Pet Health Insurance - Are Wellness Care Benefits Worth It?

Pet owners should purchase pet health insuranceevery three years instead of annually. The
to cover those unexpected accidents or illnessesbottom line is that you likely know about what
where the cost is unknown -- potentially hundredsyou pay for wellness care annually. I would go
to thousands of dollars. Coverage for wellnessthrough the list above and write down the cost of
care where the procedures and costs areeach procedure or product. If you don't know, call
predictable should be a secondary concern. Sinceyour veterinarian and get an estimate. Then, it is
wellness procedures and products can be plannedsimply a matter of adding up the benefit
for and saved for, not all insurance companiesreimbursements that you would receive for those
offer wellness care benefits. Following yourprocedures and products and subtracting the
veterinarian's recommendations about wellnessadditional premium you pay the company to
care is extremely important to your pet's overallcover those things and see if you would come
health and well-being. Wellness care preventsout ahead.
disease and allows early detection and interventionSometimes it is hard to estimate accurately. If a
that saves lives, reduces suffering, and saves youcompany pays wellness benefits according to a
money because prevention inevitably costsdefined benefit schedule (usually listed on their
significantly less than treatment.website), it is relatively easy. But, if a company
What are we referring to when we say wellnesspays according to a schedule of what is usual and
procedures and products?customary for your region of the country (usually
- Wellness examinations by your veterinariannot listed on their website), it is harder, if not
- Vaccinations for infectious diseases as indicatedimpossible, to determine if you'd come out ahead.
- Intestinal parasite testing - Heartworm testingThe company may not be willing to tell you what
- Feline leukemia and AIDs testingthe benefit would be for each procedure or
- Spay and neuterproduct in the list above until you actually file a
- Blood and urine testing for early diseaseclaim. It is also hard if the company includes
detection screening -especially for senior petswellness care in their accident/illness coverage for
- Heartworm preventative medicationone premium (not as an additional rider). You don't
- Flea prevention and treatment medicationknow how much of the premium is going for the
- Dental prophyaccident/illness coverage and how much is going
Wellness care procedures and products should notfor wellness care coverage.
be expensive.Wellness benefits may be worthwhile if purchased
Companies that offer wellness care benefits don'tfor a new puppy or kitten. Some companies now
always cover everything in the list above. Someoffer generous benefits to cover the complete
companies offer different levels of wellnesspuppy or kitten vaccination series. This is also the
coverage. Pay close attention to what they dobest time to get your pet neutered or spayed
and don't cover. Be sure to ask if there is anywhich is also covered in most policies as a
restrictions on how long after you purchase thewellness care benefit. You may also be
policy that your pet is eligible for wellness carereimbursed for heartworm preventatives and flea
benefits. There may be a waiting period. Somecontrol products. If purchased as a rider, you can
companies advertise almost double in benefitsalways drop the wellness coverage later. If it is
compared to what you pay in premiums. Realize,included in the policy (not a separate rider), you
however, that you likely won't get everything onmust be careful and inquire whether changing to
the list every year.another policy later on will affect your accident
For example, you will only get your pet spayed orillness coverage -especially how pre-existing
neutered once. Some practices are nowconditions are handled.
recommending vaccinating for some diseases