Emergency Pet Care Coverage
You probably try to keep up an emergency savings fund and include some money in it to cover unexpected health expenses for your pet. But what if you were suddenly faced with the choice between paying $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, or more or having to let your pet be put to sleep?
That’s a very real scenario that has happened to many a pet owner in the past, and there’s no guarantee it won’t happen to you and your pet.
Many pet insurance policies include coverage for (among other things) emergency visits to your veterinarian, emergency pet hospital stays, and the need to see a veterinary specialist for rare or extreme medical conditions your pet may suffer from.
Emergency 24/7 pet and animal hospital facilities exist, and maybe one you know of isn’t too far from where you live, but to access that kind of constant and top-tier care when your pet needs it most is going to cost a lot, chances are.
You may need to use the services of a vet who specializes in animal heart conditions, internal medicine, cancer care, orthopedics, ophthalmology, neurology, or any one of many other areas of focused care. Don’t get caught in a situation where you can’t afford the care your pet needs when it’s otherwise readily available to you.
How Much Coverage Do I Need For Pet Emergency Care?
Pet insurance will typically offer various reimbursement percentiles above your deductible. For emergency care, at least, it’s best to aim for a higher percentage.
Many policies give your anywhere from 60% to 90% reimbursement rates. You can pay a lower premium for 60% or 70% cover, but remember that, in that case, a $20,000 life saving emergency operation would still require you to pull $6,000 to $8,000 out of your pocket. That’s not necessarily something you’ll be able to do.
A 90% reimbursement percentage, by contrast, would only leave you paying around $2,000. And realize that it’s not that uncommon for beloved family pets to be put to sleep due to high cost of medical care. In fact, around two thirds of pets euthanized every year suffer that fate due to economic factors.
Of course, you have to take into account how likely an overwhelmingly expensive pet emergency would be, the other beneficial features of the pet insurance policy, and how much you can reasonably afford to pay in monthly premiums. But the basic takeaway is that you want as high a post-deductible reimbursement rate as possible when it comes to emergency care.
To learn more about protecting your pet against medical emergencies through insurance, contact Flagler County Insurance Agency today!