5 Tips for Finding the Best Pet Insurance Policy

Getting the right insurance could be the difference between life and death for a beloved pet.

Pet owners typically want to provide the very best care for their animal companions. This means making sure that pets can get high-quality veterinary care and treatment for any illness or injury that happens to develop throughout their lifetimes. 

Buying pet insurance can make getting even costly medical services possible, as insurance policies can pay a good portion of the cost of covered services. But not all pet insurance policies are created equal, and individuals with animal companions will want to make sure they get the right type of protection in place so their animals can get the help they need if things go wrong.

So, how can pet owners find the ideal pet insurance policy? Here are five steps to making that happen. 

1. Understand the terminology

Many pet insurance policies have deductibles, coinsurance costs, and coverage limits. It's important to understand all of this different language to know what a policy will cover specifically and what is excluded.

• Deductibles are the amount that must be paid out of pocket. Owners want to make sure they can cover it since an insurer won't pay for a pet's treatment until the deductible is met. 
• Coinsurance costs are the portion of vet bills the owner must pay. If there are 20% coinsurance costs and a pet needs $1,000 in care, the owner would pay $200 and the insurer would cover the rest. 
• Coverage limits are caps on the amount of money an insurer will pay. There may be an annual, lifetime, and/or per-incident limit.

Pet owners need to know these words, as well as understanding what pre-existing conditions and genetic conditions are as many insurance policies exclude them from coverage. 

2. Decide what coverage is needed

Insurers offer different kinds of pet insurance policies, including accident-only coverage, accident and illness protection, and wellness care. 

The first covers only accidental injuries such as being hit by a car. The second covers any accidents and illnesses such as cancer or heart disease. And wellness care policies pay for routine care such as vaccines and an annual exam.

Pet owners should consider their budget and what level of risk they wish to transfer to an insurer when deciding what type of coverage to buy. 

3. Shop around and get quotes

There are many different pet insurers out there. Owners should get quotes from several companies before committing to buy a policy. 

By comparison shopping, pet owners can make sure they pay the most affordable premiums possible for the most comprehensive coverage for their animal companions. 

4. Check out customer ratings and reviews 

Some pet insurers are better than others. It pays to check out customer service ratings and reviews. Watch specifically for what people say about the ease of making a claim, as no one wants to fight a pet insurer for money when an animal is sick and needs quick assistance.

5. Buy a policy ASAP 

Finally, it's important to buy a pet insurance policy as soon as possible before an animal develops pre-existing policies that would be excluded from coverage.  

The sooner a pet owner shops around for the right insurance and finds a company they trust, the greater the chances the policy will cover all they need and provide the best possible protection for their animal companion.