Pet Insurance: Who Needs It and Policy Considerations

So you’ve decided to prepare today to address your new puppy’s health needs now and into the future. You’ve decided to purchase pet insurance. Wise choice! It is generally better to purchase pet insurance for a puppy than for an adult dog with pre-existing conditions. Also, you will be using your benefits immediately with well-puppy exams, immunizations and the eventual spay/neuter. A good pet insurance policy can offset those costs–a welcomed sigh of relief.

Which insurance is right?                     What do you look for?                     How do you compare?

Luckily, choosing pet insurance doesn’t have to be complicated thanks to the research already done by Pet Insurance Review. Just log onto their website at www.petinsurancereview.com to review approximately 3 dozen pet insurer plans and compare coverage features, monthly rates and user ratings. You may also wish to consult with friends and relatives that you consider to be responsible pet parents, or even your veterinarian. Ask them if they’d recommend their pet insurance policy and then do your homework. There is a pet insurance policy out there that is right for you!

Embrace Pet Insurance, based in Beachwood, Ohio, is a company that received high marks from the Pet Insurance Review. In a recent conversation with Lea, a Customer Care Embracer, I asked her what to look for when purchasing pet insurance and why Embrace received such great reviews.  Her reply:

• Does the pet insurance company cover hereditary conditions, like hip dysplasia or luxating patellas? Embrace automatically covers all pets, regardless of breed, for these breed-specific conditions.
• Does the company pay based on your actual vet bill, or do they adjust your payout based on “reasonable” charge? Embrace reimburses right from your vet bill, without a benefit schedule or adjustment.
• Does the policy cover chronic conditions, throughout the life of your pet? Can your pet be dropped due to age or health conditions? At Embrace, your coverage is the same as the day you enrolled, regardless of your pet’s age or health status.
• How long will your claims reimbursement take? Embrace reimburses within approximately 15 days.

But do I really need pet insurance? Yes! Trust me. Yes! Even if you’re the most responsible pet parent, accidents happen. Dogs can chew electrical cords, get hit by a car, get attacked by another dog or ingest a foreign object. If you have doubts, I give you an example in my article on the $3000 Rope Toy, a purchase that almost cost my dog her life!

Dogs can become ill with sickness and/or disease. Dogs can have dental issues requiring a tooth extraction or suffer from periodontal disease like humans. They can also be predisposed to hereditary conditions such as hip or elbow dysplasia, even tracheal collapse.

Still not convinced? Click here to read real claim stories from the Embrace Pet Insurance website. There you’ll find examples of veterinary charges and how Embrace Pet Insurance came to the rescue. Buying pet insurance for your dog just makes sense. You are preparing now for your pet’s future. Thank you for being a responsible pet parent! Now we’d like to hear from you. Do you have a pet insurance story that you’d like to share. Do so in the comment section below.
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Bonnie Sweebe is a dog lover, dog owner, dog advocate, and rescue and service dog volunteer. She is also the owner of WelcomePup.com, an online dog gift delivery company.

Tags: dog health insurance, pet insurance