The Crucial Role of Lost Pet Assistance in Pet Insurance

• Accident and illness: These policies cover both accidental injuries, such as if your pet gets hit by a bike, and illnesses, such as tapeworm and arthritis.
• Accident only: These policies only cover accidental injury, like swallowing a toy. While the coverage costs less, you'll pay to treat your pet's illnesses on your own.
• Prevention: You usually add this coverage to your existing or basic plan, and it covers things like vaccinations, wellness visits, and more.

Depending on the policy and level of coverage you purchase, you can expect your lost pet assistance to pay for the following services:

• Advertising: The policy might cover all or some of the advertising you create to locate your pet. This might include the cost of paper and printing, paying for social media ads, and buying a spot in your local paper.
• Microchipping: Microchipping helps identify your pet and return them to you if someone else finds them. Many pet insurance plans cover the cost of microchipping, and it's become a standard process most veterinarians suggest.
• Reward reimbursement: If you offer a reward for finding your pet, some insurance policies may partially reimburse you for it or pay the full amount up to a certain limit.
• Replacement: We hope you never have to consider the situation, but if you don't find your pet, you might recoup some of the initial cost of your pet after a certain time. For example, if you paid $300 for your pet and they've been missing for at least 45 days, your insurance may offer $150 if you want to adopt another pet.
• Travel: If you have to travel to find your pet or pick them up in the location where someone found them, your insurance may cover some or all of those expenses. This might include mileage, meals, and reasonable overnight lodging.
• Boarding: If you own multiple pets, you might board your safe ones while you look for the missing one. Lost pet assistance often covers some or all of these boarding expenses.
• Tracking devices: New technology provides a way to track your pet with a GPS you can attach to their collar. Insurance may cover the cost of these missing pet locator devices.

The most common limitations and exclusions attached to lost pet assistance include the following:

• Maximum policy limits: Many policies have a maximum amount you can receive after losing your pet. For example, if your policy has a limit of $3,000, any expenses over that amount come out of your own pocket.
• Per-item limits: Apart from your maximum policy limit, the insurance may cap the amount you can receive for individual expenses. For instance, it might limit your advertising reimbursement to $500 or the cost of boarding to $50 per night.
• Percentage costs: Another way insurance providers control how much they reimburse you is by paying only a percentage of certain expenses. For example, they may pay 80% of your advertising costs or 50% of microchipping.
• Inattentive care: If your pet goes missing while you're paying someone else to watch them, your insurance may not cover the costs of finding them.
• Elective services: While your insurance will likely cover basic boarding expenses, it won't cover things like grooming or add-ons like one-on-one playtime.

Always read your policy carefully to determine what coverage you'll receive.

The Los Angeles non-profit Last Chance for Animals estimates that two million pets experience abduction every year. To help prevent pet theft, never leave your animal unattended, fence your yard, and ensure your pet has adequate identification, such as a microchip.

Dogs and cats are both natural hunters, so if they get the scent of prey, they may take off and enjoy the chase. Often they're so fast you lose sight of them before you can react. Another common occurrence is when your pet chases another animal or flees to avoid aggression from another pet.

Even if your dog has undergone considerable training, walking them without a leash is always a risk. Walking your dog off-leash is illegal in most common areas in the United States, and thus you're subjecting yourself to significant fines. It also leaves them more vulnerable to their natural prey drives.

Unless you're in a designated no-leash area, like a fenced-in dog park, always walk your dog on a leash.

Poorly secured yards, such as low fences or terrain where a dog can easily dig, are a major cause of missing animals. Regularly inspect your property for weaknesses your pet could exploit if they're focused on chasing another creature.

When you consider pet assistance an investment to keep a beloved member of your family safe, you're more likely to see the savings it provides. For example, Spots.com reports the average cost of microchipping your pet is $45, and lifetime registration in the database is about $500. If you find a policy that covers all or the majority of those costs, you're already saving money.

Missing pet assistance greatly increases your chances of finding your lost pet. One study by Ohio State University reports that microchips increased a cat's chance of returning to their owner by 20 times and increased a dog's chance by two-and-a-half times. When you factor in reimbursement for advertising costs and reward money, paying a small monthly premium for an increased chance of finding your pet seems trivial.