most pet owners will need to pay for a pet bed, food, and toys; however, some pet owners look at pet insurance and think to themselves- is it really worth it?
While pet insurance isn’t a legal requirement for pet owners, you’ll be glad you have a pet insurance policy in place when the time comes. Just look at what this type of insurance covers and what it may not so that you can find out why you will always need pet insurance.
Medicine
If your pet falls ill, they may require regular medicinal treatments to return to full health. These are scientifically tested solutions that are proven to act as a cure. It is quite common for older animals to require this kind of medicine, and anyone with a health insurance policy knows that healthcare isn’t cheap. The same is true of pet treatment.
If you have a decent pet insurance plan, you will not have to pay for this medication yourself. Most pet insurance policies will cover the cost of any necessary, and unplanned, long-term medications so that your pet can return to their old self again. However, there is a limit to how much medication a standard pet can receive on a standard insurance policy, as you will soon see. You also can’t use pet insurance to purchase dog supplements. For that, you will have to go to Pro Dog. You can use this site to find out the benefits of natural dog supplements, too. These benefits can include:
- An improved coat and skin
- Maintaining healthy digestion
- Providing essential nutrients
- Improving their cognitive development
Pets
There are several animals that are the UK’s most popular pets. Your pet insurance should cover any animal that can be seen by a traditional vet. These professionals have to undergo years of training, so there is a limit to the number of animals that they can reliably provide care for. The types of animals that most pet insurers will cover include small, domesticated cats, dogs, hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, and any kind of small reptile such as lizards and snakes. As such, you cannot bring any type of animal that lives in your home to a pet insurer and expect to be covered. The animal has to be able to receive treatment from a vet to count as a pet.
Vets
As much as you love your pets, they can sometimes get themselves into trouble. This unexpected behaviour can lead to an injury or an illness, and these issues can require a hasty trip to the vet’s office to fix. Fortunately, your pet insurance will cover any diagnostic methods and treatments that the vets may have to administer to your pet so that they can recover from their mishap and return to their usual selves. This process can be quite expensive, especially if your pet comes in with a tricky diagnosis. Pet insurance can cover these costs, so you aren’t faced with a very large and unplanned bill. It works very similarly to the health insurance system for American citizens. You wouldn’t want to be faced with a large medical bill, after all. Don’t let the same thing happen with your favourite pet.
Omissions
Unfortunately, your pet insurance plan won’t cover everything that can possibly happen. You will find that the biggest omission from any pet insurance plan is any preventative treatment. This means that you will have to pay for things like dental treatment and vaccinations out of your own pocket as these are normally used to stop your pet from contracting specific types of illness in the future. Anything that is considered to be a routine treatment for a pre-existing treatment is likely to be omitted from your pet insurance plan.
Another big omission in pet insurance should explain why insurers will not pay for treatment that covers pre-existing conditions. Pet insurers will not take on any new clients that try to take up a new policy after a long-term diagnosis. This is because the company is guaranteed to have to pay out straight away without you building up the amount in regular payments that such a treatment would cost. That is a good way for any insurance business to go under. As such, these companies protect themselves by not taking on any clients with pre-existing conditions or who try to join when a big vets bill is due.
One animal in the UK that is often used as a pet is the bat. These creatures may be cute to put in bat boxes or let loose to fly around the living room, but they are not covered by pet insurers. Instead, these animals are protected by the law. this means only a dedicated charity or bat surveyor can rehome or care for bats. These organisations are also responsible for taking care of any sickness or injury that these bats may sustain in their natural environment.
Theft
Sadly, an illness or accident isn’t the only negative, pet-related issue that an owner can face. Sometimes, a beloved pet can get lost or stolen. Some breeds of cat or dog can fetch a lofty price from some breeders, which means that ragdoll cats and Pomeranian dogs are sometimes stolen from their owners. It is also likely that you can let your cat or dog out on their own and they never return for a variety of reasons.
In either case, you may want to offer a monetary reward for anyone who brings your pet home safely. These rewards can be quite steep, which is why your insurance policy may help toward the monetary value of this reward. However, there will be a cap on the amount of the reward that you set so that you do not bankrupt the insurance company. In cases where your pet is never retrieved, the insurance company may also cover the cost of your pet.
Death
No one wants to think about their pet passing away. These experiences can be particularly harrowing if the animal has to be put down suddenly. This is most likely to happen if the animal is involved in a situation where its quality of life is downgraded significantly, or if there is a complication during surgery. During these situations, a vet may recommend putting the pet to sleep as the best course of treatment.
While there is no consolation during these times, a pet insurance company can pay out for the cost of the surgery or the necessary euthanasia procedure. Unfortunately, any further costs, like cremation or burial are not covered so you will have to cover these with your own money.
Conclusion
No one wants to think about something bad happening to their pet. It can be even worse if this discovery is followed by a large bill. As you can see, pet insurance isn’t a necessity. However, it is entirely possible that one of the things listed above could happen to your pet. That is why pet insurance can be so necessary.
