If you’re like me, you’re  always concerned that a trip to the vet will burn a hole in your pocket. Because of the extremely high cost of health care, including pet health care in this country, we may  sometimes be reluctant to take our pets in for a checkup if there seems to be a problem. This is not only unfair to our pets but may delay necessary treatment thus putting your pet in danger and increasing the cost of health care.  Maybe you should consider getting pet health insurance. It’s been around for many years, but lots of people were unaware that it existed.  The industry has changed over the past several years, maybe for the better.  Pet owners with insurance are now able to provide their pets with level of care that was previously cost prohibitive.

Here’s something that you probably weren’t aware of. Veterinary medicine is one of the few health care professions that is not only based on insurance. Unlike most medical, surgical, dental and pharmacy cases in human medicine, the owners of veterinary patients are responsible for veterinary costs that include preventive and routine care, emergency and disease conditions.

Pet health care policies are similar to human policies with deductibles, premiums,  and different plans based on what the owner chooses.  Plans are also based on species, age and pre- existing conditions and in some cases, the lifestyle of the pet. For instance, it may cost more to insure an outdoor cat versus an indoor cat.

Most companies will start coverage at age 6 to 8 weeks and limits could vary. Most policies will include pet medication, with a co pay option. Some will only cover the pet for 8 or 9 years while other will provide coverage for 20 plus years.

If pet insurance isn’t for you, check with your veterinarian, some animal hospitals offer wellness packages which include discounts on  things like vaccinations and spay and neutering procedures.

Another source that you may want to check out is Pet Assure. This is a national program that offers a 25% savings on veterinary services and a 50%  discount on pet supplies and services. Only certain participating veterinarians offer this service as it’s not an insurance policy.

Each pet owner will need to decide if pet insurance is right for them but there are some other options to consider.