I believe that things happen for a reason. This post was motivated by two separate comments I received over the course of the week.
Reminder: February is Pet Dental Health Month
#1 -You need insurance before something happens
A travel agent made this comment when presenting her pitch at a business networking meeting. She was talking about travel insurance in context of the coronavirus outbreak.
People who have had travel booked for a while are getting in touch wanting travel insurance in case their trips are cancelled due to the virus. Her advice: too late. You need to buy insurance as soon as you book a trip. Straight away. Now that coronavirus is a known risk, no insurer is going to cover it.
The same is true of pet insurance. Insurers will ask you for your dog’s medical records to review and if they have a diagnosis or previous injury, don’t expect coverage. They’re called pre-existing conditions. (There are also things like exclusions – French Bulldogs often have an exclusion for airway surgery, for example, because so many of the dogs need this surgery).
So when I see posts on Facebook saying “My dog just broke his leg and needs surgery and I need pet insurance now” I think the same thing: too late.
#2 – If you are struggling to pay for insurance, you’re probably the person who needs it the most
This one was personal advice given by a veterinarian.
In her experience, if a pet owner can’t reasonably afford insurance payments, chances are they are even more at risk of being unable to pay when the pet’s needs are acute – surgery or illness.
Pets are our family, companions, and friends. They are good for our physical and mental health. But they are not cheap. And so anyone who is taking a pet into their life really needs to understand that most pets, at some time in their life, need more than a vaccination, health check, or flea treatment. If you don’t have insurance, how will you pay for necessary care?
Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional and specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
DoggyMom.com 