4 Simple Steps To Buy Pet Insurance
Tagged: Insurance, Pet InsuranceHere are the 4 simple steps to purchase your pet insurance
1) Pet Insurance Online
Since most pet insurance companies have their own websites, one of the best ways to begin your research in pet insurance is to look for them online. When you do so, you will find a wide variety of insurance options and pricing. Some companies will even give you an additional discount if you purchase their pet insurance online.
However the first thing you should do is to select a number of pet insurance companies and make sure that you only deal with those reputable companies. Therefore check to see if each company is truly legitimate by going through them with The Better Business Bureau website.
Looking for a pet insurance online enables you to look for a policy that suits your needs faster. It is also more accurate because you have access to thousands of different sites. With this much information that can be gotten so easily you will able to make an informed decision in purchasing a proper pet insurance.
2) Pet Insurance Ratings
Since the internet is so easy to access, there will also be just as many scams regarding pet insurance companies. With thousands of pet insurance websites, there is also another method to get the best pet insurance that most suits your needs. That method is by looking at the pet insurance ratings.
By reading the pet insurance ratings you are able to tell which the best pet insurance company is and which insurance company to avoid. If you look at the pet insurance ratings, you can be sure to get what you pay for.
If you are wondering where to look for the pet insurance ratings, you can find most of them done online by independent companies. This is the best done by independent companies because you know that they aren’t biased and therefore they are going to give you great information.
3) Pet Insurance Quote
Pet insurance quotes are available since 1928. Today there are numerous pet insurance quotes for you to decide one that most suitable for you and your pet. Furthermore if you get a pet insurance quote with a complete explanation from several carriers will be a very wise choice to make.
i) You can start by getting a pet insurance quote from your veterinarian. In turn, your veterinarian may offer a discount plan intended specially for his clients, or he may recommend a locally based plan that would be more suitable for you and your pet. This sort of pet insurance may be better for you than one of the bigger plans, depending on both your financial means and the breed of your dog.
ii) You can also choose to shop around and ask for pet insurance quotes from different insurance companies. When you ask for different pet insurance quotes, you will have a solid basis when you compare the services and prices of the insurance companies.
One of the reasons for getting several pet insurance quotes from different companies is that often congenital and hereditary illnesses or pre-existing conditions are not covered by pet insurance. Therefore it is best that you do a thorough research and consult your veterinarian.
iii) After you have found reliable pet insurance companies that may meet you and your pet’s needs, narrow down to at least five of them. The reason being the more pet insurance quotes you have, the more difficult it is for you to make a choice. If you want to simplify things, you can narrow down your choices right from the start.
4) Compare Pet Insurance
Since there so many pet insurance companies, you will be faced with numerous options. Therefore for you to get the best value for your money you need to compare pet insurance options and policies to see which policy is most suited for you.
Before you start your comparison:
i) You must have a general idea about what options you need for your pet. For example, basic plans are the cheapest but they also cover only the basic emergency and illness care.
ii) You also need to look at things such as deductibles, copays, and lifetime limits.
iii) You need to find out how a claim is filed and how the claim is paid. It is also useful to know what items are excluded and what items have payment limits placed on them.
iv) You should find out if you are allowed to visit the vet of your choice or do you have to use a vet recommended by them.
v) Do also find out which ones cover after hours emergencies such as accidents and sudden serious illness and that if the accident or illness is serious and your pet may require a specialist.
When you find the policy that you feel is most suitable for you then all you have to do is fill out their form which gives them your pet’s information. The pet insurance company may also set up to accept payment online.
North American Pet Health Insurance Association: Pet Health Insurance Has Become Critical
Tagged: Pet InsuranceThe current economy may be driving even more pet owners to seek pet health care coverage. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) represents leading pet insurance providers in North America and in this difficult economy the association finds opportunity for the pet insurance industry to protect and insure more pets. Pet insurance has been available in North America for over twenty five years, still only 2-3% of insurable pets are covered.
Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) March 18, 2009 — The current economy may be driving even more pet owners to seek pet health care coverage. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) represents leading pet insurance providers in North America and in this difficult economy the association finds opportunity for the pet insurance industry to protect and insure more pets. Pet insurance has been available in North America for over twenty five years, still only 2-3% of insurable pets are covered. The market however is very strong and has grown over 300% in just the past few years. More pet health insurance providers, a wider range of pet insurance options, more competition, and now the economy, have all played a role in the positive growth of the market.
According to NAPHIA Executive Director, Loran Hickton, “The current economy makes pet insurance critically important for pet health and the financial wellbeing of all pet owners. Pet owners simply don’t have the disposable income to cover emergencies or even routine pet health care. Many pet owners have relied on credit cards to cover emergency care, surgery and other unforeseen veterinary care. This has become more complicated and problematic due to the economy. Clearly, credit cards are no longer an option for many pet owners.”
“Veterinary bills have been escalating. Invoices well over $1000 are not unusual. This is NOT a budgeted expense and thus most families are totally unprepared and without readily accessible financial resources. We need to find ways that pets can receive the best care possible for the conditions that they have while concurrently insuring that pet owners have the ability to make decisions from their hearts and not from the pocketbooks,” according to Peter Weinstein, a veterinarian in California and Executive Director, Southern California Veterinary Medical Association.
Financial institutions are unilaterally reducing lines of credit, raising interest rates and charging additional fees for the use of credit cards. The United States government is stepping in to better protect consumers through tougher regulations on changing the terms and fees of credit cards. During a recent Senate hearing (Feb.09), Senator Chris Dodd, chair of the Senate Banking Committee, stated, “At a time when our economy is in a crisis and consumers are struggling financially, credit-card companies in too many cases are gouging them, hiking interest rates on customers who pay on time and consistently meet the terms of their credit-card agreements.”
“While senator Dodd and members of his committee work on legislation to better protect consumers, the current economy and changing credit cards terms make pet insurance more important than ever before,” according to Hickton. “As an industry, pet insurance now has an opportunity serve all pet owners and provide needed protection and value. Our pets have become beloved members of our families; certainly most of us want to provide them with the same care we would expect for ourselves. Pet insurance is the means to provide needed care. More pet owners are facing the choice of paying their utility bills or providing care for their pets. Some face a far worse decision: the excruciating choice between providing necessary care or euthanizing their pet.”
Research by the American Veterinary Medical Association shows the pets are truly members of the American family. About 60% of U.S. households have at least one dog, cat, bird, or other companion animal. Many have more than one. There are more than 72 million pet dogs in the U.S. and nearly 82 million pet cats. Pet owners spent $24.5 billion on veterinary medicine in 2006, more than double what they paid 10 years earlier.
For more information contact the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, call 1-412-319-7730 or visit www.naphia.org.