Why Pet Insurance?

Responsible pet owners like you want to do all they can to help their furry family members lead long, healthy lives.  With modern nutrition and veterinary care, cats and dogs are living longer than ever before, making pet ownership a long term commitment – 10 years, 15 years or even longer.  And if there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that vet costs will increase over the long term.

So what is the smart move for you today?  You may want to take a look at pet medical insurance, and see if it is something that would benefit you and your family.

Why pet insurance?

1)    You’ll never have to decide between your wallet and your pet.  Quality veterinary care can be expensive.  Deciding whether or not to treat a pet or schedule a surgery is one of the hardest decisions you will have to make as a pet owner. By having pet insurance, you can take the financial aspect out of the equation and base your costly medical decisions purely on what’s best for your pet.

2)    You never know when you may need it.  Accidents happen, generally without warning.  If your pet suddenly needs costly treatment, are you in a financial position to write a check to cover a substantial unexpected cost? Having pet insurance prevents dipping into your family’s emergency fund. True, you could set aside some money each month yourself, but do you have the discipline to both set aside money regularly, and not dip into this designated account when you face pricey car repairs, household renovations or other major unexpected expenses?

3)    Pet insurance is not just for older pets.  You may be asking yourself “Do I really need pet insurance? I just adopted a healthy young kitten or puppy.”   Remember, even youngsters can have accidents or get injured.  And pet insurance, just like health insurance for people, gets increasingly difficult to buy and afford as your pet gets older.

4)   Having pet insurance provides an easy way to help budget your pet care costs. Pet insurance policies can be tailored to fit your family’s budget, and many can be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually, so you decide which payment plan works best for your situation. Most plans offer discounts for additional pets in the household, and many plans offer additional discounts, such as military, or if your pet is spayed/neutered.

5)    Veterinary costs are rising.  The good news is that more and more treatments are becoming available for pets every day and more conditions than ever or treatable.  The flip side – costs for operations and even general checkups are climbing. The peace of mind that comes with knowing that any accident will be covered can far outweigh the reasonable month-to-month costs of pet insurance for most owners.  And many pet insurance plans offer wellness coverage, to encourage preventive health maintenance for your pets.

6)    Pet insurance helps simplify your life.  Unlike human health insurance policies that may require you to use a specific health care provider, most pet insurance policies allow you to obtain care from the veterinarian of your choosing. Top pet insurance providers are transparent about what they do and do not cover up front, and make the claim/reimbursement process fast and easy.

Embrace Pet Insurance

Helen Woodward Animal Center recommends pet insurance and partners with Embrace Pet Insurance Company.  We encourage you to go online and research pet insurance companies and see for yourself how Embrace compares to the others.  There is a lot of great information on their website  where they are very clear on what they offer and the relationship they are trying to build with you.  Read testimonials here.

We recommend that all of our adopters obtain pet insurance for their new pets, as well as any current pets who are not protected.  And we very strongly suggest our adopters turn to Embrace Pet Insurance to be their pet insurance company.