If your pet ever became seriously ill, would you be able to afford the expense of the veterinary bills? While in some European countries, many pet owners view pet insurance as a routine cost of the responsibility of caring for their four-legged friends, in the United States, the concept hasn’t caught on in the same way.

The Difference Between Life And Death?

Pet insurance is a type of insurance policy that will cover some or part of the medical bills incurred by your pet throughout his lifetime. Such a policy can offer you important piece of mind should an emergency arise. In fact, some proponents point that pet insurance can mean the difference between life and death for your pet. That’s because if your pet gets sick and need an expensive surgical procedure, if you don’t have insurance and can’t afford to pay the bill yourself, you may be forced to put him to sleep instead.

Weighing The Benefits

Consider this: the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association estimates that dog owners spend about $211 each year, and cat owners $179 a year, to pay for their pet’s routine medical expenses. But if your pet gets sick, the stakes increase rapidly. Surgical procedures and treatments for serious pet injuries and illnesses can cost $1,000 to $5,000 or even more to treat. If you don’t have this kind of extra money lying around for an emergency, that’s where pet insurance can come in very handy.

The Logistics

Pet insurance policies offer different degrees of coverage, such as those that are limited to only accidents and illness, on up to more premium plans to promise full coverage that includes preventative care, such as annual checkups and immunizations.
Regardless of the level of coverage you select, you’ll pay for the policy on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. Then when your pet needs medical care, you can usually go to the veterinarian of your choice (although some plans require you to use a veterinarian who is included in their own network). Just keep in mind that like medical coverage for humans, you will probably have deductibles, limits on what’s covered and some exclusions, too. (For instance, pre-existing conditions are usually not covered.)

What You Get

Every pet insurance company has its own unique rules and exceptions, so you’ll need to look carefully at all of the details involved before you sign on the dotted line. In general, when selecting a pet insurance plan, you’ll also need to make some important decisions. For instance, do you want coverage for immunizations and routine care? Would you also like prescriptions and even dental care included as well? Keep in mind that the more coverage you add in, the more you can expect to spend.
Basic Insurance
The most basic pet insurance plans usually cover evaluation, treatment, imaging costs and surgery for the following types of situations:

• Accidents (including attacks, being hit by a car and other injuries)
• Accidental ingestions (such as when your dogs eats something he shouldn’t have, such as chocolate, which can be poisonous to dogs, or a child’s toy, clothing or other objects)

Some experts say that this basic type of policy will be the most affordable and will give you peace of mind in case your pet gets into trouble with any of these types of situations.
Middle Of The Road Plans
If you desire coverage for illnesses or ailments that your dog’s breed could be predisposed to suffering, you can usually add this at an extra expense. Just keep in mind that some plans won’t cover any illnesses that stem from a genetic condition, so be sure to find out the exact details of what you are getting up front. (This can add about $10 a month to the expense of a basic plan.)
Premium Pet Insurance
For the highest level of coverage, you can splurge on a premium plan that will include the basic expenses listed above and will also add on the following instances as well:

• Cancer treatments and surgery
• Diabetes treatment and care
• Heartworm problems
• Illnesses
• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Routine Care