Ease vet bill pressures with financial planning
For most families who have a pet, their furry friend is considered a member of the family.
Taking care of this family member is a costly affair, especially when the vet’s bills start rolling in. What would you do if your beloved pet needed more care to survive? Would finances be a concern?
Certified professional dog trainer and vet technician Miranda Wimbush has worked with animals in many capacities since she was a teenager. She’s volunteered at animal rescues, worked in doggy daycare, as a groomer, at boarding kennels and a vet clinic as a vet technician. She now operates her own dog training business called The Mindful Canine, based in Halifax.
“Having a plan for the unexpected when having a pet is important,” she said, adding that could mean opening a savings account and saving each month for an emergency or illness or having pet insurance.
“When I worked in a vet hospital, having the added financial stress of being unable to pay for vet expenses was so hard on clients.”
Pet insurance was helpful because clients were not as concerned about the money, according to Wimbush.
“They just did what needed to be done for their pet,” she said. “Already having a pet that is ill or injured is really hard and stressful so anything that provides peace of mind helps.”
Despite the importance of pet insurance, and much like with any insurance coverage, there are questions to ask before you decide. Is the age of your dog a determining factor when signing up for pet insurance? Do all vets accept pet insurance? Can any pet be insured? Is pet insurance worth the cost pet owners initially put in? What kind of medical bills are covered in a pet insurance plan? Is there an initial waiting period?
Wimbush advises pet owners research policies and see what the deductibles are, much like with purchasing any insurance.
“So many times people are of the opinion that vets are expensive and, really, they are not,” she said. “It’s just that we all have the majority of our medical expenses paid for us and we don’t see those bills. Having pet insurance provides peace of mind and allows you to care for your pet in the best possible way.”
A simple Google search reveals the number of insurance plans being offered across Atlantic Canada. Pet health insurance is more commonplace today than it was a decade ago. Perhaps it’s because it offers pet owners the peace of mind and makes medical decisions much simpler to make.