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by Zachary Chen, May 17, 2022
Almost a year ago today my dog fell down and lost the function of his hind legs and the ability to walk. We took him to the vet where he was diagnosed with disc disease, requiring a procedure that cost over $6,000.
Medical bills for your hairy loved ones are no joke. Dog owners can expect an average annual cost of $426 for surgical veterinary visits and $242 for regular veterinary care, making the average annual cost of owning a dog $1,381.
Time and time again I have seen families devastated not only emotionally but financially over the health complications they may face while owning a dog or other animal. . For this reason, I am an avid advocate for pet owners to invest in pet insurance to manage their pets’ health.
My family and I were devastated when we heard the news from the vet. To us, our dog is part of the family and we wanted to find out what was wrong and fix it ASAP, but when the vet came to tell us how much the procedure would cost, we were ripped off. $6,000 was not available at this time. Only through friends and family could I afford the necessary surgery on my dog.
With the average cost of an unexpected veterinary visit for a dog or cat ranging from $800 to $1,500 and 69% of Americans having less than $1,000 in savings to spend on emergencies, most Americans It may seem obvious why this catches you off guard. .
The average cost of pet insurance in 2022 is typically $50 per month for plans that cover both accident and illness. This translates to a total annual cost of $600 per year.
Pet insurance works on a similar level to property insurance. Coverage is purchased from an insurance company, and the plan reimburses costs associated with your pet’s medical care. Leading insurance companies can reimburse 80%, 90%, or 100% of your veterinary bill if the deductible is met.
So some might argue that it is an unnecessary expense, or may be too high. If it is an unnecessary expense, why do people own health care for themselves? Will you? Because no matter how well you plan, something can happen at any time.
If $50 a month is too much for a pet owner, how will you manage the $800 bill if your animal has an emergency?
Pet insurance isn’t just for pet owners, as well as those who need them. Service dogs and emotional support animals may not seem affordable to those who need them due to the extreme medical costs faced by uninsured pet owners, but pets Insurance greatly reduces that pressure.
$50 a month is a small price to pay for the peace of mind of knowing that if things go wrong, you will be financially covered if things go wrong.
Homes, cars, and people’s health are insured because if something goes wrong, they want to know they’ll be covered no matter what happens to them. The same is likely to happen to pets, just like anything else, and the same should be seen with them.
It’s amazing how the thought of getting pet insurance didn’t cross my mind before my dog got hurt. .
Many people look into the positive benefits of owning a pet, but many also lose sight of the long-term and what’s to come. So it makes sense to be able to provide the care you need when you need it most.
Feature image by Sharon Wu.
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