TERRE HAUTE — Few people understand all the facets of insurance. Policies are often confusing when determining which type, rate, or if we even need it at all.
Pet health insurance usually requires you to pay your veterinarian, you file a claim, and then you are reimbursed a portion or all of the fees, with most insurance companies requiring a deductible. Insurance is used to minimize financial loss should your pet need veterinary care.
The purpose of pet insurance is to ensure that you will be able to get the veterinary care your pet needs should a medical emergency occur.
Oftentimes, owners are forced to euthanize their pets due to unaffordable expenses. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Americans will spend approximately $9.4 billion this year on the health of their pets.
Deciding if pet insurance is for you, generally, depends on your financial situation.
If your pet unexpectedly needed emergency veterinary care that would cost $1,000, $2,000, or more, would you be able to afford it?
If so, then you probably don’t need pet insurance.
If not, and euthanasia would be the necessary decision, then you might want to consider pet insurance.
Pet insurance can offer the comfort of knowing that you can care for your pet without compromising veterinary care.
Pet insurance will not cover pre-existing conditions so it will be necessary to purchase a policy before your pet becomes ill.
Keep in mind that premiums will increase as your pet gets older and most policies have spending limits. It’s important to do your research when deciding on which policy to buy as not all pet health insurance companies offer the same value.
Make sure the policy covers your veterinarian; sometimes you will need to choose from a network of veterinarians.
Like people insurance, pet insurance is offered with different types of policies. Various policies pay only for accidents or medical problems; others will pay for preventative care such as vaccinations, spays/neuters and worming. The type of coverage will affect the premium paid.
A number of policies will have a maximum they will pay out each year or per event.
The policies that are available include accident only, accident and illness, wellness care, and senior pets. Typically, cat health insurance is cheaper than dog health insurance.
Reasons include: cats usually live indoors and are generally healthier.
They also have a tendency to not get into trouble such as eating foreign objects or chasing after cars.
Approximately 2 to 3 percent of pets in the U.S. have health insurance. Pet insurance is popular in other countries, as more than half of all the pets in the U.K. have pet insurance.
More than 1,500 U.S. companies offer pet health insurance as a benefit. Pet
insurancereview.com is a site that offers feature comparisons between companies, ratings of various insurance companies, and policy quotes from multiple insurers.
Trina
Trina is a quiet but friendly collie mix. At 4 years old, she’s a young adult and weighs just under 50 pounds. She appears to be house-trained. She is very affectionate and smart. Trina knows “sit and down.” She loves attention and would be a wonderful family member. Come visit this sweet girl at the Terre Haute Humane Shelter at 1811 Fruitridge Ave. or call (812) 232-0293.
Valley Life
PAW PRINTS: Deciding if pet insurance is right for you and your pet
- Valley Life
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VIDEO: On the Banks of the Wabash far away …
Paul Dresser left Terre Haute a niche in history.
Opportunism, squabbling and fading memories gradually washed that gift away, like the unending flow of the Wabash River he immortalized in song.
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Workshop to emphasize basics of alpaca farming
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Genealogy Society offers free forum
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Purdue Extension to offer diabetes cooking school
Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service-Parke County is offering a diabetes cooking school starting Feb. 27.
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Pepsi Community Caps Program to benefit charities
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Serve as 4-H judge, volunteer
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BRIDGE COLUMN : Feb. 5, 2012
With January now history we can report new faces in both master point races, male and female.
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Tried 'n' True: Upside Down Pizza calls for crescent rolls
When our boys were young, we went every Sunday evening for pizza in Charleston, Ill. When they got to be older and they were working on the farm, I would make pizza from scratch.
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Extension to offer basic food preservation workshops
Purdue University Extension will be offering basic food preservation workshops at Clabber Girl Culinary Classroom in Terre Haute. Two sessions will offer different methods.
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GRAPE SENSE: Trips open my eyes to new wines in new regions
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Depending on when you read this column, I’m either in France or just returned from a press trip.
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Clay Habitat plans open house
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Born to perform: Terre Haute South senior to sing in Carnegie Hall
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8th District Rep. Bucshon visits CASA volunteers
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Soybean farmers build state fair building
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Sign up now for Rockville Public Library’s ebook class
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Sullivan Foundation looking for Volunteer of Year
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YOUR GREEN VALLEY: Conversation leads to imagining a world with no trees
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College offers cooking class in time for Valentine’s Day
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BRIDGE COLUMN : Jan. 29, 2012
In earlier columns we have reported on the winners of the various master point races at the Bridge Center for last year.
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Sign up now for Signing for the Savior classes
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Birthdays: Jan. 29, 2012
•Thelma J. Parr
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Ryves Neighborhood, WTWO plan ‘Share Your Love’ food drive
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A safe crossing: ‘Turtle girl’ Amber Slaughterbeck makes it her duty to transport Wabashiki animals to safety
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