Most of us wouldn’t think twice about researching health insurance options for ourselves and our families. We want to ensure we don’t have to pay too much out of pocket when we require healthcare.
However, we don’t always think the same way when it comes to our pets. In fact, many pet owners say ‘no’ to pet insurance – the animal equivalent of our own health coverage. We are a nation of animal lovers, so it’s hard to believe we’d deny ourselves this peace of mind. However, pet owners frequently turn down this safety net for some of the following reasons:
The Cost of Insurance Premiums
The average household already has many regular costs to spend their hard-earned money on, like groceries, taxes, and utilities. Adding another expense like pet insurance into the fold can feel like too much. This can be especially true if you have multiple pets.
Pet insurance indeed costs money, but it doesn’t have to be as much as you think. You can visit websites like Pet Insurance Offers to find the cheapest and most comprehensive pet insurance policies on the market. You can also find pet insurance businesses offering multi-pet discounts. Such discounts can mean paying less for every additional pet you insure.
Don’t let the cost of pet insurance put you off at least exploring your options. You might be surprised by how small the monthly payments are for something that might save you a significant sum of money in the long run.
They Have Alternative Payment Options
A popular reason for pet owners to say no to pet insurance is having alternative payment options in place for potentially costly vet bills. Some pet owners set money aside each pay cycle in a separate account to cover their pets’ health-related costs. As that money builds up and earns interest, they can have a significant sum to cover expensive vet services.
Some pet owners also have a direct debit set up with their vet clinic of choice. They build up credit on their account and use those funds for each vet visit. These are both intelligent options for ensuring your pets get the healthcare they need.
However, many people who opt for a pet savings account aren’t aware of how much some vet services can cost. Surgeries and procedures to return sick animals to total health can sometimes cost thousands of dollars. Those initial surgery costs often don’t even include the hundreds of dollars you might need to pay for ongoing treatment, checkups, and medication.
If you don’t have enough saved for an expensive surgical procedure, you can be left with a financial shortfall. Your savings account is also then left empty, with nothing left to cover any other health problems that arise before you’ve had a chance to replenish your funds.
Their Pets Are Healthy
Healthy pets are any pet owner’s ultimate goal. Healthy pets can enjoy long and happy lives with only the essential vet visits for checkups and vaccinations. Many proud owners of healthy pets opt out of pet insurance because they see it as a waste of money for an animal living their best life.
However, it’s a good idea to consider why we have insurance for ourselves, our vehicles, and our homes. Our personal property might be in good condition now, but we’re buying a safeguard for when that might not be the case.
The same rules can apply to pets. A healthy pet is never guaranteed for their lifetime. They can develop costly and life-threatening problems that can cost thousands of dollars to rectify. Pet insurance can offer much-needed peace of mind if your previously healthy pet suddenly becomes unwell.
Their Vets Offer Flexible Payment Terms
Some pet owners decide not to pursue pet insurance because their vets offer flexible payment terms. You might not need to pay cash for every visit and, instead, can receive a monthly invoice. Your vet might even give you multiple weeks or months to pay for vet care, especially if you are on a limited income or have a great relationship with them.
However, there can be a significant difference between bills worth a few hundred dollars or less compared to those running into the thousands. Your local vet clinic might be less flexible with their payment options and require you to make larger payments more frequently. While you’re making those regular payments to pay off a large bill, you might also be adding to that bill with vaccinations and other scheduled care visits. It can sometimes be hard to catch up.
As flexible as your local vet clinic seems to be, don’t assume they’ll show the same flexibility when you have a hefty bill for an unexpected cost. Pet insurance can often ensure that you’re not left with those large, unaffordable bills.
They Don’t Understand the Policies
Some pet insurance company’s policy wording can be hard to understand. There can sometimes also be dozens of pages of fine print that you must familiarize yourself with to know what your pet insurance covers.
Receiving all that paperwork can be so overwhelming that some pet owners might decide not to go through with buying their policy. However, not having a great initial understanding of pet insurance doesn’t mean you never will. If you have questions about a policy, you can talk to a business representative of the pet insurance company. You’ll also often find answers to common questions on the internet.
They Don’t Know It Exists
Pet insurance has been around for at least a century but hasn’t been well-known for that long. It has only been in recent years that pet insurance companies with excellent digital marketing strategies have thrust it into the spotlight. Still, even after those marketing methods, not all pet owners know it exists.
Fortunately, most vet practices have pamphlets in their waiting areas for various insurance companies. You can read these while you wait for your pet to be seen. You can also ask your local vet for more information, as they’ll be familiar with how the insurance companies work.
Pet owners say ‘no’ to pet insurance for a number of reasons, but that doesn’t mean you won’t want to say ‘yes’ in the future. Pet insurance can be an ideal solution for pet owners who want financial security in case of an unexpected vet bill they couldn’t otherwise pay.
