Pet Insurance is defined as one type of insurance which pays the veterinary costs if one's pet becomes ill or is injured in an accident. Some policies will also pay out when the pet dies, or if it's lost or stolen.
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Pet Insurance Deductibles, Exclusions and Surcharges
Exclusions from a Policy: The pet insurance deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before the coverage starts. Pet insurance companies typically have a per incident deductible for each diagnosis. However, there is at least one company, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), that has an annual deductible.
This means that a pet owner does not pay any further deductibles after the annual deductible amount has been reached. On a per incident deductible, it is important to research the average costs of the services covered. For example, ear infections are usually covered under plans for illnesses. If the cost for treating an ear infection is about $50 and your deductible is $50, then you would not benefit from submitting a claim and would simply pay for the treatment out of pocket.
Some conditions might also be excluded from coverage all together. Some of the more common exclusions include:
• Pre-existing conditions: A pet can still be insured but the coverage will not include medical expenses related to the pre-existing condition. Ongoing medical conditions such as diabetes are generally considered a pre-existing condition when the insurance plan rolls over to the new policy period.
• Genetic conditions: These are conditions caused by a defect in the underlying genes that are transmitted from a parent. Some gene defects run in families and some run in breeds are called breed-specific. A list of breed-specific conditions can be found on some the pet insurance websites such as Embrace. There are also books on the subject including Breed Predispositions Dogs & Cats by Thomas Gough and The Genetic Connection by Ackerman.
• Older pets: Some insurance companies do not insure pets over a certain age and others charge higher premiums or have additional limitations and/or exclusions in coverage.
Deciding whether to buy insurance can be a challenge. Get off on the right foot and make make choosing pet insurance an easier decision.
