3 times to buy pet insurance

Many Americans are knowledgeable about their personal insurance policies.

Whether it is a health insurance policy for themselves and their family, a car insurance policy for their vehicle, or even a life insurance policy for their beneficiaries, many people have a basic understanding of how their insurance works and how much it costs.

However, when it comes to other, less conventional forms of insurance, it pays to do your research. This is particularly true for animal insurancea unique form of protection that owners can provide for their cat or dog.

In exchange for a monthly fee to a provider, owners can rest assured knowing that their pet is receiving medical attention in the event of illness or emergency.

The benefits of having a pet insurance policy are significant, especially if the timing surrounding buying a plan is done right. If you’re considering pet insurance, click here to get a free quote so you know exactly what to expect.

3 times to buy pet insurance

While pet insurance is beneficial throughout an animal’s life, there are three times in particular when it makes sense to act.

When your pet is young

You will never pay less for pet insurance than when your pet is young. Indeed, pet insurance, like life insurance for humans, makes risk a top priority. And the risk is low when the animals are young.

Young pets have far fewer health problems than older ones. As a result, they are less likely to need routine vet visits and will therefore be cheaper to insure. These savings will be passed on to the owner in the form of a lower premium.

Also keep in mind that pet insurance often does not cover pre-existing conditions. But if you act early and get a plan before persistent health issues arise, your coverage will be much more comprehensive. And if conditions arise in the future, you’ll already be covered.

In short: if you want more comprehensive coverage at an affordable cost, insure your pet when it’s young and healthy. Start now.

When you buy/adopt a new pet

The logic behind this timing is similar to that above. This is because pet insurance will only get more expensive as your cat or dog gets older. And they will likely have less protection since the pre-existing conditions will have already presented themselves. But if you insure them earlier in life, you’ll generally improve your chances of coverage.

For example, if you have a puppy or kitten, you should consider pet insurance in their first year. But if you’re buying or adopting an older pet, you should also think about that before it gets more expensive.

Finally, as any owner who has bought or adopted a new pet already knows: the first year of ownership can be expensive, regardless of the age of the animal. Vaccines, medications and more add up quickly. Fortunately, pet insurance can ease some of that financial burden.

When buying/adopting specific breeds

Did you know that dogs generally cost more to insure than cats? Or that some cats are more expensive to insure than others?

When it comes to pet insurance, there are some caveats (like pre-existing conditions) that are worth understanding in order to best optimize your coverage. Animal breeds are part of these warnings.

For example, some breeds of dogs and cats have more health problems than others. So you will probably have more visits to the vet than for another type. In this case, you will want (and probably need) pet insurance to help with bills.

A German Shepherd is more likely to need medical intervention for hip dysplasia than most other breeds. English Bulldogs, Frenchies and other “flat-faced” dogs, meanwhile, are susceptible to brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BAOS). Persian cats, on the other hand, are known to develop eye problems such as cherry eye.

If you know your pet’s breed is prone to one or more health issues, you need to insure them now before those conditions arise and the bills pile up.

Start now.

The bottom line

Pet insurance works differently than most traditional types of insurance. But that doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. Owners just need to do their homework and come up with a plan as early as possible to ensure success. The three times above are good starting points.

A pet insurance expert can help you build a cost-effective and reliable plan now.