PET INSURANCE

Pet insurance reimburses you for a portion of covered vet bills if your dog or cat were to unexpectedly get hurt or sick so that you can afford to get your pet the best care in the event of a costly accident or illness. Think of pet insurance like car insurance – it’s there to give you a financial safety net if something unexpected were to happen. Just like your car insurance doesn’t cover routine maintenance or any accidents you got into before purchasing the policy, pet insurance plans typically don’t cover routine care costs and pre-existing conditions. And if we consider how important our cars are, then we can think about how important our pets are in our lives as well. 

We would do anything to make sure our family stays healthy and happy. But life is filled with unexpected emergencies; our loved ones such as our children, our spouses, and our pets can get sick or hurt.  With the different types of insurance available, we can provide the care and protection that our family deserves.  But even though most of us have insurance to protect our human family members, many of us do not have pet insurance to protect our furrier family members.  The cost of pet insurance prices can vary widely depending on the type of pet you have, their age, their breed, and even where you live. Sometimes you can personalize parts of your policy so that you can get the best plan for your pet’s needs and your budget.

Pet insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions.  However most do distinguish between curable and incurable pre-existing conditions. Examples of incurable pre-existing conditions include diabetes, allergies, etc. Curable pre-existing conditions include things like ear infections and undiagnosed vomiting or diarrhea. As these issues can be completely cleared up, they could be covered moving forward if the pet goes 12 months symptom free.  

Most companies define what conditions are pre-existing for your pet by requesting their medical records for the 12 months (or less, if they are a new addition) prior to the purchase of the policy. If you’d like, you can request a Medical History Review, which usually involves a claim adjuster reviewing your pet’s medical records to let you know what – if any – conditions would be considered pre-existing. 

It’s important to note that most companies don’t automatically do these medical history reviews, you must request one. However, normally they are free of charge and available to anyone who has a policy.  A pre-existing condition is any injury, illness, or irregularity noticed by you or your veterinarian before the end of your waiting period, even if your pet never went to see the veterinarian for it.

Financial challenges happen, and that's the very reason pet insurance is worth it if you can find a way to fit the premiums into your budget. It's easier to find a small amount each month than thousands of dollars at once in an emergency. If you’re the type of person who would do anything to save your pet, it’s better to pay a small premium for even a basic policy to help get your pet the care they need, which is why PET INSURANCE SAVES LIVES. 

Unlike human health insurance, pet insurance has no networks. Because it works based on a reimbursement method, you pay the vet directly, submit your claim, and we pay you back — you can visit any veterinarian, specialist, or emergency hospital you like.

Vaccines are preventative and not covered by insurance. However, it can be reimbursed through our optional wellness plan that can be added onto your policy. Spay/neuter surgery is also preventative and not covered by insurance. However, it can be reimbursed through our optional wellness plan that can be added onto your policy.

Information provided by Embracepetsinsurance.com