To the dogs with Kari Vanick: Insure Your Pet’s Health And Happiness

Veterinary medicine is becoming more and more sophisticated — and expensive. One way to help offset some of those costs is to invest in pet insurance.

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How many times have you taken your dog to the vet this year? And what is your grand total in vet bills so far?

Veterinary medicine is becoming more and more sophisticated — and expensive. I have one client who has spent more than $12,000 on vet bills in the short four-year lifetime of her little baby. 

We will go to such great lengths for our pets, including thousands of dollars in vet bills, whether it be for an emergency surgery or just for routine care. They are part of our families, and we will do just about anything to keep them with us, no matter what the cost.

One way to help offset some of those costs is to invest in pet insurance. Pet insurance not only reduces expenses for routine vet visits, but also can provide a significant financial cushion to protect against the expense of accidents and illnesses.

With the latest developments in veterinarian medicine, new treatments can help cure your pet from diseases that used to result in euthanasia. Those treatments can be expensive, but no one wants to deal with the guilt of not being able to afford their pet’s health care.

There are several carriers out there that offer various plans to fit your needs. The following are some tips when shopping for pet insurance.

1. Coverage differs. All pet insurance is not the same. Some insurance plans cover accidents to your pet, but not illnesses. Some plans cover treatment for cancer, some don’t. Some plans have waiting periods of up to 30 days. It can be confusing, so you will need to do some research.

2. Don’t just look at the price. A low price is no bargain if your insurance company denies your pet’s claim. Cheaper policies tend to provide less coverage.

3. Consider the per-incident or per-illness caps.

4. Check on the maximum yearly payout.

5. Watch for breed or age premiums. Do rates vary by breed, or do premiums increase as your pet ages?

6. Look at your deductable. Is it an annual deductible, per-incident deductible, per-illness deductible, or per-condition deductible?

7. Compare companies online. There are several Web sites with comparisons and reviews of the top pet insurance companies.

The following are some hints to help save on your pet insurance costs:
• Get a Family Plan.

• Enroll before your pet gets too old.

• Pay annually.

Is pet insurance right for you? If you don’t have the spare cash to pay for an unexpected surgery for your pet, it’s probably a good idea. If you have a policy that covers routine wellness care, it’s easier to justify the cost, as these are costs you will incur every year anyway.

Then, in the event of a grave situation, you can make the best decision for you and your pet and not have cost be a major factor in that decision.

Camp Bow Wow has recently partnered with one of the largest pet insurance companies, PetFirst, to offer you a solution for reducing your monthly vet costs.

For $5 for the first month, you can have a $500 per-incident limit ($1,000 annually), with a premium of $19.95 a month thereafter. Call 1-877-371-PETS or go to www.petfirst.com/CBW for more info. 
 
• Kari Vanick is the owner of Camp Bow Wow McHenry. Her passion for dogs inspired her to follow her dreams and bring Camp Bow Wow to McHenry.