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What is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance is a health plan for your pet to insure against large and small unexpected veterinary bills over the life of your pet.

Potential treatments for your pet now rival human treatments both in sophistication and cost. Pet insurance is designed to alleviate much of the financial risk and insecurity that caring for your pet can bring.

Pet insurance is common in many European countries. However, it remains rare in the U.S. There are about 130 million pet cats and dogs in the United States, but only a handful of pet owners (fewer than 300,000) take advantage of these policies. Pet insurance has been around for about 20 years, but many pet owners don't know that it exists, or they think the insurance costs are too high.

Should You Get Pet Insurance?

There have been tremendous technological advances in the care that is available for our pets. Procedures such as kidney transplants and cancer treatment are becoming more commonplace. Did you know that many pets do not receive potentially life-saving treatments because the cost is too great for the owners to bear? Pet insurance, like medical insurance for humans, can help reduce that risk of caring for a pet and lessen the frequency of "financial euthanasia," the decision to put a pet to sleep because there is no money to pay for the pet's necessary medical care.

A bad candidate for pet insurance is a pet owner who wants cat or dog, but will put him or her to sleep instead of spending large amounts of money to save their pet if he or she gets sick or injured. Unfortunately, many pet owners put a dollar value on their pets' lives. When the bills start to add up, many pet owners consider euthanasia at around 0.

If you are the type of dog owner who would devote an unlimited amount of time and money into healing your dog, then you are a good candidate for pet insurance, because it will probably save you money in a bad situation. Family pets are an important part of your life. You want to give them more than just a loving home. You want your pet to have proper nutrition, a comfortable environment, exercise, and the health care he or she needs.

Pet insurance allows you to provide your pet with the best possible care. Decisions regarding treatment are no longer complicated by financial restrictions. Treatments that may otherwise be unattainable can be provided without a second thought. Your primary concern becomes the health of your pet, not the cost of care.

About the Author

Sherry Kirchenbauer is an animal advocate and owner of Noah's Animal Figurines. www.noahsanimalfigurines.com ©Copyright 2005 Noah's Animal Figurines This article is available for reprint, provided that the article is not modified (unless permission is given) and the by-line is included with the article.