Many of us consider our pets as part of the family — we bring them on trips, get them special food and toys, and bring them to the vet for regular checkups. Especially as our pets age, looking into pet wellness plans is an important step to start thinking about taking. Caring for senior dogs and cats can be expensive and getting insurance for older pets can sometimes help cut down on that cost, especially if they’re required to go to the vet with more frequency as they age. On average, the United States spends almost $14 million on vet car annually. Pet wellness plans can help you save some money and still keep your pet comfortable and in good health, especially as they get older. Puppy health insurance is also available, for younger animals, if you’d like to start insurance for them right from the get go.
How Do Pet Wellness Plans Help?
Pet wellness plans help cut down your routine care costs for your pet that you’d get every year. These are often combined with an accident and illness plan, which will give you more coverage should there be an unexpected accident or sickness. Pet wellness plans are designed to keep you from getting slammed with a huge vet bill that you didn’t anticipate. Annual exams, dental work,
heartworm tests, a variety of vaccinations, and getting your pet spayed and neutered are usually all included in these routine wellness plans. If you have multiple pets and spend between $400-$500 on healthcare for pets every year, this type of plan can definitely save you some serious money, especially since on average, the United States shells out almost $13 million on pet supplies and medicine obtained over the counter per year. You could pay under $20 a month and save a significant amount on your annual vet bills. For example, with almost 85% of cats and dogs being neutered or spayed in the United States, it’s something that vets and other animal welfare organizations stress. It cuts down on the number of feral cats and dogs roaming about. However, that procedure can come with a hefty price tag — as much as $100! With a wellness plan, that cost may be softened with the plan. Even though you might not see the price reduction with each visit to the vet, if you review your annual vet bills, you’d see a difference in the total yearly cost benefit.
Who Offers Pet Wellness Plans?
Some national insurance companies may even offer a pet insurance option that you can add on. Other major animal welfare organizations, like the ASPCA also offer pet wellness plans. There are other more specialized organizations that also offer pet wellness plans and pet insurance. You should compare prices and rates and see what might fit your needs the best. Some may offer you as much as $200 back per cat or dog. If you’re not sure about what might be best for you, talk to your vet. He or she has can probably offer some advice about whether you need the wellness plan and which companies or organizations can offer the best deal.
Why Should I Look Into Getting a Pet Wellness Plan Or Pet Insurance?
Just like humans, pets can contract diseases like cancer that aren’t expected. Although your pet may be fed a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise, and be very happy, he or she could come down with a type of cancer or have a tumor without any warning at all. Seeking treatment can be incredibly expensive, especially if you weren’t budgeting or saving for those unexpected costs. A pet wellness plan can make sure that your pet is getting the routine checkups that he or she needs, so that things can be caught early or nipped in the bud as quickly as possible. They help the routine care from burning a hole in your pocket. Pet insurance can help offset costs if your pet should have to go through more extensive care.
Pet wellness plans can be a great thing for pet owners to invest in, for their financial wellbeing and for their pets’ continued health and wellbeing.
