How To Choose A Pet Healthcare Plan
When you start searching for the top pet insurance companies, you need to look for the following things:
Claims-Paying Speed – How fast will this insurance company be able to reimburse you for the claim, the best pet insurance companies usually can pay a claim within five days.
Highly Rated – You want to check to see the A.M. Best or Demotech rating for the company you are deciding on, the best pet health insurance companies will have an A rating or equivalent. These ratings determine financial strength as well as claims-paying ability.
Great Customer Service – This is one area you can’t look past. The way a company will treat you and how easy it is to speak to someone when you need help is fundamental. You want to be sure you have a team of people that appreciate your business and your pet.
Waiting Periods – Be sure that your policy doesn’t have a waiting period that is much longer than what other carriers offer. Each policy will have their specific waiting periods so be sure to find the one with the shortest waiting periods.
Additional Benefits – Be sure to see what additional benefits can be added to your policy. Not all insurance companies offer wellness care, if that’s important to you, don’t budge and be sure to go with a carrier that offers it.
When you start shopping for pet health insurance, don’t just go on price, go on total value.
Lower The Cost To Spay Or Neuter
If you adopted a kitten or puppy from a friend or bought one through a breeder, spaying or neutering is in your future. And even if you have pet health insurance, your plan may not cover this procedure, so it pays to shop around. Daniel Bortz and his wife, Alexandra, didnt find a policy that covered spay surgery for Penny, their miniature goldendoodle, and their preferred vet quoted a price of $700. Bortz found another vet in their area who offered to perform the surgery for $400.
You can also ask your local humane society about low-cost clinics or conduct a quick internet search. For example, Emancipet, a group of nonprofit pet clinics based in Austin, Texas, offers spay/neuter surgeries for $69. The clinic group also has periodic free days in which members of the community can receive these services at no cost. PetSmart Charities has a database of low-cost spay/neuter clinics across the country.
If you adopt your pet, you may not have to worry about spay/neuter costs. Local shelters typically spay or neuter animals that come into their care, and also provide vaccinations, says Lindsay Hamrick, companion animals policy director at the Humane Society of the United States.
How Dog Insurance Works
With a Healthy Paws pet insurance plan, you can visit any licensed veterinarian including the specialists and emergency animal hospitals that can truly make a difference in your pet’s care. The plan even covers alternative care. After enrolling your dog, you will have a short 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses and a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia1.
Claims. Fast, Easy, Worry Free!With no more claim forms, we’ve created a quick and easy claim process for our customers. Just take a photo of yourvet bill and submit it through the mobile app or your online Healthy Paws Customer Center. It’s that easy!
We’ll process your claims quickly and youll receive areimbursement check via mail or you can sign up for direct deposit. Of course, if it’s your first claim, we’ll need yourpet’s medical records to complete your claim. We may also pre-authorize very expensive treatments with your veterinary hospital in which you can assign your insurance payment to be made directly to theveterinary hospital to help reduce your upfront burden.
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An Example Of How Much Common Emergencies Can Cost You
Lets take two common examples with some rough averages:
It’s important to note that emergency costs vary based on too many factors to ever predict an accurate total.
For example, the exam fee at an emergency animal hospital can be $170 at some hospitals or $75 at others.
The estimate for parvo disease in puppies is $1000 at some hospitals versus $5,000 to $8,000 at others.
These price ranges are dependent on the geographical area, hospital size, level of care facility, and other factors.
Myth #5ill Need To Stick To A List Of Providers
No list of providers here! You are free to use any veterinarian or specialist you want. No referral or pre-approval needed either. You can also visit any emergency clinic. This can be a relief when you need to get your pet medical attention as fast as possible and your regular clinic is far away or if they are closed.
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How The Costs Breakdown
Just as your coverage options vary, so do the amounts youll pay for pet insurance. For example, ASPCA Pet Insurance offers four coverage levels, ranging from $2,500 to $7,000 per incident. You can choose an annual deductible of $100, $250 or $500 per pet. The average monthly premium breaks down to about $31. Premium rates are slightly lower for cats compared to dogs.
Premium rates from Veterinary Pet Insurance coverage vary based on the amount of coverage you buy. The comprehensive major medical plan for dogs runs between $25 and $35 a month. For cats, the cost is lower, around $15 to $22. You can get just emergency care coverage for around $10 a month, which offers a maximum annual benefit of $14,000.
Our Commitment To Our Customers
The Healthy Paws pet insurance plan is easy to understand, it reimburses quickly, and you can count on us to help,especially when it comes to reducing the stress of caring for a sick pet.
Our commitment is to provide you and your dog with the best customer service and a great pet insurance plan. Weare grateful to our pet-passionate customers for sharing their love of our care and service by giving Healthy Paws PetInsurance a 98% satisfaction rating at Consumers Advocate!
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Is Pet Insurance Worth The Money
Yes, if it’s the right plan . You cant predict when or how your pets will get sick, or how much it will cost. Unexpected veterinary costs can add up to thousands of dollars.
Even if you try to save up money in advance, you could come up short. Pet insurance prevents you from having to take on lasting debt or forgo veterinary care.
What Makes Aspen Dental Different
According to Aspen Dental, the patient comes first. From the office staff to the hygienists to the dentists themselves, the entire team understands the importance of comprehensive oral healthcare. Complete care means attention not only to sudden emergencies, but also to the preventative measures that can be taken to preserve and enhance the well-being of your teeth and gums.
To this end, you will receive a comprehensive examination when you first become an Aspen patient. This includes a thorough evaluation and diagnosis of the state of your oral health, discussion of the treatments needed and an estimate of the cost and time needed to complete them.
You dont have to look any further than Aspen to receive both the routine and complex treatment you need. Aspen even has specialists on staff who can treat you if your oral situation warrants their expertise.
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What Is The Average Cost Of Pet Insurance Per Month
The average monthly premium for a dog is about $47 while the average monthly premium for a cat is about $29. However, the costs of pet health insurance vary depending on the pet and your choices. If needed, you could opt for less coverage or a lower reimbursement rate to get a lower monthly premium.
Do You Need Pet Insurance
As veterinary medicine becomes more technologically advanced, the cost of care increases. That’s because of higher costs associated with the equipment, facilities and training required to provide these higher-quality services. Pet health insurance can help by offsetting some or most of the costs of diagnosing, treating and managing your pet’s illness or injury.
There’s no magic formula to tell you if pet health insurance is right for you and your pet. Talk with your veterinarian about it, and research your options. AVMA’s policy on pet health insurance spells out numerous provisions that are important in insurance policies. Here are some basic considerations:
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Why Get Pet Health Insurance
While each plan comes with different advantages and coverage options, there are many reasons why getting pet health insurance will benefit both you and your furry friend.
Examples of these include:
- You will get the financial support you need.
- You will be able to get the best possible care if your pet is sick or hurt without worrying about the cost.
- You will get up to 90% back on your vet bills.
- You will have the option to choose from a variety of plans and companies so you can pick the coverage that works best for you and your pet.
Regardless of your pets age or health status, you will able to find a plan that suits your needs.
Can You Trust Pet Insurance Reviews
I believe that you can trust the accuracy of how the product works and its benefits.
You can also trust the reviews that customers leave on a companies page.
Most reviews really try to give you the answers to all of your questions without you having to scour the web or the insurance company website for the answer to a specific question that may be holding you back.
What I don’t think you should try to trust a review on is how great that product would be for your pet because, in all honesty, your mileage may vary.
Now, with that being said:
Let me say that I have two pet insurance reviews one here on Pets Best and another one here on Healthy Paws.
These reviews are two of the most detailed reviews that you will find online about each product, and I recommend checking them out when you get a chance.
One thing that I try to do is put the “Hard to find” information in one place so that you can make a solid decision at the end of each review.
*Full disclosure* – I am a partner with both insurance companies and will be compensated if you purchase coverage through any of the links inside of the reviews.
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Healthy Paws Delivers Great Value For A Lower Price
We all know Consumer Reports, which is an independent, nonprofit organization. Everybody knows to check Consumer Reports when they’re planning to buy a car. In fact, Consumer Reports is trusted for their ratings of almost everything else you might want to buy.
Luckily for puppy parents, CR published a report in May of 2016 that addressed the question: “Is Pet Insurance Worth The Cost?”
What a fine question!
Consumer Reports investigated pet insurance companies to see how much it costs to buy their insurance compared to how much they pay out to cover claims. Healthy Paws was the best-value winner, “in part because of its lower premiums.”
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The Cost Of Spaying Or Neutering Your Dog
Spay/neuter surgery can end up costing from $20 to an upwards of $800, depending on the vet clinic. The cost of spaying and neutering varies so much because many low-cost clinics provide the service for low-income homes. Popular chains, like Petsmart, have partnered with the ASPCA to offer low-cost spay and neuters for as low as $20.
Unfortunately, pet parents who dont qualify for spay/neuter clinics in their area might end up paying hundreds of dollars at their regular vet. In addition to the actual surgery, owners might have to also pay for the cost of pre-surgery blood work, anesthesia, and pain medication. The price depends on the age, breed, and location of the vet.
The cost of neutering might cause pet parents to put off the surgery, which may lead to problems later in a dogs life. Larger breeds, older dogs, and female dogs all typically cost more. The surgery also typically costs in areas with a higher cost of living. Dog owners looking to have the operation might not be able to afford a hefty vet bill out of pocket.
The fear of an impending vet bill is why so many pet parents are turning to pet insurance policies to provide extra peace of mind. While most traditional insurers wont cover sterilization under a normal accident and illness coverage plan, many great companies offer wellness plans. Wellness plan add-ons help pet parents pay for routine and preventative vet bills.
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What Does Pet Health Insurance Cover
Different pet insurance plans will have different levels of coverage depending on your budget and your needs. Many plans cover hereditary and chronic illness including cancer. They will often include diagnostics, medications and imaging. These are the types of treatments that your pet insurance can cover:
- accidents + injuries
- imaging mri, cat scan, ultrasound
- diagnostic treatments
- behavioral therapies
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How Much Does Pet Insurance Cover
Many providers offer an array of plans with different levels of coverage, from emergency visits to regular veterinary care, like vaccinations. You may be subject to a deductible and a co-pay .
For instance, if you have a plan with a $200 deductible and a 20 percent co-pay, and you receive a veterinary bill for $1,200 that is eligible for repayment under the terms and conditions of your plan, you will likely be responsible for the first $200 and 20 percent of the remaining $1,000a total of $400. Your insurance company will reimburse you the additional $800.
Depending on your plan, you may have a per incident maximum or an annual maximum .
If Youve Added A Dog Or Cat To Your Family Consider Pet Insurance To Manage Routine And Unexpected Veterinary Bills
Daniel Bortz and his wife, Alexandra, bought pet insurance for Penny, their mini Goldendoodle.
Adoption rates have risen across the country as more people search for companionship while they work from home and endure various stages of quarantines and lockdowns. Some shelters, such as Riverside County Animal Shelter, in Riverside, Calif., have reported that they are empty due to high demand.
But if youre contemplating adopting your first animal, youll need to budget for more than just chew toys and food. Like humans, furry friends can contract serious diseases or get injured in an accident that could end up costing you thousands of dollars for care. To ease your mindand reduce the risk of a major vet billyou may want to invest in pet insurance.
Once a niche product, pet insurance policies have increasingly gone mainstream, and there are more options, too. Freelance writer Daniel Bortz and his wife, Alexandra, signed up for pet insurance for their mini goldendoodle, Penny, after their breeder provided them with a months coverage for free. Bortz bought a policy from Trupanion, a major provider.
Penny has had a couple of ear infections so farher breed is prone to getting thembut our main concern was an emergency, Bortz says.
But comprehensive coverage isnt the only option for pet parents, and premiums can vary depending on geography and other factors. Heres what to consider.
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Healthy Paws Has Terrific Customer Service And Customer Satisfaction
When your dog is injured or sick, you don’t want the additional stress or hassle of dealing with a company that doesn’t stand by what they have promised. You want their response to be quick and compassionate. And you don’t want any delays or red tape before getting your money.
But how can you know whether a pet insurance company has good customer service? Not by going to the company’s website! No surprise, they all claim to be the best.
But who really is #1? Fortunately there are independent groups who investigate and rate customer service:
- Pet Insurance Review bases their rating on thousands of personal reviews from actual policy holders. Healthy Paws gets a rating of 9.8 out of 10, which places them first, a position they’ve held several years in a row. No other company comes close.
- Canine Journal rates Healthy Paws as the best pet insurance company.
- Consumers Advocate rates Healthy Paws number one.
- Pet Insurance Quotes gives Healthy paws a 98% grade for customer satisfaction first place.
