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Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

Updated: Apr 5

a Person buying pet insurance on a laptop

Many people in Toronto have a pet. We treasure the life with pets. Pets are our family and also pets are like us; they get sick or injured sometimes. If they need surgery or expensive medication, are you ready to pay the bills? Is having pet insurance worth it? Keep reading to find out.


What Pet Insurance Covers


Your pet will need dozens of vaccinations throughout their lifetime and might get sick or injured, requiring surgeries and expensive medication.

If you are unable to pay for all these additional expenses, then pet insurance is a worthy investment. Just like life insurance for a human, pet insurance premiums will rise over time, so as your pet gets older it will become more expensive to purchase insurance.

It will cover medical expenses due to unexpected injury or illness. Anything that isn't routine will be covered by your pet insurance policy.

Pros

The main benefit of getting pet insurance is that you don't have to worry about unexpected expenses, such as cancer diagnosis and treatment, advanced diagnostic testing, medications, and surgeries . Their medical bills, including any surgeries, would be covered in this case.

Cons

The biggest con to consider is that pre-existing conditions aren't covered by pet insurance. This is similar to how it is for a human life or medical insurance policy.

In many policies, anything related to wellness, like neuter or spay surgery, vaccines, tick fleas, heartworm or worm medications, and more, aren't covered.

Also, don't ever let your pet's insurance policy lapse because if you do, and then go back to months later, all their previous ailments will be considered pre-existing conditions!


Points To Consider When Buying Pet Insurance


Make sure what the deductibles are and pay attention to what the pet insurance policy covers and doesn't cover when you are looking for a pet insurance provider.

Also, look at how they would reimburse you once the claim has been made. Is it directly to the vet office, or do you pay first and then get reimbursed later?


Is Pet Insurance Worth It? - It Depends


As with everything else insurance-related, getting pet insurance depends on a lot of factors.

Some people say that if you are able to set aside the equivalent of the monthly premium in a separate bank account for your pet starting from a young age, you may have enough money for emergency care as your pet ages.

We have to remember that the cost of veterinary medicine and urgent care keeps rising due to new testing and new procedures, plus the cost of doing business.

If you have very little wiggle room in your budget, or for peace of mind that you are covered, consider getting pet insurance to protect your friend. All in all, the question 'Is pet insurance worth it', will be answered differently by each family.


Kato Animal Hospital has been Totonto's trusted veterinary clinic for over 40 years. We provide x-rays, pet surgery and other services.

If you are searching for exceptional medical care for your furry companion, make an appointment with us.

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