Reasons why pet insurance is worth every cent

Smart reasons and benefits of getting Pet Insurance

Pet insurance provides a mechanism to mitigate the risks of having to pay for high veterinary costs when your pet suddenly gets sick or injured. Payment of pet health insurance plans are usually made on a monthly basis and each plan costs around few hundred dollars per annum. Generally, there would be an option for premium insurance where you can get most medical costs reimbursed, but certain insurance companies will exclude coverage on several areas such as hip dysplasia, common dog ailment and pre-existing conditions.

Under a regular health insurance, the policyholder pays a small portion of the bill (deductable) and the insurance company will pay the remainder. Unlike regular health insurance, you do have to pay out of pocket first. After you have paid the veterinarian fees, you can file a claim with your insurer for reimbursement.

With and without Pet Insurance

With Pet Insurance you are able to secure coverage if there’s any injury, accident or illness of your pet occurs. Treatments can be fully or partially reimbursed by your lender. Without pet insurance, you will have to pay the full amount of the veterinary bills. Bear in mind that, if your pups is aging/ aged there might not be a need to get a pet insurance, due to not many insurance will cover dog that has aged. If your kiddo is the age of 1 and above, hence, you are able to considerate to buy an insurance plan for your kiddo.

Scenarios or incident that can be claimed

Playful Samson

Samson tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in a game of fetch . After his surgery and rehabilitation, he is now back to being active and never turns down a game of fetch ! Insurance helps it's owner to save $4310.

Curious Bogie

Bogie swallowed part of a peach pit, and it got stuck in the middle of it's throat, he was being send to the emergency vet and needed surgery right away. He is now fully recovered and it's back to him curious self. Insurance helps it's owner to save $4062.

Hungry Vito

Vito swallowed ten pennies and dime, and he got severe blood poisoning and needed an urgent vet care to survive. Vito is feeling much better and he is back to his playful self. Insurance helps it's owner to save $2147.

Torn Ligaments Molly

Molly had torn both ligaments at the back of her legs, and she had to get 2 TPLO surgeries done. The surgery easily costs $12,000, but because Molly's owner bought an insurance plan for Molly, therefore they will only have to pay $4000.

How to find a good Pet Insurance company

How to select the right pet insurance company? Here's some tips to help you:

1) Before browsing through various company websites, pet owners should list down what is the specific coverage that they are looking for. For example, pet travel insurance, special disease, crementation, dog to dog accident fight etc.

2) Obtaining advice from your own veterinarian, they might recommend their preferred insurance companies which are reliable. Your vet will also know the difference between insurance plans for dogs and cats. Be sure to ask which plans are the best for your pet's specific health needs.

3) You can continue to read our articles , as we have already done a full research for you. Bear in mind that if the price is too high, it could be that the company is offering more benefits. Hence, pet owners should look through the types of benefits that the company is offering to identify whether the pet insurance plan is worth the price.

4) After reading our article, you might now have your own choice of company, we suggest owner to drop a phone call/ hotline care to ask for more information. Having verbal communication will not only make you feel trusted, but also there is a high chance of getting a discount or a better plan for your pups.

Pet Insurance helps to reduce your burden during emergency

To claim reimbursement from your pet insurer, you must first pay out of pocket first and file a claim afterwards. Insurers will evaluate your claim and, if approved, it will directly deposit the reimbursement funds into your bank account. This process usually takes two to three business days, though it can take longer than a week for more complicated claims. Your reimbursement depends on how your plan is structured, and the main parts are:

Deductible: The money you have to pay towards a bill (either per year or incident) before the insurer pays. Minimum $350 – Maximum $1000.

Reimbursement level: After the deductible is paid, the percentage of the bill that will be reimbursed by the insurer. Usually 50% through 100%.

Annual max: The maximum amount your insurer will pay in medical bills each year. Any charges incurred above the max will be paid out of pocket.

How much is a Pet Insurance?

Prices may vary depending on the insurance company plans and packages. Commonly, insurance companies offer both normal package and premium package. The price of each package will base on the breed and the type of animals, cats and dogs. Insurance for cats will cost within price range of $15-$50, dog insurance will cost around $25-$70 per month.

Average costs by cat breed (monthly)

Average costs by dog breed (monthly)

Monthly and Yearly average costs for dogs and cats insurance

	Dog	Cat
Monthly	$42.45	$120.99
Yearly	$500	$250

What does the insurance include?

The coverage depends on the insurance company, not all insurance company covers the same area. Below shows a list of what pet insurance company usually covers.

1) Treatment for injuries that occur accidentally or unexpectedly

2) Covers treatment for sickness, disease, other health challenges

3) Coverage for emergency veterinary care while travelling outside of the country

4) Tick paralysis treatment

What does the insurance excludes?

These are some examples that a pet insurance company might not include in the insurance package, for example, dental disease, pre-existing or hereditary conditions, behaviour issues, routine check-ups and preventative care, hip dysplasia, grooming etc. For owners with pets that are already sick and can't be cured, this means that pet insurance may not provide a lot of coverage.

Is Pet Insurance worth it?

Before getting any pet insurance plan, pet owners should plan how much money they can afford and are willing to pay if their pets encounter serious emergency incidents. In cases where pets suffer from skin infection or upset stomach, it will merely cost each pet owner around $50-100, but for more severe pet related health problems it may probably cost for multiple thousands. For pet owners who do not have insurance, they might be forced to put their pets down for financial reasons.

Assuming that a particular pet owner is unable to afford a major veterinary surgery necessitated by an emergency medical condition and has financial constraints to decide whether to save the pet’s life, then it is advised that the pet owner should get pet insurance. For a pet insurance plan with decent coverage, the average cost of the insurance is only around $50 per month for dogs and $30 for cats. In most cases, the annual costs of such plans will be significantly less than the cost of a major veterinarian operation.

Question that can be asked

Who Pays When a Dog Bites Another Dog?

One of the most common reasons for veterinarian appointments is bite wounds to dogs. Americans spend millions of dollars in medical and veterinary bills and suffer millions more in property losses from dog – dog attacks. When someone else is to blame, you deserve to be compensated for your losses.

You need to know your rights and obligations, what you’ll need to prove the other dog owner is responsible, and how to pursue the at-fault dog owner for compensation.

[blockquote font="3"]Below are the few examples to take note of.[/blockquote]

Dog Owners Legal Duty of Care

It is a legal phrase, which means an obligation to be careful not to cause harm to others. Dog owners have a duty of care, which is to keep their dog from hurting another person or damaging personal property. If you have been bitten or injured by a dog, please seek for medical attention and contact a lawyer to discuss your eligibility for compensation. As much as we like to consider our dogs something more than just property, under the law, they are just that.

Proving the Other Dog Owner is Liable

Dogs can be very aggressive and sometimes difficult to sort out especially when a dog attacks out of nowhere, seemingly without provocation. This happens when two dogs pass one another closely. Soon to know, they can be already at each other’s throats.

Location

If you have a small pup and it was safely secured in your backyard by a fence, but your neighbour’s dog jumped the fence and being aggressive to her, it is clear who started a fight.

But if you let your pup loose to run in a dog park, and your pup goes after a leashed Terrier, one snap from the dog and it’s all over. So, who’s to blame?

Finding Evidence to support your claim

Having evidence being collected from the scene of the incident or any other evidence related will make a big impact on the success of your claim.

i) Photographs and video footage

Picture and video footage of the attack is a powerful evidence. If you’re quick enough, use your cell phone, table or camera to capture or video your dog’s injuries and the attack scene. You can also take photos and video of the dangerous dog, if it can be done safely. Before taking any picture or video, ensure that the camera’s date and time function is been turned on, to eliminate any question about when and what happen the attack happened.

ii) Witness statements

If you’re unable to take out your phone and record the whole incident, you are able to ask for witness help. For example, if you are in a park, look for people who is next to you or is there to witness the whole process. If there is a witness, you would probably have a high chance to claim your compensation, this is especially true in cases when the other dog owner is disputing your claim. Don’t hesitate to ask the witness(es) for their names and contact information.

iii) You can even knock on your neighbours

Knock on your neighbours’ doors. See if you can find others who have suffered personal attacks or attacks on their dog or cat by the same aggressive dog. The more witnesses you have the stronger your claim becomes. Organize all your dog-attack paperwork before submitting your demand for compensation. You’ll need copies of your dog’s vet bills, vet treatment records, and out-of-pocket expenses for medically necessary supplies to care for your dog. Ask the vet to give you a written list of recommended supplies for home care of the injured dog. Typically, insurance companies will not agree to pay for wages lost while taking your dog to the veterinarian or while caring for your dog at home. If you have a statement of lost wages from your employer, submit it anyway.

Pet Travel Insurance Coverage

This question will be asked by owners whom loves to bring their pups to travel around the world, such as will insurance cover expenses relating to accidents that has occur while travelling? For now there are only a few companies on the market right now who provides international pet insurance coverage, one of it would be Pet Travel Insurance- IPATA. Besides IPATA, there is a company called "Pet Care", which they also provide pet travel insurance.

At the moment they only work with pets who are travelling under the oversight of a registered member of the IPATA aka Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association. They will cover up vet bills and travel cost up to a certain amount.

What are the best pet insurance which includes travel protection

[blockquote font="3"]Take note that every calculation is based on the breed Chihuahua, the age of 3 years old , if your dog is a different breed and age, prices might be vary[/blockquote]

Here are the top 5 best pet insurance companies in US

1) Pet Assure

What is covered: Pet Assure covers any and Every visit, Wellness care, Pre existing condition, No age limits, Less than $10/ month per pet. If you have any pet which is a llama, horse, bird ( you name it!) pet assure will cover it for you too.

What is not covered: The only think that Pet Assure doesn't cover is that it cannot be use in any vet, besides their vet.

Price: Pet Assure is less than $10 a month for a single pet and the price drops at least 50% for each additional pet. A good pet insurance policy is typically at least $35 a month. Some pet insurance companies will discount a second pet 5-10%.

2) Nationwide

What is covered: Allergic reaction, Bladder infection, Cherry eye , Collapsed trachea, Dental cleaning, Ear infection, Hip dysplasia, Cancer, Annual wellness care etc.

What is not covered: Pre existing condition, Grooming, Expenses not directly related to veterinary services

Price: $38.28-$68.84 (depending on the breed and age)

3) Healthy Paws

What is covered: Illness, Accident, Hereditary condition, Cancer, Diagnostic Treatment, X-ray, Blood tests, Surgery, Alternative Treatment, Prescriptions Medications, Hospitalization and many more

What is not covered: Pre- existing conditions, Examination fee, Preventative care, such as Annual check up, Vaccinations, Spay/neuter procedures and Teeth cleaning etc.

Price: The price varies with the breed, as well as the age of your pet, for an example if your pet is 13 years old, and his/her breed is a chihuahua, it's insurance costs about $266/ per month. If it's a three month old chihuahua, it cost $34.27/ per month.

4) Figo

What is covered: Emergency services, Hospitalization, Laboratory and Diagnostic Testing, Hereditary and Congenital conditions, Chronic conditions, Cancer Treatments etc.

What is not covered: Pre-existing condition, Routine/wellness care, spaying or neutering, Experimental procedures, Breeding/ pregnancy/ giving birth, Cloned Pets or cloning procedure, Cosmetic Surgery, Coprophagia etc.

Price: Figo has three plan, Essential, Preferred and Ultimate.

Essential: $22.68/ month , with a 5k annual benefits

Preferred: $25.27/ month, with a 10k annual benefits

Ultimate: $26.24/ month, unlimited annual benefits

5) Pet Plan

What is covered: Accidents+Injury+Illness, Diagnostic treatments, Veterinary exam fees, Prescription medications, Imaging- MRI, CAT scan, Ultrasound, cancer treatments, Dental treatment (non routine) , Surgery+rehabilation, Holistic therapies, Referral + Specialist treatment etc.

What is not covered: Routine and wellness care, Preventive care, Pre-existing condition, Cosmetic procedures, Liability coverage

Price: Pet Plan has three plans for owners, Most Affordable, Most Popular, Most Reimbursement

Most Affordable: $23.60/month

i) Max annual payment -> $5000

ii) Annual Deductible -> $500

iii) Reimbursement -> $80%

1) Direct Line

What is covered: Vet's fees, Accidents, Injuries and disease including Dental accident, Gum disease. There is a 5 in 1 package which covers advertising and reward fees, pet boarding, death of a pet, lost pet and holiday cancellation fees, AND also a third liability for your pet (DOGS only), up to £2.5 million towards costs awarded against you as a result of an accidental incident involving your pet.

What is not covered: Preventative, non-essential or routine treatment , connected to behavioural problems or traits, relating to any illness or disease arising during the first 14 days of cover.

Price: Essential Policy : £9.20/month, annual equivalent, £110.39

Advanced Policy: £16.41/month, annual equivalent, £196.90

The difference between Essential Policy and Advanced Policy is that, the cover basis for Essential is limited, but for Advanced policy the cover basis is max benefit, and for the vet fee benefit, Essential Policy is up to £4000 per condition, whereby advanced is £8000 per condition. Advanced Policy covers everything whereby, Essential Policy doesn't cover Dental disease and Euthansia.

2) Tesco Bank Pet Insurance

What is covered: Accident and Injuries, Dental cover, Saying Goodbye ( putting your pet to sleep), your pet is stolen/goes missing, Pet Travel, Death from accident or illness, complementary sickness such as physiotherapy, homeopathy or hydrotherapy, on the advice of a vet.

What is not covered: Routine examinations or check ups, Vaccinations, Homeopathic vaccination alternatives, flea, tick or worming treatments, Clipping nails, Bathing, De-matting, Spaying or castrating your pet. Non-prescription medication, supplements, vitamins or food.

Price: There's 4 different plans, Accident and Injury, Standard, Extra and Premier

Accident and Injury: £19/month , equivalent £228

Standard, Extra and Premier: £35/month, equivalent £420

3) The Insurance Emporium Pet Insurance

What is covered: Public liability, Vet's fee, Death of pets,Boarding kennel fees, Holiday cancellation, Loss by theft or straying, Advertising and reward, Accidental damage, Personal accident

What is not covered: Conditions that first showed clinical signs, happened or existed before the commencement date/time shown on your policy schedule. Also they do not cover conditions that first showed within the first 14 days of the policy inception.

Price: It costs £5.25- £20.37 ( From the plan Bronze to Gold )

4) 4Paws Pet Insurance

What is covered: Vet's fee and medical treatment, Third liability cover, Boarding fees (if you are admitted into the hospital and you need someone to take care of your kiddo), Advertising and Reward costs, Holiday cancellation costs, Complementary treatment, Death from injury and death from illness.

What is not covered: Pre-existing conditions, Routine dental treatments, Routine check ups, Vaccinations, Preventative treatments

Price: £35.39/month , it comes with 3 plans. Standard, Maximum and Lifetime.

5) Agria Pet Insurance

What is covered: Injuries and on going sickness, Third party liability, Vet's fee, Advertising, Travel expenses and accommodation. Optional cover, death or loss from theft or straying, Breeding risks cover, Overseas travel

What is not covered: Vaccinations, Routine pet care, Cosmetic treatment, Root canal procedures , Descaling and polishing

Price: £32.26/month

Here are the top 4 best pet insurance companies in Singapore

1) Liberty PetCare Standard Plan

What is covered: Third Party Liability, Accident death, Accident injury, Theft, Illness

What is not covered: Pre-existing, Hereditary, Congenital and skin conditions. Day to day care, Grooming, Vaccinations, Damage gums or teeth, Hip dysplasia, Rabies, Elective procedures and treatments, Debarking

Price: Standard: $350 ( Annual Premium) approx, $30/ month

Enhanced: $450 (Annual Premium) approx, $37.5/month

Superior: $750 ( Annual Premium) approx, $62.5/month

Bear in mind that the dog has to be micro-chipped, be at least 8 weeks old and not more than 9 years old at the enrolment date in order to be insured.

2) Cimb My Paw Pal

What is covered: Medical expenses, Accidental death, Cremation or burial expenses, Third party liability

What is not covered: Day to day care, Diagnosis of or internal or external parasites, Behavioural modification, Training, Socialization, Cell replacement therapies

Price: As the website doesn't show the price, you are able to get a quote from them.

The dog or cat must be micro-chipped and residing at the address of the insured as declared . The insured pet is between 12 weeks old and 9 years old at the time it is first covered under the policy

3) Healthy Paws

What is not covered: Pre- existing conditions, Examination fee, Preventative care, such as Annual check up, Vaccinations, Spay/neuter procedures and teeth cleaning etc.

4) AON happy tails

What is covered: Medical and surgical treatment arising from Accident injuries, Illness, Emergencies, and Specified genetic conditions and many more.

What is not covered: Relating to prostate problems, Hormonal skin conditions, perianal hernias, testicular tumours, uterine and ovarian conditions etc

Price: You are able to get a quote from the website.

Bear in mind that, the eligibility is the aged between 16 weeks and below 9 years old, mirco chipped, has required all vaccinations, it is not a working pet ( law enforcement, breeding, guarding etc)

Here are the top 3 best pet insurance companies in Hong Kong

1) FWD Max

Take note of the Plans that they have provide

Image credit: FWD

What is covered : All round medical coverage, care of your pet extends to veterinary consultation fees, medication, boarding, along with clinical for Plan 2 and 3. If your pet causes injury or damage to another person or someone else's property, it will cover up to a maximum of HK$1 million if you have Plan 3. Advertising, pet's passing and holiday cancellation.

What is not covered: Pre existing condition, pregnancy, giving birth , grooming, nail clipping, routine physical examination

Price: You are able to get a quote from their website, to get a specific price

2) PetBle Care

What is covered : Accidental Death, accidental injury, theft, illness, legal liability protection etc

What is not covered: Illness and liability from any intention, neglectful or preventable act. Pre-existing conditions, day to day care, damage to teeth and gums, illness related to endoparasites or ectoparasites, hip dysplasia and rabies, elective procedures and treatments etc.

Price: Standard Plan: HK$137.64/month, HK1620 (Annually)

Superior Plan: HK$11.83/month, HK4320 (Annually)

3) Blue Cross

What is covered : Clinical and surgical expenses ( ultrasound, X-ray, Euthanasia etc), Room and board, Veterinary Consultation, Chemotherapy , Behavioural treatment, funeral services, third party liability etc.

What is not covered: Pre existing condition, any claims involving any known dangerous dog, fighting dog, or large dog within the meaning of the Dangerous Dogs Regulation (Cap.167D) of the laws of Hong Kong, any claims for treatment and services provided by any persons other than a vet etc.