Tips for choosing pet insurance!
[Tips for choosing pet insurance!] There are many types of pet insurance, and the coverage and services
vary depending on the insurance company. The choice of pet insurance depends on what the owner
values. Here are some points to keep in mind, such as the benefits of pet insurance so that you don’t
have to worry about it after joining and what you should be aware of.
What are the benefits of pet insurance and what you should be aware of?
There is no doubt if you choose this plan. This is because there are various insurance products and plans,
and the coverage is different, so the coverage required for each family and pet is different. Now, I would
like to introduce the features of pet insurance that I would like to pay particular attention to.
Benefits of pet insurance
Pet insurance is an insurance product that generally covers part of the treatment costs for pets
such as hospital visits, hospitalization, and surgery. When choosing, it is important not only to
decide on the cheapness of insurance premiums but also to choose the one that suits the owner
and pet.
1. Reducing the burden of feelings about going to the hospital.
The biggest advantage of taking out pet insurance is that you can feel secure in case of
an emergency. When a pet becomes sick, it is not possible to know what kind of illness it is,
what kind of treatment is needed, how much the treatment cost will be, etc. All costs will
be borne by you. Financial unrest can stop you from going to a veterinary clinic, resulting
in a serious situation in which your pet’s symptoms worsen. Pet insurance can help reduce
your anxiety about cost burdens and help your pet to be treated well.
It is not uncommon for treatment costs to be high in cases where surgery is required. Looking at
the data on the cases of claims for AXA Direct’s pet insurance from July 2019 to June 2020, in
the case of treatment including outpatient care, hospitalization, surgery, examination, medicine
fee, etc., in some cases, it cost $4350, about $3240 for otitis externa, and about $1665 for
gastroenteritis. Depending on the size and age of the pet, the cost of treatment maybe even
higher.
If you take out pet insurance, which has ancillary (privilege) services for subscribers, you may be
provided with various ancillary services in addition to compensation for treatment costs. Service
content varies depending on the insurance company.
For example, there is a service where a veterinarian can talk to your pet over the phone. You can feel
free to consult with your pet about how to treat your pet, such as I don’t eat rice or I vomit, or I don’t
know how to train.
In addition, each insurance company has its own services, such as a service that searches for lost pets
and a service that returns points to insurance premiums under limited subscription conditions.
Pet insurance generally has a covenant that allows you to add additional coverage to your main
contract. The details of the special contract differ depending on the insurance company, so please check
the website of each insurance company for details.
The following are examples.
Special contract for pet’s liability for damages
This is a special contract for insurance to be paid when the owner is legally liable for damages, such as
when a pet bites another person and causes injury or damages. There may be a service that negotiates a
settlement on behalf of the owner. The limit depends on the insurance company. Even if your pet is not
ill, you may incur a large number of damages to the owner, so consider it in case.
Special contract for cancer
This is a special contract that pays insurance money in addition to the usual insurance money for the
treatment of cancer. The terms and conditions of payment vary depending on the insurance
company. The incidence of cancer increases as we get older. Pets are aging year by year, so consider if
you want more compensation.
Be sure to check in advance whether your pet is eligible, including details of incidental services and
special contracts for subscribers.
So far, we have introduced the benefits of taking out pet insurance. Here are some important points to
keep in mind when choosing insurance.
What if I don’t know when to buy pet insurance?
Just because you have pet insurance does not mean that all treatments are covered. Some treatments
are not covered, and others have a fixed number of times they are covered. It depends on the insurance
company and contract plan, so you need to check carefully.
Even if the insurance product name is similar, the coverage varies depending on the insurance company.
For example, coverage (outpatient/hospitalization/surgery, etc.), coverage (type of illness or injury, type
of medicine, etc.), amount of self-pay, the period until compensation starts (whether there is a waiting
period), and a number of compensations. There are many differences, such as whether or not there are
restrictions.
Examples of items not covered by pet insurance include contraception/castration surgery, pregnancy,
hospitalization/surgery for dogs’ birth, prevention of vaccination and health examinations, etc.
There are other insurance payment conditions and coverage, so be sure to check them.
Limitation of compensation amount for pet insurance: The compensation ratio (burden ratio) differs
depending on each insurance company and insurance product. In general, most of them cover 50% to
90% of the treatment cost, but there are insurance products that cover 100%. However, if there are
settings such as the deductible amount and limit amount, the treatment cost may not be covered if it is
less than the specified amount, or it may not be compensated if it is more than the specified amount.
In addition to other treatment costs, if there is a limit on the number of days you can go to the hospital
or stay in the hospital, you may not be able to claim if you exceed the upper limit, or even if you can
claim it, the insurance premium for the following year may be increased. Check before joining to avoid
unexpected troubles.
How to choose the right pet insurance?
So what should we be careful about when considering pet insurance? The points to be especially careful
are as follows:
Spot, pet insurance you both will love 👈
Meet Odie, pet insurance for everyone who cares about pet wellness. 👈
Check Argos if you live in the UK. At Argos Pet Insurance, we know that treatment for your pet could be pricey. That’s why we provide pet insurance policies that cover your pet for various treatments, along with other benefits too 👈
Checking Pet Insurance Enrollment Conditions 👈
Pet insurance has different enrollment conditions depending on the insurance product and plan. You
may not be able to join depending on your past medical history as well as your current health
condition. Even if you have been ill in the past but are now healthy, you need to make sure that you
meet the conditions.
In general, younger pets have lower insurance premiums, which increase with age. And the older you
get, the more limited your pet insurance will be. Check your enrollment requirements, taking into
account your pet’s life expectancy.
Understand the injuries and illnesses that pets are likely to have and check the compensation
details. Pets have different illnesses and injured areas depending on the breed. When choosing pet
insurance, make sure that it covers the treatment of illnesses and injuries that are likely to occur.
For example, in the case of varieties that are prone to develop skin diseases, even if the cost of one
treatment is not high, it is often necessary to visit the hospital frequently, so it is thought that the
number of visits per year is high. Therefore, pet insurance with no limit on the number of hospital visits
or a large number of compensations is recommended.
In addition, in the case of cancer, heart disease, fractures, etc. that accompany hospitalization/surgery,
pet insurance with generous compensation for hospitalization treatment and surgery is preferable. In
this way, think carefully about which plan suits your pet best.
Compare plans, insurance premiums, and compensation details with a pre-estimate.
Pet insurance, which can be subscribed from the Internet, can be pre-estimated on its website. Is the
coverage sufficient? It may be an opportunity to find the best insurance for your pet by comparing
multiple insurance products, keeping in mind the contents of special contracts and incidental services,
the age, and the health condition of your pet.
There are also discounts that apply when you apply online or have a microchip installed.