Myth 1: I’m Just Treating My Pet Like a Human If I Invest In Insurance
At Vet Organics, we believe pets are family and family comes first. Sure, they aren’t human, but they aren’t second-hand citizens either. By adopting them and bringing them under our care, we’ve agreed to the responsibility of pet guardianship. Under that responsibility, it falls to us to care for their health and well-being. For those who agree that pets are non-human fur-babies, rather than living furniture or backyard decor, the next logical step is to agree that responsible pet care means we need to be prepared for the statistical inevitability that they will need medical care and that they may indeed need catastrophic or emergency care. We can’t know the future. That’s exactly why pet insurance is important.
Myth 2: My Pet Is Young & Healthy So I Don’t Need Pet Insurance
When it comes to common pet insurance myths, this was one that was mentioned by everyone we interviewed. We get it. It’s tough to invest our hard earned money in “maybe,” until we realize that it’s not really a maybe. Pet insurance is an investment in the future. Our cat or canine companion may not have regular exposure to shelter dogs or rescues, which significantly reduces the likelihood of certain illnesses, and they may not spend a great deal of time as a working dog, which will also decrease their risk of injury, but there is always risk. Something as simple as a burr that irritates the skin or late onset allergies can cost as much as $5,000 over the lifetime of our pet. Accidental exposure to common garden pesticides or ingestion of prescription medication can happen and can incur a costly recovery. Common pet insurance myths are often the result of people who forget that emergencies happen. Pet insurance is just one of the ways to help balance the cost of emergencies and the unforeseeable.
Myth 3: The Cheapest Plan Is Still A Pet Insurance Plan
Picking pet insurance solely based on price is leaving out a great deal of opportunity to make sure your pet’s health and well-being really are taken into account. Also, it may be inexpensive month-to-month, but that can mean it will be more expensive should something happen. Be sure to look at coverage, like what types of injuries and illnesses will be covered. Take into account deductibles, medications, and tests that may be out of pocket. And get a quote before making the final decision based solely on internet information. Our pet’s breed, age, and medical history can all play a role in what’s covered, refunds, and payouts.
Myth 4: Companies and Plans Are Basically All the Same
Yikes! We hear this one all the time, but the fact is, there are all types of insurance companies and a wide range of plans. Just like any industry, there are a few who seek to take advantage of people. Foregoing the research phase, can mean we end up with something the isn’t the right fit for our fur-family, but we may not know it until it’s too late. We know there are some great insurance companies with the fur-families best interests in mind and we’ve done some of the research to help narrow down that time consuming research phase. It's just one of the ways we can avoid common pet insurance myths to make informed decisions. Find a plan that will be the best fit for budget, health goals, and fur babies, but we recommend starting with the four companies listed HERE. They are vetted and we believe they are worth a second glance.
Myth 5: Pet Insurance Will Cover Everything So I Won’t Owe Anything
Pet Insurance is useful because it helps to significantly offset the costs of emergency pet care and some yearly physicals. It does not, however, cover everything. Many plans are similar to human insurance plans with a deductible and 80/20 coverage, meaning 80% of the medical care, after the deductible is paid, will be covered by insurance. We would be responsible for the deductible plus 20% of the rest of the charges. It’s worth keeping this in mind as we shop pet insurance so we understand that the investment is helpful, but not a way to avoid all vet bills. Again, there are many common pet insurance myths, but pet insurance is the single most important way we can make sure our pets have the best possible chance at a long and happy life. We want to be able to make sure they are comfortable in difficult situations and should the worst happen, we want to be able to make a decision based on what’s best for them and for the family, not what’s best for our wallet. We recommend these companies as a starting place when shopping for pet insurance, but whatever plan or company is selected, we just need to make sure we have made the best decision with information available.
Find a plan that will be the best fit for budget, health goals, and fur babies, but we recommend starting with the four companies listed HERE. They are vetted and we believe they are worth a second glance.