The primary purpose of pet insurance is to protect the consumer from major, unanticipated veterinary bills. Some plans cover routine care, but insurance should be looked at mainly as preventing you from having to decide whether you can afford life-saving treatment for your pet.
There is a wide array of plans. Some cover routine care like vaccinations and heartworm and flea prevention. Some cover accidents, but don’t cover illnesses like cancer. It’s important to fully research the plans to find what best fits your needs.
Unlike human health insurance, pet plans don’t require that you visit specific veterinarians. Pet insurance companies will take claims from any licensed veterinarian. The policyholder always pays out of pocket first and then seeks reimbursement.
It will never cover a pre-existing condition. That’s why veterinarians recommend that if you’re going to get pet insurance, you do so when your pet is a puppy or kitten. The longer you wait, the more pre-existing issues you’ll have to deal with.
Sources: PetInsuranceReview.com and Tribune reporting
