The Top 10 Benefits of Having Pet Insurance

If you have a dog or cat, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about pet medical insurance, or simply, “pet insurance.” It’s not a requirement as a pet owner, but it’s something worth considering regardless. To make the right decision for your family, it’s important to understand not just how pet insurance works but how it can improve the lives of pets and pet owners.

There are numerous pros to having health insurance for your pet, and there may be different reasons people get it. Every situation is different, and no two pets are exactly the same. Nevertheless, there are reasons to get coverage worth considering. To help you out, here’s a rundown of the biggest benefits of pet insurance and how they can help you navigate the unexpected challenges of being a pet parent.

1. Less stress around veterinary costs

It’s no secret veterinary care can be expensive, especially when unexpected illnesses arise or accidents happen. While you can anticipate paying for things like vaccines and routine checkups, it’s impossible to predict all of your pet’s future health needs.

Needless to say, the costs associated with treatment for these surprises can be pretty stress-inducing for most pet owners. The whole point of pet insurance is to help with these costs. This can mean less financial stress for you and the ability to budget better for pet care.

2. Access to more treatment options

Veterinary care has become increasingly advanced over the years. From technological advances in diagnostic testing to improved patient monitoring and long-term care, many pet owners are pleasantly surprised to find treatment options for dogs and cats now rival those of human healthcare. Of course, this has also contributed to veterinary care becoming more expensive.

Due to cost alone, many pet owners without insurance may not go through with the best treatments for their pets. But with the right pet insurance at your side, you may find that you have more options at your disposal and can focus on getting your pet well — not finding the cheapest treatment possible or forgoing it entirely.

3. Emergency preparedness

As any pet owner who’s found themselves having to deal with a veterinary emergency can attest, it’s a lot to handle. In addition to the general stress of rushing your pet to the vet and awaiting a diagnosis, you also have to deal with treatment decisions, your pet being stressed out the whole time, and of course, figuring out how to pay for it all. But with the right pet insurance coverage, you can go in with a much clearer financial picture.

For example, Trupanion can help cover all new, unexpected health conditions (including accidents!). So, when you arrive at the emergency animal hospital, you can focus less on finances and more on what really matters — being there for your pet and helping them through the situation.

4. Becoming a pro at routine pet health care

Pet insurance exists for the unexpected, the aspects of pet health that you can’t plan for. After all, things like treatment for unexpected illnesses and emergency care for accidents can come at steep costs that far exceed your normal veterinary care budget. But this is where another surprise benefit of having pet insurance comes into play. Because you will have comprehensive coverage for new and unexpected conditions, you may find it easier to focus on what’s not covered — your pet’s routine health care. These non-covered things include pet care basics like:

• Keeping up with routine checkups
• Getting your pet vaccinated
• Using flea and tick prevention
• Getting involved in pet dental care
• Anything else your vet recommends as routine or part of prevention!

5. Veterinarian and animal hospital flexibility

Just as with your own doctor, it’s important to find a veterinarian that you like and trust. But unlike human health insurance, you’re not stuck with a veterinary network. With insurance providers like Trupanion, you can visit any licensed veterinarian or animal hospital you like!

Advanced veterinary specialists

Pet insurance can be invaluable when your pet needs specialized care from veterinary specialists such as oncologists, cardiologists, or dermatologists. These experts often provide advanced diagnostics and treatments that can be costly, including chemotherapy, heart surgeries, or allergy management plans. With pet insurance, many of these specialized services are covered, helping your dog or cat get the best possible care for their specific health needs.

Learn more about your pet’s veterinary team.

6. Being in tune with your pet’s health

Pet insurance often leads to pet owners taking a closer look at their pet’s health right from the start. This is because three of the main factors that go into pet insurance cost are your pet’s breed, age, and location — all of which can affect your pet’s health risks.

While pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, this too can help you become more aware of your pet’s health. At sign-up, you’ll want to look closely at your pet’s medical history and review what conditions may not be covered in the future. Even with a history of pre-existing conditions, pet insurance can still be a good idea for any future surprises. When you don’t have to worry as much about the financial burden of surprise health conditions, you may be more likely to see medical attention the moment you suspect something’s off.

As mentioned earlier, pet insurance can also prompt you to keep up with routine care and prevention. All of this helps you become more in touch with your pet’s healthcare and their well-being in general.

7. Coverage for both emergencies and chronic conditions

With the right pet insurance, you can rest assured knowing your pet has coverage for a wide variety of situations: from sudden emergencies like accidents to unexpected chronic conditions (providing they are not pre-existing or preventable).

This advantage does depend on the type of pet insurance you have. Some providers have accident-only coverage, which does not cover chronic conditions or many other kinds of illnesses. Other plans only provide wellness coverage, which is just for routine veterinary care (the kind of stuff you can usually plan for anyway). With Trupanion, however, new, unexpected accidents and illnesses are covered, meaning pet parents never have to pick and choose the conditions to protect their pet from.

8. Not having to build up a pet savings account

Instead of investing in pet insurance, some people choose to set aside money for potential vet costs in a pet savings account. This account functions pretty much just like a regular bank savings account, only the money is designated specifically for pet costs.

The trouble with this is that it only works if you don’t have any unexpected veterinary costs for a long time. After all, it often takes years to build up a savings account into a substantial financial safety net. But dogs and cats often need unexpected medical care faster than pet owners may suspect. As internal Trupanion claims data has shown, nearly 1 in 2 pets need unexpected care before their first birthday. On top of that, 1 in 3 pets need unexpected care each year.

This is where another huge benefit of pet insurance becomes obvious. While there is typically a short period of time between sign-up and when you can file a claim, the short wait is nothing compared to years of setting aside funds in a savings account.

9. Enjoying more quality time with your pet

Pet insurance exists to help with the finances of veterinary care. So, with the right policy giving you peace of mind, you can spend more time and energy on the fun parts of pet parenting.

It should also go without saying that the ability to pay for your pet’s medical surprises matters for their quality of life. A dog or cat getting the treatment they need is more likely to stay active in the long run and have more happy, healthy years ahead of them. Additionally, a large part of the reason Trupanion was founded was to help more pet owners afford life-saving care and prevent unnecessary pet deaths.

10. Supporting your pet’s long-term health

Choosing the right pet insurance policy is investing in your pet’s long-term health. Even if they’re healthy now, it’s impossible to predict what may happen to them in the months and years to come. By taking steps to protect your pet now, you are helping ensure that they’ll be able to get the care they need in the future.

On this note, the best time to sign up for pet insurance is when your pet is still young. Not only is this because young pets are still at risk of accidents and surprise health conditions, but there’s a decreased likelihood of pre-existing conditions. Most pet insurance providers do not cover anything that was previously diagnosed or showing clinical signs prior to when you sign up for coverage. Basically, the earlier you sign up for a pet insurance policy, the more value you’re likely to get throughout your dog or cat’s lifetime.

Interested in learning more about how you can protect your pet’s health? Compare your pet insurance options to see how different providers stack up.