Pets can be expensive, especially if they are sick, injured, or need emergency care. Pet insurance can help mitigate these costs, and our team at Midwest Veterinary Specialists wants to explain the benefits of pet insurance to ensure your pet always receives the care they need.

#1: Pet insurance provides peace of mind

Emergency situations, injuries, and even cancers  are unpredictable and can affect any pet at any time. Many pet owners don’t have sufficient savings to pay for an unexpected veterinary bill, and when their pet experiences a veterinary emergency, they feel significant anxiety. Pet insurance ensures your sick or injured pet receives the appropriate care that you want to provide, even if you may not have the funds. Some insurance policies can even pay your veterinarian directly, so you don’t have to.

#2: Pet insurance ensures your pet receives the necessary diagnostics

When a pet owner has limited funds, they may prefer to put money toward treatment rather than tests and imaging procedures that can definitively diagnose the pet’s condition. However, these diagnostics are important to accurately assess the pet’s problem so the appropriate treatment can be prescribed. Without the necessary diagnostics, the diagnosis can be wrong, resulting in an incorrect treatment strategy and a poor outcome. When you have pet insurance, you won’t have to choose between diagnostics and treatment, because your pet’s care is fully covered.

#3: Pet insurance helps ensure your pet receives gold standard care

Multiple treatment options are often available for a given medical or surgical condition, and your pet may benefit from the care of a board-certified veterinary specialist. Pet insurance ensures your decision is based solely on your pet’s needs and not your pocket book. Many times, adjunctive therapies such as rehabilitation therapy, acupuncture, laser and shockwave therapy,  stem cell therapy, and even chemotherapy, are covered by insurance. At Midwest Veterinary Specialists, we can work with your insurance company to give your pet gold standard care!

#4: Pet insurance promotes regular wellness care

Many pet insurance policies have wellness add-ons to cover routine veterinary care that can significantly prolong your pet’s life—and save you money, by preventing serious health issues. Procedures that may be covered include:

  • Wellness examinations — Pets instinctively hide illness signs, and should be examined by a veterinary professional at least once a year to detect conditions such as heart murmurs and arrhythmias, dental disease, and abdominal masses.
  • Routine blood work — Pets may not exhibit signs until a medical condition has advanced, but routine blood work can detect conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease in the early stages, when they are easier to manage.
  • Spay and neuter procedures — Spaying and neutering your pet protects them from certain cancers and infections, and prevents some behavioral issues. 
  • Parasite prevention — Your pet needs year-round protection from parasites such as heartworms, fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms.
  • Vaccinations — Keeping your pet current on their vaccinations is important to protect them from dangerous diseases such as rabies, distemper, and parvovirus.
  • Microchipping — Microchipping your pet is the best way to permanently identify your pet and help ensure you are reunited should they go missing. 

#5: Pet insurance allows you to budget for your pet’s veterinary care

Most insurance providers allow you to choose the coverage level and deductible to fit your budget and you can choose to pay for your policy monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Pet insurance also prevents you from dipping into your savings account when your pet needs veterinary care, and can save you a significant amount if your pet experiences a serious medical condition.

#6: Pet insurance allows you to use your own veterinarian

Unlike human health insurance, most pet insurance providers allow you to use any veterinarian you want. You don’t have to waste time trying to find someone in-network, and you don’t have to worry about ensuring a specific veterinarian is covered. You can choose for your pet to be treated by a board-certified veterinary specialist and get the same great insurance coverage.

#7: Pet insurance provides extended coverage

Some  insurance policies provide coverage for other situations, such as:

  • Third party liability coverage — Some policies provide coverage if your pet injures someone or damages someone’s property. 
  • Advertising a reward — Some policies will pay to advertise a reward for your lost or stolen pet.
  • Boarding fees — Some policies will pay boarding fees for your pet should you be hospitalized.
  • Vacation costs — Some policies will pay your vacation costs if you have to cancel your plans because your pet experiences a veterinary emergency.

Pet insurance can really give you peace of mind, but it is important to have pet insurance before you need it. Pet insurance is cheaper and easier to obtain when pets are young and healthy. Some pet insurance providers exclude pets after a certain age, and most exclude pre-existing conditions, so do your research and find a provider and a plan that suits you and your pet as soon as possible. If your pet experiences an injury, broken bone, or lameness, contact our team at Midwest Veterinary Specialists. Our team can help you submit a pre-approval form or a claim to your insurance company as well—let us lend a hand!