Pet insurance. Something that we have all heard of at one point or another. You may have even considered getting it for your pet(s). If you thought about it and haven’t signed up for it, questions likely went through your mind, including: “Is it worth it?”, “Is it too expensive for me?”, “Do they cover anything?” and “What if I just put the money away in a separate saving account for when I need it?”. These are all great questions to consider when thinking about pet insurance. I thought of all those questions before signing my pets up for insurance. It took me quite a few years of thinking about it before I signed up. And I’ll let you in on a secret (I didn’t ever save any money into a dedicated account. It was a great idea … in theory!)

There are lots of pet insurance companies out there. Each pet owner should research different companies to see what a good fit for them may be. In addition to the company, there are lots of plan options. Some plans cover only accidents and illnesses, and some plans have additional coverage for wellness services. There are also deductible options to choose from, which will affect the price of each pet’s insurance policy. Owners will have different preferences for insurance plans, so taking time to do some research would be beneficial. Once you find a company and plan that you are comfortable with, it is a good feeling!

I finally signed my pets up for insurance when they were six years old. There was an instant relief from my long decision process and excitement that I went for it. After all, my pets are my babies, so it just made sense to me to have that security. I had been lucky with their health; they did not have preexisting conditions. However, that is only sometimes the case. If I had more pets in the future, I would sign up for insurance immediately to eliminate the risk of them developing something that would not be covered because I waited. I remember calling my parents and telling them, telling other family members and coworkers in conversation because I was excited about it.

My pets were covered by their insurance policy for four years before we had enough claims to be reimbursed for it. I was good with that because it meant they were healthy, and I always had the comfort of having it. When the time came that we had enough claims to use it, unfortunately, my pet was diagnosed with cancer. That was a scary time for us navigating what that meant and how to proceed medically. Because of insurance, we could focus on our girl, and we ultimately chose for her to have radiation. It would have been something for me to cautiously consider if I could do or not without pet insurance because the cost is high. With my pet insurance, though, I knew what my expected costs would be after meeting my deductible. I am forever thankful that I had pet insurance to take the financial burden out of the decision-making.

Author – Amanda Brensinger, BA