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For many pet owners, there’s nothing they wouldn’t do to keep their furry friends happy and healthy. Our pets bring us joy, comfort and companionship. Unfortunately, they also come with significant expense, one of the biggest of which may be medical care.
The average pet owner pays $410 in medical bills for a dog and $300 for a cat, according to the ASPCA. And that’s only for routine care like checkups and preventative medicine. If your pet is sick or injured, the costs can easily run into the thousands.
One way to help defray these costs is to animal insurance. Depends on type of policy you choose, it could reimburse you for up to 90% of your pet’s medical expenses. But to take full advantage of pet insurance, you need to buy it as soon as possible. If you wait until your pet gets sick, their treatment might not be covered, leaving you with costly and potentially heartbreaking decisions.
To find out how much coverage you could get, get a free quote here.
Why You Should Get Pet Insurance Before Your Pet Gets Sick
Don’t assume you can do without pet insurance if your pet is young or healthy. Here are three great reasons to buy coverage before your pet gets sick.
Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered
Most pet insurance policies does not cover pre-existing conditions, such as hip dysplasia or heart disease. If your pet develops these conditions before you take out a policy, you will be fully responsible for the treatment costs.
“A pre-existing condition is an injury or illness that occurs or shows symptoms before coverage begins or during a waiting period,” says Spot Pet Insurance. “A condition is considered pre-existing whether or not it has been officially diagnosed or treated; all that matters is when it occurred or when symptoms first appeared.”
Pre-existing conditions can be extremely expensive to treat over your pet’s lifetime. For example, CareCredit reports that hip dysplasia surgery for dogs costs an average of $1,700 to over $4,500. Therefore, it is essential to secure coverage for your pet now, even if it appears healthy.
Start exploring your pet insurance options by checking prices here.
Most policies have waiting periods
Pet insurance policies usually have waiting periods between when you apply and when coverage takes effect. Medical expenses incurred by your pet during this period will not be covered.
Waiting periods can be as short as a few weeks and as long as several months, depending on the policy and the medical issue. But no matter how long, your pet can get sick or injured at any time. The sooner you get pet insurance, the more likely they are to be covered if something goes wrong.
It saves you stress and heartache
When your pet is sick or injured, you want to provide it with the best possible care as soon as possible. You shouldn’t have to worry about how you’re going to pay for it or whether you’ll have to forgo treatment because the cost is just too high.
“If an emergency occurs and treatment/surgery is needed, it can cost thousands of dollars to resolve the situation. Many families may not have these types of resources and may have to make the very painful decision to euthanize their beloved pet,” Dr. Sandra Norman, staff veterinarian at Noah Animal Hospitals in Indiana, previously said. CBS News.
Don’t add cost worries to an already trying time. Get a free quote now to find the right font for you.
The bottom line
Never mind your pet’s age, the best time to get pet insurance is now. And there are plenty of ways to save on pet insurancein particular by taking advantage of discounts. Do your pet (and your wallet!) a favor and start learning about pet insurance today.