Most pet owners aren’t aware that health
insurance for their loved animals has been available for about
15 years now. However, both the availability and restrictions
on most plans have made this type of health insurance out of reach
for most pet owners.
Interestingly enough, pet health insurance has changed in the
past couple of years. Now, animal owners are able to afford medical
procedures previously prohibitive because of the cost. But many
skeptics are concerned that health insurance for pets will see
an increase in the red tape us humans already encounter every
day.
Animal medicine is one of the few health care services that isn’t
financially dependent on health insurance. Medical, dental, surgical
and pharmaceuticals are all pretty much covered by health insurance
in humans, but veterinary patients are responsible for all of
that, themselves. Or, at least their owners are.
Health insurance for pets is very similar to insurance for humans.
The same fees, deductibles, coverage rates and plans are all in
place, with different plans based on the age, species, and general
health of your pet.
Most health insurance policies for animals start around the 6-8
week range, but when the policies end depend on a variety of factors,
mostly decided by the health insurance company. Some have age
limits, and some don’t.
And just like with humans, some health insurance companies will
only accept your pet on their plan if they are healthy; others
will accept them only if they have had a stable condition for
more than six months in a row.
Currently, deductibles stand around $100 for pet health insurance.
Policy costs vary as much as human health insurance does, unfortunately.
Some depend on what types and kind of coverage is desired, and
yet others are just blanket coverage catch-alls. Some may only
cover accidents and illnesses. And more pets usually means a reduced
health insurance rate for subsequent animals.
But what if you decide that an health insurance policy is not
right for you, and your pet? There are other options, of course!
First, discuss your situation with your Veterinarian.
Some animal hospitals offer packages that aren’t quite health
insurance, but can offer a rate deal of some sorts on more mundane
medical procedures (spaying/neutering, vaccinations, etc.), or
packages for your aging animal.
Secondly, research plans that offer discounts on animal health
services. PetAssure is one of these companies, but there are a
myriad of not-for-profits that may offer this as a side benefit
when you join. Or, these same animal not-for-profits may offer
financial assistance for pet owners whose health costs are beyond
their means – a sort of emergency fund, if you will.
All in all, it depends on you, and your pet(s), whether or not
pet health insurance is the right choice. Hopefully, with the
help of this article, your choice will be an informed one.
About the author:
For more more information about pet health insurance please visit
http://www.1health-center.com/articles/The-Important-of-Health-Insurance.php
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