Taking in a pet provides years of unconditional love and friendship, in addition to a few financial sacrifices along the way. Between all of the toys, treats, and playdates, picking the right pet insurance isn’t what you and your loved ones should be stressing out about. NCA is proud to partner with Embrace Pet Insurance for the coverage and deals you and your pet friends deserve. Learn about the six tips Embrace Pet Insurance recommends considering before purchasing pet insurance for your furry friend.
Benefits schedules. Does the plan include a benefits schedule? A benefits schedule consists of a list of diagnoses with the max amount that the pet insurance plan will pay out if your pet needs treatment for that diagnosis. In large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, the benefits schedule payout could be much less than the actual treatment costs. Therefore, you may be left paying a large portion of the cost yourself even though you have pet insurance. Plans that help you pay a percentage of the actual veterinary bill are easier for you to understand due to the calculation method being transparent - you can usually figure out your reimbursement before you send in the claim.
Genetic conditions. Many people enjoy purebred dogs and cats. However, many are not aware that purebreds can harbor genetic and hereditary illnesses. For example, Labrador Retrievers are more prone to getting hip dysplasia, Poodles to progressive retinal atrophy, and Chihuahuas to luxating patellas. Even mixed breed animals are susceptible to genetic conditions. The treatment and surgery options for these genetic conditions can be extremely expensive with only a few pet insurance plans covering them. Therefore, verify that the plan you choose covers your pet fully.
Know the terms. Is it clearly stated on the company's website about what you're receiving? The last thing you would want to do is submit a claim and find out afterwards that the company will not cover your pet's condition, whatever that reason may be.
Per-incident limits. An incident is any given illness or accident. Per-incident limits restrict the total amount you can be reimbursed for. As an example, your dog is hit by a car and requires surgery and then follow-ups after that add up to $4,500 over the period of a year. If there is a per-incident limit of $3,500, then the pet insurance company will reimburse you up to the per-incident limit. If this happens, you would have to pay $1,000 out of pocket (that is, $4,500 minus $3,500). Embrace only has annual limits. If you pick a competing plan that has per-incident limits, make sure you know exactly how they work as to avoid being surprised when you make a claim.
Pre-existing conditions. Are they excluded temporarily or permanently? A few plans exclude all pre-existing conditions while others (including Embrace) differ between pre-existing conditions that are "incurable" and "curable" so that you have the chance to get coverage in the future for curable conditions
Customer Reviews. Visit PetInsuranceReview.com to read candid customer reviews of all the major pet insurance plans in one place.
Doing your homework before investing in pet insurance is crucial for you and your furry friend. By following these six recommended tips from Embrace Pet Insurance, you and your pet will be happy you did. When you sign up for Embrace Pet Insurance through our National Consumer Alliance membership, you will save 10-15%. Don’t miss out on your pet insurance savings by starting your free quote today!
