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Last Updated on April 10, 2024 by Insurdinary Editorial Team | Fact Checked by Rhonda Gary -->
As a pet owner, you value quality healthcare for your furry friend. Thankfully, with emergency pet insurance, you won’t worry about a serious health emergency destroying your financial security, allowing you to focus on enjoying the relationship you’ve built together over time.
During an emergency, you shouldn’t worry about how much something costs when making decisions that could save your pet’s life. With the right emergency pet insurance, you don’t have to. Keep reading to discover everything you should know about the benefits of emergency pet insurance and how to find the best policy.
Commonly called injury or accident and illness coverage, emergency pet insurance helps pay for expenses related to a pet’s medical issues that require immediate attention. Much like traditional health insurance, it covers some of the costs, so budgetary concerns don’t restrict your decisions about how to care for your pet.
Each policy provides different levels of coverage and imposes different exclusions and limitations, so always read the fine print to ensure you know what you are getting into. The most common pet health emergencies include the following:
CNBC reports that one-third of household pets require emergency treatment each year. With such a high chance you’ll bring your pet in for emergency care, you can’t risk your financial security by forgoing rapid response pet insurance. In general, you can choose between a plan that covers only accidents or one that provides reimbursement for accidents and illnesses.
Depending on the type of plan you purchase, most insurance provides coverage for the most common emergencies, including the following:
Your plan likely covers other conditions not listed here. In general, the policy will reimburse you for some or all of the expenses associated with emergency treatment, including the exam, testing, surgery, and medication prescribed to manage the condition.
No matter how great of a policy you find, you’ll always encounter exclusions (conditions the policy won’t cover) and limitations (such as maximums on how much money you receive). First, realize that most immediate care pet insurance uses a reimbursement system. This means you’ll pay the full cost of your pet care up front and then apply for your policy to reimburse the costs.
Most policies also require a waiting period between the time you enroll and when you start receiving your coverage. The waiting period often depends on the condition but can range from two days for minor emergencies to a year for things like orthopedic conditions. Purchasing emergency pet insurance early in your pet’s life tends to be the most responsible approach.
Emergency pet insurance rarely covers the full cost of any treatment. You’ll experience the following limitations when it comes to reimbursement:
Emergency pet insurance won’t cover pre-existing conditions, vaccinations, preventive care, or elective procedures.
Why should you purchase emergency pet insurance? Such policies provide several benefits that protect you and your pet from financial distress after an emergency.
According to Emergency Vets USA, the average cost of emergency veterinarian services is between $400 and $2,500, depending on the severity of the condition and the treatment your pet requires. The Federal Reserve’s 2021 Economic Well-Being Report shows that 45% of American households can’t afford an unplanned expense of $400 or more.
The biggest advantage of emergency pet insurance is that it helps you become more financially prepared for these events. Even if you’ve trained your dog well, you can’t fully control what happens to them. Neither do you have complete control over the amount you can save for a pet emergency.
What you can control is finding the best pet insurance for your budget and lifestyle. Whether you want a high-deductible plan with a low monthly payment or high annual benefits, you can customize most plans to suit your needs. Pet insurance allows your pet the care they deserve without jeopardizing your financial security.
Purchasing emergency healthcare coverage for your pet leads to their improved health overall. Have you ever felt tempted to ignore signs of distress in your health to avoid paying a doctor’s bill? According to CBS News, roughly 27% of people forgo healthcare for serious conditions because they can’t afford care.
If you’d put your own health at risk, you’ll likely do the same for your pet, whether you want to or not. Paying a small monthly fee for emergency pet insurance gives your beloved cat or dog a fighting chance against severe accidents or injuries. While they’ll probably recover from a cold without intervention, in the case of traumatic injury, you can still get them the care they deserve.
Have you ever felt paralyzed by financial circumstances? You can probably identify with wanting to give your pet something you can’t afford. With emergency pet care insurance, you won’t have to feel that way about your cat or dog’s health.
Knowing you’ll receive a reimbursement for your pet’s emergency healthcare ensures you can make life and death decisions with a clear head. You won’t have to consider whether you can afford a life-saving procedure or test, meaning you improve the chance your pet will be around longer.
Knowing you’ll have adequate compensation available if your pet experiences an emergency means you’ll spend fewer sleepless nights wondering, “What if?” You can stay fully present when spending time with your pet, and you’ll take joy in knowing they likely have a long life ahead of them.
How do you find the best emergency pet insurance policy for you? The following considerations can help you customize the perfect plan.
Forbes reports the average monthly cost of emergency pet insurance is $44 for dogs and $30 for cats. That’s roughly the cost of one meal for a couple at an affordable restaurant.
Spend some time looking over your budget and determining how to make room for this marginal expense. Maybe you can cover the cost by making coffee at home more often or eliminating one night of ordering food a month.
Also, consider your level of savings. If you can pay for emergency medical bills up front, you might save money by purchasing a reimbursement plan rather than one that pays the vet directly. Your level of savings also determines whether you can afford a plan with a higher deductible and lower monthly premium.
Consider the following when deciding how much coverage your pet needs:
Always compare policies and read reviews. Even if a policy looks good on paper, you should consider things like their customer service and how quickly they send your reimbursement.
Are you convinced investing in emergency pet insurance is the best choice for you and your pet? Insurdinary is here to support your journey of finding the best policy. We know you can find good pet insurance because we help it happen every day.
On the Insurdinary website, you can obtain free quotes from emergency pet insurance providers and find the best policy fit. Start your zero-obligation policy search today on our website, or contact our team of experts for the answers to all your questions.