Pet healthcare insurance is a red hot topic. Is it necessary? Well the first thing you need to know, especially if you’ve never owned a pet before this new kitty that’s just joined your family, is that veterinary clinics cost a lot of money! This implies that pet healthcare insurance is a good idea, but wait – don’t go signing that agreement just yet!
Before committing to a particular healthcare plan for your kitten, make sure that you collect a number of different leaflets from various companies. Then spend a couple of hours reading through each one and if possible, create yourself a table that lists the types of benefits down the side and the names of the insurance companies along the top. You should also leave space at the bottom of each insurance company’s column to write in anything “not covered by policy”, this could include specific chronic conditions such as allergies, diabetes and asthma. Complete the table as you read the leaflets.
Once you know what each insurance covers, and how much the cost, and more importantly what their policy doesn’t cover, you can start to see which policy(s) stand out from the rest as being good possibilities. Before you sign up for anything check on the internet for any reviews the company has for its pet insurance. Just because offer a fantastic house insurance, or retirement planning package, doesn’t mean they will pay for whatever illness you kitten may have throughout its life! See what other people who have used them as healthcare insurance for their cats have to say.
Finally, read the small print. Will they cover your kitty for the same amounts and same illnesses throughout her entire life, or will it change as she gets older? That is to say, when she starts to have health issues, will the insurance company still have the same good benefits and prices or will there be exemptions and higher excesses for you to pay once she really needs the insurance.
You may decide that it’s worth the peace of mind just to insure your kitty anyway, but at least you know that things are going to get more expensive as she gets older – or you could simply decide to ignore the insurance (routine annual check-ups and shots are excluded from the policy anyway) and financially commit the same amount of money to a special account each month, and use that only when kitty has extra healthcare needs.
