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Sponsored post by Embrace Pet Insurance | April 6, 2018
    

If you’re like most people, you hear the word “insurance” and immediately put your guard up.  We totally get it…and we don’t blame you. Plenty of pet parents still have misconceptions around what pet insurance can do and how it works. Here are the facts:

1. Pet health insurance doesn't get in the way of your relationship with your pet's veterinarian; it improves it by removing the financial barrier to their recommended course of treatment. With a good pet insurance plan, you and your veterinarian can make decisions based primarily on the best interest of the pet and your vet's medical advice, rather than money. Your pet insurance company won't be involved with treatment decisions in any way.

2. There's nothing to gain and plenty to lose by waiting to get insurance for your pet. Just like you won’t get covered for a wrecked car after it's already been in an accident or be able to buy flood insurance when your house is already four-feet deep in mud and water, you can't buy insurance to pay for an illness your pet already has. You must have active coverage when the issue first becomes apparent to receive benefits. You can understand my heartbreak when friends call me from the emergency vet looking to sign up for pet insurance—by this point, it’s too late to get covered for that specific condition.

3. Pets who have had past illnesses or injuries can still be insured. Pet insurance companies will cover your pet despite a prior health issue. For example, if your dog has a history of fatty lipoma tumors, we won’t cover any additional lipoma treatments. However, if your dog develops cancer, it’s covered! If you’re not sure about what’s pre-existing or related to a pre-existing condition, ask one of our agents about a medical history review of your pet’s records.

4. Genetic conditions are covered. While not all pet insurance companies have the same policy, Embrace doesn’t view genetic conditions as pre-existing if they have not been diagnosed or shown clinical signs/symptoms before the policy was purchased, or during the waiting period.

5. Pet insurance will be there for you when your pet gets sick or old. It may not be true for every company but Embrace has a soft spot for seniors. We’ll never drop your pet due to age or health status. That means even when your 17-year-old Golden Retriever develops cancer, it’s covered. Your 23-year-old cat needs pain management? Covered. That’s the entire point of insurance. Purchase it when your pet is healthy, and we'll be here when you need us the most.

6. It's easy to know what's covered and what isn't. If your pet insurance company has terms and conditions that are hard to understand, they're going to have a lot of unhappy customers. Before making a purchase decision, talk to an agent and discuss your concerns, get clarification, and get things in writing, like the Embrace medical history review mentioned above. Reasonable companies should show you their policy terms and conditions upfront before you even enroll. Not only that, but some pet insurance policies include a money-back trial period to account for buyer’s remorse, so you’re not stuck if you start to feel icky about something.

7. Pet insurance premiums cost less than major vet bills. Financial challenges do exist, but that's the very reason why pet insurance is important to get if you can find a way to fit the premiums into your budget. After all, it's easier to find a small amount each month than thousands of dollars in an emergency. So, if you’re the type of person who would take a second job or sell plasma to save your pet, it’s better to pay a small premium for even a basic policy to help keep your pet alive.

8. There's no "network" of covered veterinarians. Pet health insurance doesn't work like a human HMO; there's no “network” of providers for pet insurance. Because we reimburse you directly, you’re free to take your pet to any vet. They just have to complete your claim form. The reimbursement works sort of like a rebate. We’ll cut you a check for our portion of the care. Most people put the bill on a credit card and pay it off with the reimbursement funds.

9. Some veterinarians will accept payment directly from the insurance company. If you don't have credit available, more and more veterinarians are willing to work with pet parents who have insurance. If they're willing to accept a contract with Embrace to be reimbursed directly, we'll be happy to set that up. Be sure to discuss this option with your vet!

There’s no doubt that pets are a part of the family and making sure that they are taken care of is a priority that most pet parents hold high. Pet insurance is more than just having peace of mind if something happens, it’s having financial support to help save your best friend’s life. Protect yourself from unexpected vet bills, get a free quote today from Embrace Pet Insurance.