Should you buy pet health insurance for your cat? Here are a few questions to consider when choosing the right provider for your loved one.Is your dog pure-breed or mixed-breed?
Here are just a few of the things you should think about when choosing a cat insurance company:Make sure you can use the veterinarian of your choice. You do not have to choose from ‘provider network’. This means that any visit you make to a non-network veterinarian will cost you out of pocket.Find out what exclusions apply to your policy.
Sometimes insurance companies will apply exclusions to pre-existing medical conditions, but sometimes they also will apply an exclusion to conditions connected to your pet’s breed. Now be forewarned these are not the only exclusions as you will have to read the policy carefully as every policy has different rules and guidelines for their pet insurance. Since there are some policies that do not cover pre-existing conditions, it is always advisable to select a policy that covers unexpected and pre-existing conditions of the insured cat. There are mid-range policies that do not cover basic annual appointments and dental, but will cover the rest. Make sure your policy fits your cat’s individual needs.Choose a deductible and a co-pay that you can afford.
This can make a low deductible plan with high co-pay actually cost you much more in the long run than a high deductible with a lower co-pay percentage.Where to get pet insurance? Pet insurance plans range from accident coverage to full scale coverage that will sometimes pay up to 80, 90, or even 100 percent of your veterinary bills, depending on the situation. Speak with a representative from the insurance company to price out what typical procedures will cost you out of pocket.Find out the annual and lifetime caps for specific illnesses and procedures.
Lastly, look at payout caps – both for annual amounts and for lifetime care. Some set a maximum annually while others choose to set a maximum that extends throughout the lifetime of your cat.Decide if your cat needs a specific plan. In many ways this decision will be dictated by cost, but decide what you would most like, set a maximum budget and then see how close you can get to matching both indicators.
Make sure you read all of the fine print before you purchase a policy.If you decide to purchase a health insurance plan for your cat, check out all of the different plans available. All of these can add up quickly.Many pet health insurance companies only cover dogs and cats as a rule. This doesn’t mean that pet insurance is not available for senior pets; in fact, many companies will still enroll your pet even if she is older than 8 years.