The Importance of Your Pet’s Health
It’s important to stay on top of your dog’s health, and there are a variety of measures you can take to keep your dog healthy, including pet insurance. Pet insurance is as it sounds: a policy that helps cover the cost of veterinary care for your pet when they are injured or become ill. Good pet insurance can significantly help offset the cost of diagnosing, treating, and managing your pet’s illness or injury.
Treatments such as getting fixed or spayed, flea prevention or general wellness visits are often affordable for many dog owners and they don’t need insurance to cover it. But what happens when your dog has a chronic or lifelong condition that requires frequent care?
Illnesses such as kidney disease and arthritis require frequent vet visits, a treatment plan, and prescriptions that can be expensive.
Some people adopt a dog and don’t realize what chronic conditions the dog has if the breeder or shelter does not disclose them or are aware of them. Let’s explore pet insurance for specifically chronic and hereditary conditions and what you should know.
What is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance is a medical plan designed to manage your pet’s health. It keeps your dog in a healthy condition and lowers veterinary costs. It also protects against unexpected bills that could have a big impact on your economy.
Insurance for pets works similarly as it does for individuals. It’s a contract between a company and a holder offering reimbursement for veterinary bills in addition to other benefits. The pet insurance company can reimburse the holder or pay the health provider directly. You’re offered coverage with a monthly premium price.
What are Chronic Conditions?
Chronic conditions are illnesses that persist over time and require consistent care. They may need regular medication and frequent visits to the vet for monitoring. These can include diabetes, arthritis, allergies, cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, and hypothyroidism. At times, they can be caused by an unfortunate accident on the street, like a cranial ligament tear, that can turn into long-term care. Many chronic conditions last a lifetime.
What are Hereditary Conditions?
Hereditary conditions are health conditions passed on by genetics. Some dog breeds are known to have excellent health, but some may pass on different health concerns, such as cataracts, which is a gene mutation found in French Bulldogs. That’s why it’s important to make sure you purchase your dog from a reputable dog breeder if you decide to purchase a purebred pup.
Both conditions are manageable and easy to handle if you understand them and find the most effective means of care and management. They require regular visits to the vet for monitoring, scans, blood work, and prescription medication. In some cases, your dog may require specialized medical treatment, such as canine physiotherapy or the use of orthopedic braces.
Benefits of Pet Insurance
A pet insurance policy is a valuable safety net that helps you manage your pet’s health needs. Even if your pet is young and healthy or has a manageable chronic condition, you never know what unpredictable events can occur. Chronic illnesses and hereditary conditions can appear unexpectedly. Insurance is the price we pay for predictability.
Here are some of the most notable benefits of pet insurance.
- Ease of Mind: You have less stress and anxiety about your dog’s health if you know they’re covered.
- Lower Costs: Your dog-related health bills are reduced.
- More Treatment Options: You can access specialized or complex care treatments that may otherwise be difficult to get.
- Pet Well-Being: Your pet’s well-being is improved when they receive the healthcare they need.
How To Use Pet Insurance
Pet insurance plans may vary, but most follow this step-by-step:
- Register for a pet insurance plan that is right for your dog.
- Pay the monthly premium.
- Visit Your Veterinarian, get a diagnosis or treatment, and use the coverage for the expenses.
- Submit a claim through the pet insurance portal with the required documentation.
- Receive the reimbursement for the costs that are covered by the plan (subject to the plan’s policy).
Insurance Terms Cheat Sheet
Insurance can be overwhelming. There are endless details to attain, and straightforward information may not always be readily available. Here is a small list of terms that are very useful to understand when using pet insurance.
- Policy: The contract between the company and the holder, detailing the coverage, premium costs, and deductibles.
- Premium: The monthly amount of money paid to the company.
- Deductible: The amount you’re responsible for paying before the reimbursement.
- Coverage: The health events that the policy will cover: Vet visits, surgeries, medication, etc.
- Pre-existing conditions: The health conditions that began before acquiring the plan. Many pet insurance companies will not cover these conditions.
- Claim: A formal request for reimbursement from the Insurance company for pet health costs covered by the plan.
Tips on Using Insurance
Pet insurance is an extremely useful resource for pet parents who can afford it. Here are some tips to consider if you’re considering contracting a pet insurance plan.
Get Insurance Early
Many pet insurance companies will not cover conditions that started before registering (pre-existing conditions). So, even if your pet is young and healthy, it’s a good idea to register for a pet insurance plan that fits your budget. Doing this will help you avoid being hit with an astronomical veterinary bill should an unfortunate event occur. Talk to your vet about your dog’s breed and the likelihood of it developing a hereditary disease. Some hereditary conditions appear with age; the same applies to chronic conditions.
Pay the Highest Premium your Budget can Afford
Your premium value may vary according to your deductible rate. Lower deductible rates mean a higher premium value and vice versa. A good call is to pay as much premium as possible so your deductible rate is low should an extraordinary and costly health event occur.
How to Find the Best Pet Insurance
The best pet insurance for your pet is the one that best serves their health needs and fits your budget. There are many options to choose from, and it’s important for you to be well-informed about them. Here are some tips on finding the pet insurance plan that is right for you:
- Know your pet’s medical history as well as your budget.
- Make a list of what matters most (accidents, chronic illness, medication, treatment).
- Think about what percentage you can pay. It will help you set the deductible rate should you be offered this option.
- Get all the information you need (remember to ask questions).
- Gather and compare quotes.
Behind a Healthy Dog is A Happy Human (and a Happier Pocket)
Life has ups and downs, and uncertainty is a part of life. Chronic and hereditary conditions may appear unexpectedly, and one single visit to the veterinarian could have a big impact on your budget. Pet insurance gives you the peace of mind of knowing your dog is covered and provides you with the care your dog needs to be in its best shape at a price that you can afford.
When it comes to securing the health of your furry loved ones, all focus should be placed on the best options that will help manage your pet’s chronic or hereditary condition. That way, you and your pet can enjoy the most out of your time together and keep health setbacks at a minimum.
