I’m going to get two kittens from a breeder pretty soon – They’ll be around 12 weeks old. I’ll need to get them spayed and neutered. I’d also like to get them micro-chipped. I’ve checked out a few websites for pet insurance, but I don’t know how to tell which is best. Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks!
I recently read in Reader’s Digest that pet insurance is not always the best way to go.
Here are the downfalls of pet health insurance:
-The average cost spent on pet health insurance is actually more than the average cost that your pet’s health care will cost during its life (approx. $2000 difference).
-A lot of pet health insurances will not actually cover routine health care, such as vaccinations
-You will be required to pay up front for the veterinary expenses, and then be reimbursed by the Pet insurance. This can get sticky, and the pet insurance may refuse to reimburse you for certain expenses.
The article suggested budgeting approx. $400 per year for your regular veterinary expenses, plus a few hundred extra for emergencies. Pet health care can be expensive, but with kittens, you are unlikely to have any huge expenses that would warrant a costly pet insurance plan. In the event of circumstances where you are unable to pay your veterinary expenses up front, there is a credit card specifically for health care costs that can be used for your vet bills, as well. It’s called Care Credit, and under certain plans it can be paid off interest free. (Make sure the veterinary hospital you will bring your pets to accepts this form of payment before the visit, if necessary.)
I heard from others that the pet insurances are ripoffs but then again i never got it. I think petco offers it. I usually just keep money in my savings account if anything happens. Are they gonna be indoor cats? I keep mine indoors and never had any problems
If you type that question in the search box, you’ll get TONS of answers. Very good ones.
Good luck!
It’s not worth it. It won’t balance out over time. You will have paid money that you could have saved. Just paying out of pocket is best.
I know it is very confusing when shopping for pet insurance. There are too many information out there and cause a case of information overload.
No pet insurance are the same and you need to find one that tailors to your cat’s need. You have to be careful when choosing because some insurance company place a low cap on their reimbursement even though you are paying for higher premiums. Some will have low deductibles but will not cover much illness or low coverage for accidents and diagnosis. Many insurance companies will not cover pre existing conditions.
I cannot recommend one that stood out from the rest because what my cat needs might be different from what you need.
However, there is a site with a lot of good and useful reviews on the insurance available that you can look into.
http://www.petinsurancereview.com/
http://www.pet-insurance-info.com
Some guidelines:-
How old is your pet? The best time to purchase a pet health insurance policy is when your pet is young. Most pet health problems happen in the last two years of your pet’s life. So, the younger your pet is, the better
Is your breed prone to medical problems? While policy premiums are generally not based on breed, certain hereditary conditions are excluded.
For instance, Persian cats are prone to polycystic kidney disease (PKD). You can still buy pet insurance for your Persian; just don’t be surprised if it fails to cover related issues (some pet insurance policies may cover this, so check with your provider to make sure before you buy).
Is your pet already sick? Most pet insurance providers won’t cover pre-existing conditions. However, if you can prove your pet had a condition that has been cured, that may be covered.
Can you choose your own veterinarian? For many pet owners, vet choice is key, and for good reason. Some pet insurance companies require you to use veterinarians on their own network. Others don’t. As always, check with your provider regarding your choice of veterinarian.
What is your pet’s lifestyle? If your dog or cat spends most of his time outdoors, that will increase his/her risk of illness or injury.
What is covered? Many pet owners purchase pet health insurance policies to protect themselves from the high cost of future medical problems. Others want regular pet care such as annual physical exams and routine checkups and cleanings.
Just be advised that most standard pet insurance policies cover catastrophic accidents and illnesses. Routine vet visits tend to come as add-ons and/or riders.
What State do you Live In? If you are searching on the internet for pet health insurance, you need to check this. Just because a provider does business online doesn’t mean it services your state.
Check The Insurance Company’s Track Record
Every state in the U.S. has an insurance commissioner. If the insurance company you are considering has had legal/ethical issues that should cause you concern, the insurance commissioner’s office in your state or province should know about it. Check with them before you buy.
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A note about those who felt that pet insurance is a waste :-
If you have young kittens, pet insurance is really the best way to go. I have been here long enough to see so many questions about how one cannot afford vet care due to lack of financial support. If you can put aside some money now to purchase pet insurance, it is for your peace of mind.
Many times, things happen beyond our control and veterinary care is getting very expensive. We need something to fall back on should the medical care needed to treat our pets puts a huge dent in our bank account. Not everyone can afford thousans of dollars for diagnostic procedures and more for medications, treatment and after care. This is when Pet Insurance comes in.
Kittens especially, needs routine vet care. They are full of energy, fearless, and loves to go when we don’t want them to. They are more prone to injuries resulting from a fall, running head first into furniture, and also from caretakers who clumsily stepped on them, close the door on them, got stuck in the refrigerator, ingesting poisonous materials and so many more than one can think of. Of course I would not want any of these to happen to your lovely kittens. But knowing the danger that they can get themselves in, pet insurance becomes even more paramount.
Trues, not pet insurance are built the same. That is why I have given you plenty of information to begin your search. Just know that you are purchasing pet insurance as extra premium for your peace of mind. We spend money to support our lifestyle, on gas, food, shopping, entertainment so it is only logical that we set aside some money to purchase pet insurance for our pet, should they need it.