Is Pet Insurance Worth It? Everything Pet Owners Need To Know

If your pet became seriously injured or fell ill, would you be able to easily afford their medical care?

As a pet parent, are you contemplating purchasing a pet insurance plan for your dog or cat?

The pet insurance industry has gone through massive change over the past few years. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, more than 3 million dogs and cats in the United States had pet insurance in 2020 - a 23% increase from the year before.

With many veterinarians and industry professionals recommending pet insurance to their clients, pet owners are contemplating the decision of whether or not they should purchase a policy for their furry best friend.

Unfortunately, we cannot predict the future and accidents and illnesses often occur without any warning. These situations leave pet parents worried, upset and stuck trying to figure out how they are going to pay for their pet’s expensive veterinary bills.

In order to avoid the stress of paying thousands of dollars for unexpected treatments, pet insurance is often the best solution. With the right pet insurance policy, your pet will always have access to quality care and you’ll have peace of mind knowing you can afford it.

FIND A PET INSURANCE POLICY

To help you decide whether pet insurance is the right option for protecting your pet, let’s answer this simple question:

Is pet insurance worth it?

In this article we will discuss:

• How pet insurance works, what it covers & the cost of pet insurance
• The benefits of insuring your pet
• Why pet insurance may not be the best option for you
• Alternatives to pet insurance

This Is How Pet Insurance Works

If you’re unfamiliar with how pet insurance works, here’s a simple breakdown of the process:

1. You’ll find and purchase the best policy for your pet and your budget
2. Bring your pet to the veterinarian for any treatments they may need
3. Pay for their care at the time of their visit
4. Submit your claim to your insurance provider
5. Get reimbursed for covered treatments

With a quality pet insurance plan, you can bring your pet to the veterinarian with confidence.

Here are a few key factors to note about pet insurance:

• Your plan will be customized to your pet. This includes their breed, age, any existing health issues or conditions they may have.
• Chronic conditions, disease or allergies can be covered.
• If you have more than one pet, you can obtain insurance for each. Many providers offer a multi-pet discount (usually 5% or 10%).

What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

Pet insurance coverage options can be broken down into two categories: accidents and illnesses. Here is what they cover:

Accidents

Accidents for your pet include, but are not limited to:

• Getting hit by a car
• Swallowing a rock or stick or sock (foreign object ingestion)
• Breaking a bone or cruciate ligament injuries (ACL)
• Eating something toxic/getting poisoned
• Being attacked by another animal

Pet insurance coverage for accidents usually includes:

• Exams
• X-rays
• MRI
• Ultrasounds
• Blood work
• Suture
• Medications
• Hospitalization
• Surgery

Illnesses

Illnesses that could occur for your pet include, but are not limited to:

• Cancer (40% of dogs and 20% of cats get cancer)
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Allergies
• Skin Conditions
• Hyperthyroidism
• Kidney Disease
• Ear infections
• Digestive problems
• Urinary Tract Infections

Coverage for illnesses will often include:

• Full congenital and hereditary coverage including breed specific illnesses like hip dysplasia
• Cost of major and minor illnesses - exams, x-rays, surgery, etc**.**

Additionally, some insurance providers may offer a wellness option. This can include procedures such as:

• Veterinary expenses
• Annual exams, Flea/Tick and Heartworm Medication
• Shots / Vaccinations
• Teeth Cleaning
• Spay / Neuter

When selecting your pet insurance plan, you can choose from the 4 typical coverage options:

• Accident & Illness
• Accident Only
• Accident Illness With Wellness
• Wellness

How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?

Pet Insurance Fun Fact: All pet insurance providers offer a 30 day free trial of their coverage program. With such a low barrier, you can get started right away and research which provider is the best fit for your family. As long as you don’t submit a claim, you can get a full refund if you cancel

According to NAPHIA, the average annual cost for an accident and illness pet insurance policy for dogs is $594 and $342 for cats.

And, the average monthly cost for dogs ranges between $25-$70 and $10-$40 for cats.

The cost of pet insurance will greatly depend on these factors:

• Your Pet’s Age
• Whether You Have a Dog or Cat
• Your Pet’s Breed
• Where Your Live
• The Coverage Package You Select

As your pet gets older, the cost of insurance tends to rise due to the fact that they are more prone to health issues. That is why we recommend insuring your pet as soon as you bring them home from the breeder, shelter or rescue.

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The Benefits Of Pet Health Insurance

There are several benefits to having a pet insurance policy for your dog or cat. These include:

• Peace of mind knowing that your pet is protected and has access to quality veterinary care
• Confidence that you can afford their medical bills - taking care of your pet should never have to be a financial decision
• Lifetime protection (if their policy is purchased when they are young)

In all, having a pet insurance policy is the best way to ensure that if your pet was to have an accident or fall ill, you’d be able to afford their treatment.

Many pet parents don’t realize that emergency veterinarian care could easily cost $1,500 to tens of thousands of dollars without a pet insurance plan.

And, having a pet insurance policy means that you never need to choose between taking care of your pet and your ability to afford it.

If you need guidance with finding a pet insurance policy, our Fursure team is made up of pet insurance advisors that are here to help.

With our policy comparison tool, we do all the research and provide you with options to choose from to protect your pet.

And, it’s completely free for pet parents.

To get your pet protected and covered in just a few minutes, buy a pet insurance policy today!

Why Pet Insurance May Not Be The Best Option For You

Pet insurance is a great option for the majority of pet parents. Yet, there are certain instances where pet insurance may not be the best option for you.

Pet insurance may not be the best option if:

• Your pet has pre-existing conditions
• Currently, no pet insurance provider in the United States offers coverage on treatments for pre-existing conditions.
• You have a large disposable income and can easily afford to pay thousands of dollars in veterinarian bills
• Many pet parents would suffer financially if hit with a $1,000+ veterinarian bill. If you can easily pay $1,000-$10,000+ for care, then it may not make financial sense to have a pet insurance policy.

Additionally, if you are on a fixed income - pet insurance may not be the best option for you as it may be difficult for you to afford the monthly/annual premium.

Alternatives To Pet Insurance: Pet Savings Account

If pet insurance isn’t the best option for you, there are alternatives that can help you take care of your pet, save money and afford their medical bills.

The best alternative option is to create an emergency fund with a pet savings account.

A pet savings account works just like your own personal savings account, except that it’s a dedicated place to save up money for all of your pet-related expenses.

The advantage of having a savings account is that it allows you to deposit funds each month that can be used for your pet’s supplies, veterinarian visits and any emergency medical costs.

At Fursure, we’re building a new way for pet parents to take the very best financial care of their pet.

With the Fursure Card, our rewards debit card and savings account, you’ll be financially rewarded when you spend and save money for your best friend.

It’s the only debit card that rewards you for the amazing things you already do to care for your pet.

To learn more, sign up for free today!

So, Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

As a pet owner, you should buy pet insurance if:

• You want to have peace of mind knowing your pet is always protected
• You would suffer financially if you were faced with an expensive veterinarian bill
• Your pet is healthy & doesn’t have any pre-existing conditions

Pet insurance may not be the best fit if:

• Your pet has pre-existing conditions
• You can easily afford to pay thousands of dollars in expensive veterinary bills
• You’d rather self fund your pet’s expenses with a pet savings account & rewards debit card

At Fursure, we believe that buying pet insurance shouldn’t be expensive, confusing or time consuming. Our mission is to make it easy for you to find the insurance plan that fits your pet needs, get coverage quickly and avoid the stress of expensive medical bills and procedures.

Consider us your new pet insurance guru. We know how painful researching pet insurance can be. Hours and hours of endless searching, looking for a provider that offers the perfect balance of coverage and affordable pricing - it’s exhausting.

Instead of wasting your precious time, pass the tough research over to us. We’ll handle the comparison of available options and guide you through every step of the process.

Made by pet parents, for pet parents, our Fursure pet insurance gurus are here to make your life easier. So, you can spend less time researching boring insurance plans and spend more time with that lovable, furry friend of yours.

To get your pet covered in just a few minutes, buy a pet insurance policy today!