Best Pet Insurance-What to Look For
Best Pet Insurance

by Cindy Vu
As pet owners, we all want the best for our furry friends. But it is equally an enormous responsibility and undertaking—especially financially.
Having a pet is like having a child. If something bad or unexpected happens, then you will need to ensure you have a way to pay for it and to ensure that they get all the medical treatment needed. Medical bills for your pet can be expensive, which is why you will want to find the best pet insurance to have your back when times get tough and stressful.
In fact, having pet insurance is a great way to stay protected against unexpected things that happen in life. It is much like medical insurance for humans actually. You can choose the level of coverage you want for your pet and then know that when times get tough, you will be supported financially. ‘
But there are a lot of different pet insurance companies out there, so how do you know what one is actually right for you? To help you find the right one, we have rounded up the top things to look for in pet insurance so that you and your furry friend can have peace of mind in knowing you’ve got the best coverage available.
1. The Types of Pets They Cover
This one is super important because not all pet insurance providers actually cover all animals. Some plans are for just certain pets with certain restrictions around age and pre-existing conditions. But the best pet insurance options will include both purebreds, mutts and cats regardless of age or medical history.
In fact, the best time to get your pet covered is as soon as you know you will be caring for them. That way you know they will be able to get coverage no matter what happens to their health later down the line. Some insurance providers are hesitant to cover older pets, so make sure you also find a pet insurance provider who is supportive of your specific pet’s stage of life.
2. Covers More Than Just Medical Bills
While some pet owners simply want medical bills covered, there are other pet insurance providers who offer a more holistic level of coverage. This is not only a great proactive way to ensure that coverage is supportive of their overall wellbeing but ends up saving you a ton of money in the long run. This is because you will also get financial support when it comes to getting your pet prescriptions, treatments and even special foods.
Plus, by taking a more proactive approach to healthcare, your pet will likely need less medical attention as they age. So the ability to invest in their health upfront is a super key factor to look for.
3. The Waiting Period
This one is equally important and every insurance provider will be different. In general, you will want to get an insurance company that allows coverage to kick in sooner rather than later. But sometimes you do not actually need to get your pet a vet exam to get signed up—this though in turn will likely cause a much longer waiting period. So do your research and decide the amount of time you are willing to wait and risk coverage not being available for you and your pet.
4. The Ability to Customize a Plan
All pets are unique. So it makes sense that you should be able to customize a pet insurance plan that suits their specific needs. But some insurance providers take a cookie-cutter approach, where the cost may be a bit lower but there is less wiggle room to customize the policy. So it is important to factor in the level of personalization you want as that will ultimately drive the best insurance provider for you.
5. The Added Long Term Benefits
Some pet insurance plans will decrease your deductible if you do not end up claiming that specific year. This is sometimes a great incentive long term and also rewards you and your pet for staying out of harm’s way, staying healthy and not needing to tap into the medical funding coverage support.
Some other pet insurance companies offer unlimited coverage options, which means there is no amount of times you can max out on coverage support. In some cases, you the pet insurance provider will work directly with the veterinarian on the more expensive medical bills so that you don’t even have to worry about paying for any of it at all.
Another important benefit is the ease of claiming your coverage and the ease of doing it all online. Ideally, you can do it with a few quick clicks of a button or on your phone in a matter of minutes.
Conclusion
Getting pet insurance should make your life easier, not harder. The best plans make sure it is a seamless experience to get your pet the care they need.