Here is the second round of questions to ask a potential pet insurance provider. View the entire list here.

4. Does this provider offer a variety of deductibles?

The American Animal Hospital Association suggests going with a company that allows for high deductible plans, but this is entirely up to you. Their reasoning is that it keeps monthly premiums down, while still covering major accidents or illnesses. If you would prefer to only cover those really expensive trips to the vet, then I would also recommend finding a company that lets you have a high deductible.

5. Does this provider exclude coverage for pets the same species, breed, and age as mine?

You should be aware that there are companies that will have certain breed-specific exclusions. If you have a breed that may be prone to certain conditions, you might want to ask the provider if they have any exclusions for your specific pet.

6. Did the pet insurance provider respond quickly and thoroughly when I requested more information?

This is another question to get the feel for the company. If they were slow in getting you more information, chances are they will be slow at processing any claims that you make. I would suggest going with a company that is very upfront and honest about giving you the right information, and giving you the information that you specifically ask for.

Again, please feel free to ask questions or embellish on anything I have mentioned here.

From the folks at Trupanion pet insurance, we thank you for visiting our blog and being a part of the community.  It is our goal to educate pet owners everywhere about the importance of pet care, positive pet parenting, pet safety, and the many advantages of Trupanion pet insurance. Thanks again for visiting our blog and remember to protect your pet and yourself with Trupanion pet insurance.

As you may come across throughout our site, we have created a section which outlines questions that you should ask pet insurance providers if you are considering pet insurance. Over the next few posts, I will explain what each of these questions mean and the best way to go around asking them.

Today I’ll start off with some basic company questions.

1. Are there any complaints about this provider on record at the Better Business Bureau?

I think that this one is pretty straightforward, and may be something that you’re in the habit of doing already. Simply visit the BBB's website and see what, if any, complaints exist about the company.

2.       Does this provider have good ratings at independent websites that review and/or publish customer ratings of pet health insurance companies?

I know of one really good independent website called Pet Insurance Review. They have made sections where policyholders can go under their given company and write a review. You can view the reviews by visiting their website. I would also appreciate any other suggested websites that you might know of.

3.       Is this provider selling the insurance licensed in my state?

You shouldn’t worry about this question too much, as either you’re able to get the insurance or you’re not. Each company is required to jump through hoops with each state’s department of insurance, and if they have and they’re approved then you’ll be able to get insurance. Typically, once you have the insurance, the company will cover any veterinarian that you visit (even if they’re outside of your home state).

Please feel free to comment with questions or concerns. And, as I mentioned, I would also love to hear any embellishments on either question, or other suggested pet insurance review sites!

From the folks at Trupanion pet insurance, we thank you for visiting our blog and being a part of the community.  It is our goal to educate pet owners everywhere about the importance of pet care, positive pet parenting, pet safety, and the many advantages of Trupanion pet insurance. Thanks again for visiting our blog and remember to protect your pet and yourself with Trupanion pet insurance.

When I first started working at Trupanion over a year ago and told people that I worked for a pet insurance company they looked at me with glazed over eyes and asked "Pet insurance? What is that?"

Well, I can’t say that I still never get that same look and question, but the idea of pet insurance has definitely caught on. More commonly I get “Oh yeah, my parents should have gotten that, their cat had to have a $3,000 knee surgery” or “I wish I would have heard about this sooner, I just had to pay $6,000 for my dog’s cancer treatments”.

If you don’t already know, pet insurance is similar to human health insurance, but for your pet. The pet insurance company will cover a portion of your veterinary bill when there is an accident or illness (depending on the company and plan). For those of you with pets who share your bed or have a permanent seat in your car, this might make a lot of sense to you. 

We are fortunate these days to have veterinary technology advancing at such a rapid pace, meaning we get to keep our fur children around much longer. However, with these advancements comes a price. A broken leg can run up to $1,000, cancer treatments can run into the thousands, and long-term diabetes treatment can run you up to $10,000 to $12,000. View actual pet insurance claims and associated veterinary costs.

Some people might argue that setting aside a savings account solely for your pet would be a better choice. And for some people, that may be true. But to me, and probably most of you, saving isn’t my forte. Not to mention, any of the conditions I mention above can happen at any time in the pet’s life. It’s possible for someone to set aside money, but what if two months later they discovered their dog had diabetes? There goes their savings, and they’re still stuck with a hefty bill (unless, of course, they were fortunate enough put aside a few thousand dollars).

With pet insurance, all the pet owner has to worry about is being able to cover the premium, the deductible (if they have one), and their portion of the bill (coinsurance). The typical pet insurance plan will require that the pet owner pay 10-20% of the bill themselves, and the insurance company would cover the remaining 80-90% up to any coverage limits.

So, if you’re like me and your dog (or other pet) never leaves your side (my Goldie is fortunate to get to come to work with me every day), it might be time to look into pet insurance.

From the folks at Trupanion pet insurance, we thank you for visiting our blog and being a part of the community.  It is our goal to educate pet owners everywhere about the importance of pet care, positive pet parenting, pet safety, and the many advantages of Trupanion pet insurance. Thanks again for visiting our blog and remember to protect your pet and yourself with Trupanion pet insurance.