With the constantly rising cost of
veterinary care in the United States, having a pet can be a rather
expensive ordeal to say the least. Outside of basic veterinary
care that is required of every pet owner, there are those emergencies
that arise as well and the emergencies are what are truly wearing
on the pocketbook. If you re considering pet medical insurance,
your wallet will soon thank you although your credit card provider
probably won’t. Here
are some of your most common questions regarding pet medical insurance,
answered.
Q: What Exactly IS Pet Medical Insurance?
A: Although it may be hard for non-pet owners to believe, the health
of our companion animals has some significance in the insurance
industry, too. Pet medical insurance is designed to transfer
the risk of a person’s pet falling ill to the insurance
company, in return for a monthly premium.
Q: What is the Cost of Pet Medical Insurance?
A: Depending on the policy that you go with, the cost of pet medical
insurance will vary from insurance provider to provider and from
policy to policy. Some of the more expensive insurance policies
cover most things that one would need, from flea care and heartworm
care to sterilization to emergency coverage and pretty much anything
else a pet owner might need for their furry friend as far as
medical expenses go. Some of the more popular online insurance
providers, like Sheltercare have specials where you pay a small
fee (usually $1) for a month, and then you choose the appropriate
monthly premium after that depending on the benefit package that
you choose. The better the coverage, the higher the premium,
at least with any pet medical insurance provider worth going
with.
Q: Will I Get To Keep Going To My Preferred Veterinarian?
A: This is another one of those things that vary from provider
to provider. Depending on who your veterinarian is, they may
or may not be on the preferred list of one or more of the pet
medical insurance providers that you are considering. That is
just one of the several things that you have to take into account
when choosing the insurance policy that is the most appropriate
for your pet and your pocketbook. Some people are okay with changing
veterinarians if need be--other people are not, and prefer to
stick with their own. Make sure you are prepared to change vets
if necessary before you sign up with any pet medical insurance
provider.
Q: How Is the Insurance Company Billed/How Am I Responsible for
Veterinary Charges?
A: Depending on who you are insured with, there are different ways
to go about billing the insurance company. The most common way
is to pay the bill yourself and send the bill to the insurance
company; they review the charges and then send the policyholder
(you) a check for everything less the deductible.
Other insurance companies may work more traditionally aligned
with the way our own insurance policies work, where proof of insurance
is shown and the veterinary office goes after taking care of the
bill themselves. This is rare, and happens only in the instance
that the insurance provider and the veterinary office have a close,
unique business relationship.
