Pet Health Insurance

The demand for pet health insurance is growing across the country, according to a recent article in my local newspaper.

In the first quarter of 2004 alone, Veterinary Pet Insurance, just one of the growing number of pet insurance companies, wrote 80,000 new policies. Why the sudden and rapid emergence of a market that barely existed ten years ago?

The Rising Cost of Our Pets' Health Care

The answer: The cost of health care for dogs, cats and other pets keeps going up. Though it may seem contradictory, this is actually a good sign. It means that as medical science improves for people, much of the research and technology that our society is acquiring can be used for the greater good of animals as well. Injuries or illnesses which in the past would have been a death sentence for beloved pets, can now be diagnosed and treated more effectively.

The downside is that these wonderful advanced medical practices can be expensive to implement. Chemotherapy, dialysis, and so on can cost quite a bit of money. Even though the veterinarian profession is not being slowly ground out of existence by malpractice insurance claims and aggressive, litigious damage-seekers, like those who malign the many well-intentioned doctors who treat us, it is still expensive to seek high-end, esoteric medical treatments for pets.

Can You Afford to Offer Your Pet the Best Medical Treatment Available?

As a result, many pet owners are facing what has been termed "economic euthanasia" for their pets. Although treatments may exist to cure ailing pets, or ease their suffering, some pet owners have a hard time pulling together the thousands of dollars needed to pay for the treatment, or perhaps have difficulty justifying the cost of a procedure meant for an elderly pet who may not have long to live even if the procedure is successful.

Having to make the decision to end a loyal pet's life for financial reasons, can be a very painful, wrenching experience. No dog lover wants to feel like he or she can't afford to give a pet the final gift of health, after that faithful dog has devoted it's lifetime to being a loyal, loving, trusting companion.

Health Care Insurance For Your Dog May Be the Answer

Pet health insurance is the proposed solution to this problem. Although there is a cost associated with pet health insurance, it is one way to spread out the cost of your pet's medical treatment over several years and avoid the eventuality of having to say goodbye because of a catastrophic illness or accident that could be treated, if only the financing were available.

According to statistics, Veterinary care for dogs averages $261 dollars per year and for cats it's $157/year. Pet health insurance can help to defray these annual costs as well as more expensive procedures that may be required several times through out the pets life. In the United Kingdom, 14% of dog owners already carry pet health insurance policies. And there is good reason.

The Cost of Pet Health Insurance

The cost of a kidney transplant for a cat might be as much as $7,000 - $8,000. Cataract surgery is $1,200 per eye, and a series of chemotherapy treatments can run as much as $2,000. If a dog is hit by a car, the treatment and surgeries he might require can total up to $3,000.

When compared to the cost of medical insurance, which may run up to about $1320 (10 years x 12 months x $11/mo) or so over the lifetime of the pet, the investment for peace of mind seems relatively minor. Plans differ in the amount that they are willing to pay for any given procedure. Some may cover routine expenses as well, after you pay the deductible. Several different companies offer pet medical insurance plans, and it makes sense to shop around to find the best one for you and your pet.

To get you started, have a look at the resources below.

Pet Health Insurance - A reputable dog and cat pet insurance provider, first month of coverage free, and premiums thereafter are less than $11.00/month!

1-800-PetMeds - Get the *Guaranteed Lowest Prices* and Free Shipping for all your Pet's Health Care needs!