PET INSURANCE

It’s no doubt that cats (and pets in general) are a major expense. At the surface level, owners should be prepared for the basic expenses: food, litter, toys, grooming products, beds, etc. They should also be ready to take their cat to a reliable vet often (at least once a year) to update vaccine and check on their overall health.

However, not all cat owners are expecting their cat to have accidents or emergencies. Despite how much we cat-proof our homes, feed our cats the right foods, and give them plenty of playtime and love, cats are silly, sly little creatures. Without you knowing, they could eat a random piece of plastic that fell out of the trash, have an internal condition they’ve been hiding, or find the one spot their paw can get stuck in. Eventually, we notice that our cat isn’t acting right and rush them to the vet.

At the heart of it, we would do anything for our cats to keep them safe and healthy, but vet bills are scary. When my cat was throwing up non-stop for hours, I took him to the vet and was told he had an object lodged in his intestines, and the only thing that could save him was an expensive surgery. 2 years ago, I would’ve been freaking out - it was the cost of my entire savings! But thankfully, when I adopted him, I also registered for a pet insurance plan.

Pet insurance works similarly to human medical insurance: you choose a plan based on how much you’re willing to pay (annual premiums, deductibles, etc.) and what you expect your cat might need. No matter the plan, there’s usually some lee-way to cover accidents and emergencies. However, unlike human insurance, vets usually don’t bill the insurance directly; instead, you pay your veterinarian the bill, then submit a claim to your pet’s insurance. From there, your insurance will contact the vet, collect documents and records, and confirm what can be covered. Once you reach your annual deductible, insurance will start covering and reimbursing the bill minus your co-pay (in the percentage you chose, based on the plan you pick).

It’s a little hard to understand, just like any insurance is. Here’s an example plan and what it might mean:

• You have a $300 deductible, 80% reimbursement up to $5,000, and your plan covers accidents, illnesses, and most prescription medications.

  • Before your benefits kick in, you must spend $300 in eligible vet visits within the year, prescriptions, etc.

  • Once you’ve reached your deductible, any eligible bills in the same year afterwards will be reimbursed to you in a way that you get 80% of the cost back.

    • Therefore, your co-pay on these visits are technically only 20% of the total bill.

For me, my pet insurance meant that I didn’t end up losing my entire savings to save my cats’ life. But pet insurance might not be for everyone - if you have a lot saved up or if you really trust your cat, you’re probably okay without it.

Furthermore, pre-existing conditions are most of the time ineligible to be covered. If you adopted your cat and they already have medical records with consistent check-ups/treatments for a specific condition, any following vet visit for that condition will not be covered.

It’s also important to choose a pet insurance plan that’s right for you. If you just want to be covered in case of emergencies, you don’t need to worry too much about finding one that covers annual exams and vaccinations. If your cat gets sick a lot or needs check-ups for a bunch of random things, find a plan that will cover check-ups and expected treatments (preventative care and/or prescription medications). Google is a very useful tool in finding the right pet insurance for you. You can also contact your current home/car insurance to see if there’s any deals to add pet insurance on for a bundled cost!

Lastly, if you simply can’t afford pet insurance right now and are scared about if you’ll be able to afford emergency vet visits - it’s okay. Especially right now, it’s not very accessible for all pet owners to take their pets in every time they get sick or to even get the treatment their pet needs. And that doesn’t make you a bad pet owner. As long as you’re giving your pet everything you’re able to and you’re providing them a good, stable home, you are a good pet owner.

Stay safe and check on your cats!