I am often asked which pet insurance I recommend. A few years ago that was an easier question since there were only a handful available. But with today’s pet medical model following closely after the human Western medicine model, navigating pet health has become increasingly more complicated.
I used to love reading James Herriot books about a Yorkshire community veterinarian. The days of the family pet general practitioner who would use a good old fashioned hands on medical exam while asking questions is going by the wayside. With increased reliance on expensive testing, pet owners are commonly paying large sums of money out of pocket for their pet’s medical care.
The Best Pet Insurance
Unfortunately you will have to take some time to do some research on pet insurance to see which ones meet your needs. If you have questions you should call the pet insurance company to get clarification. Be sure to ask about specific details and then ask them where you can find those details in writing.
Big ticket items you may want in your pet’s policy:
- Covers pre-existing conditions
- Covers complimentary therapies such as acupuncture, rehabilitation, and chiropractic.
- Covers dental
- Covers emergencies and critical care
- Covers cancer treatments
- Covers allergies testing and treatment
Many policies do not cover the cost of the dr’s exam or vaccines. It is a good idea to tell your veterinarian if you have pet medical insurance so that they are aware of what may or may not be covered and they can discuss treatment options with you.
Check out this guide from Money.com on the 10 Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2020 to get you started. Please note this list is not complete of what is available, but it covers most of the market. Information may change from year to year, so make sure you stay updated on what’s included in the policy.
In lieu of medical insurance, I advise pet parents to put aside a pet medical savings account. Set it up to automatically put money into it monthly so that is is available if you need it. And as always, healthy lifestyle choices for your pet go a long way in prevention of many medical conditions.
I hope this helps you and your pet!
To learn more about basic First Aid for pets including instructional videos on various topics of pet health, check out these mini-courses on pet heath or sign up for the PetWise Membership.