We all love our furry and feathered friends, but we definitely don’t all love vet bills. Pet insurance is a great way to help lessen the cost of vet bills, but does the cost of vet visits outweigh the cost of monthly premiums? The unfortunate answer is “it depends,” there is a good chance pet insurance could save you money, but for some situations it might not be worth it.
Multiple Pets
If you have multiple pets, the cost of vet bills and the cost of monthly premiums stack up really quickly. Luckily, pet insurance often allows you to bundle multiple pets into a package deal, so you can get coverage at a reduced rate.
Additionally, if you have multiple pets what kind of personality do they have? Are they often rough housing with each other? Or are they more relaxed couch potatoes. If they are bouncing off the walls with energy, pet insurance can help make sure you won’t be spending a fortune on any scrapes or tears.
Pet with Preexisting Condition
While there has been a lot of legislation making sure people with preexisting conditions can still get medical coverage, there hasn’t been much for animals. Nearly all pet insurance providers do not cover preexisting conditions, so if your dog has a long-term illness, you might not be able to apply your insurance to it unless they were covered before they got sick.
Brand new Pet
A young puppy needs to get shots, might need to be spayed/neutered, and will need to go to the vet for checkups. In my opinion, when you first get a pet, that’s the best time to get pet insurance.
Even if you only intend to be enrolled for a year or so, that’s enough time to get vaccines and check-ups so your pet starts off on the right foot. Plus, if it comes up that your pet does have a long-term illness and your vet catches it early, you’ll be covered for any upcoming treatment.
Older Pets
Pet insurance is also useful for older pets who will be going to the vet more often because well… they’re old! This is obviously a much harder decision, so as always do what’s best for you and for your pet.
And anyone else!
If you have a pet, maybe take a look at how much you’re spending on vet bills and then get a quote for pet insurance. As an SDPEBA member you get a reduced group rate from Nationwide, so we recommend you start there!
https://benefits.petinsurance.com/sdpebaactive
If you have any questions about Nationwide or any of our other insurance options, feel free to call us at 888-315-8027 or email [email protected]!