Seven Questions to Ask Your Pet Insurance Company

Pet insurance has become a necessity for your pet. Every year the costs of pet care are rising. Without adequate insurance to help cover any unforeseen costs of caring for your pet, you run the risk of being unable to pay for a necessary procedure for your pet, forcing you to either allow your pet to live in pain and agony or to put it down. The last thing you want is to put your pet down simply because you did not have adequate funds to pay your pet care costs.

However, you should also not simply latch on to the first pet insurer you find. Pet insurance should be shopped around much like you would with other forms of insurance. Below are some of the questions you should ask the potential insurer before you choose to go with their company.

Questions for Pet Insurance Companies:

?Are There Rules About Who Can Be My Vet and is My Vet Covered?

Like many types of insurance companies, they do not always let you choose who can be the doctor/veterinarian for your pets. You sometimes must go to qualified vets only. It is important to know whether or not you can choose your own vet and, if not, whether or not the vet you already use is covered. If you are intending on moving or changing vets, find out all you can about veterinary approval.

?Can You Get Coverage for Hereditary Diseases?

Not all insurers will cover hereditary diseases. If your dog's breed is generally free of these conditions it may not be a huge issue to you, but if you have a purebred dog or cat and cat get these diseases covered, this could be very useful for ensuring your pet's long and happy life.

?Are Routine Checkups Covered?

Some insurers will provide you with coverage for routine checkups to ensure that the pet is free of any serious issues. Routine checkups can save both you and the insurance company a lot of money, so it is important to see if you can get these covered and take your pet to the vet more often.

?Are Prescriptions Included?

Prescriptions for pets can be as expensive as prescriptions for humans without insurance. You want to make sure that your insurer is providing you with prescription coverage. If not, you should check to see how difficult it would be to get prescriptions under your plan.

?Are There Any Caps?

It is vital that you know what the caps are (if any) for your insurance. Sometimes these companies will have caps that are far lower than the cost of getting your pet help. If the insurance company caps an expensive procedure that you know your pet is at risk for, you may need to go with a different provider.

?How Does Coverage Work?

Almost all pet insurance companies require you to first pay the costs out of pocket before you get reimbursed by the insurance company. However, it's good to know all of the details of their procedures. How long do you have to wait for a check? How often are services denied? What would cause a covered service to be denied? These are all important questions to answer.

?How Easy is it to Change Policies?

You may decide at some point that the deductible is too high or too low and you need to switch to a new plan. It is a good idea to note how these changes happen and whether or not they are even possible.

As you can see, there are a number of questions you will need to ask the pet insurance company before you can be confident that they are the company you need. Do your research and choose wisely!