About a year and half ago, my technician and her husband adopted a rescue dog from one of our local rescue organizations.  His name is Paxton, and he has definitely become a huge part of their lives.  In fact, she is happy to admit that she is “pathologically” attached to him.  In speaking with her about Paxton the other day, I was reminded how special rescue dogs are, and how important rescue organizations are for so many animals. 

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of stray dogs and cats in the Houstonarea.  There are also many rescue groups, but unfortunately the “supply” far outstrips the demand for cats and dogs.  As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, spaying and neutering your pet is the best way to prevent contributing to this on-going problem. 

If you are looking for a new cat or dog, I would encourage you to consider looking at a rescue.  There are specific rescue organizations for just about any breed, from Golden Retrievers to Dachshunds, and while a rescued dog can’t present you with papers, there are often many purebred animals in the rescue system.  Another benefit to a rescue animal is the ability to know a little bit about your prospective pet’s personality, habits, and preferences.  A foster home “mom” or other rescue personnel can give you insight into the animal you are interested in, and see if those traits are what you are looking for in a pet.  Especially if you are opting to consider rescuing an adult dog or cat, whose personality is more defined, this type of information can be crucial in making a good decision for your household.  In your search for a rescue animal, check with our local Houstonshelters.  The SPCA, the Houston Humane Society and CAP (Citizens for Animal Protection) are all good options.  PetFinder.com is a “one-stop-shop” for most rescue organizations and shelters, and you have the ability to narrow your search by species, gender, age, location, and breed. 

When looking at a rescue animal, it is important to verify that the rescue group you are considering is reputable.  Most decent rescue groups will only put an animal up for adoption after they have been spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated, and evaluated by a veterinarian.  Often rescue groups will require a home visit or interview prior to adopting a pet, and an adoption fee will usually be required.  These restrictions are put in place to make sure the right pet goes home with their perfect family. 

Rescued animals are a fantastic option for many potential pet owners.  If you are looking at getting a pet, I encourage you to look into a rescue adoption.  Check out the rescue information list on the left of this website to find out more!

Last week we began discussing pet health insurance, the pet insurance industry, and how pet health insurance works.  With that knowledge in place, let’s look deeper at what companies and/or policies are available for your pet.

There are many options for pet health insurance companies and policies.  Pet owners should consider many factors when choosing the best company for their pets and their pocketbook. 

Important questions to ask before buying health insurance for your pet include:

1. How long has the company been in business and will it be around when a claim is made?
2. What is the time required to receive reimbursement of a claim?
3. How is a claim paid and how is the amount if reimbursement determined?
4. What types of premiums are available and what are the costs of premiums?
5. Are congenital, developmental or hereditary conditions covered?
6. What health conditions are excluded and not a candidate for reimbursement?
7. Is preventative health care included in the policy?
8. What types of riders are placed on pre-existing conditions?
9. If the treatment of a condition is initially not successful, is full coverage of the condition in force for further treatment even if I choose to use another provider.
10. Can I obtain a second opinion and is this covered?
11. What is your policy for using specialists to treat my pet?
12. Are their lifetime benefit limitations?
13. What is the policy for renewal?
14. How does age and breed affect my premium?
15. What is your policy on coverage of cranial cruciate ligament injuries? 

The optimal pet health insurance policy probably does not exist, but if it did it would include the following features:

1. Affordable for most pet owners
2. Allow choice of any veterinarian
3. Cover expenses associated with specialty and emergency care.
4. Include coverage for preventative care (vaccines, parasite prevention, dental, neuter, etc)
5. Include coverage for congenital, developmental and hereditary disorders
6. Not place exclusions on pre-existing conditions
7. Reimburse claims within 2 weeks
8. Easy to understand reimbursement schedule
9. Different levels of coverage available to suit the individual needs of a pet-owner
10. Submission of a claim would not affect the individual’s future insurability or premium
11. Coverage of behavioral conditions
12. Coverage of pregnancy problems
13. Coverage of euthanasia, cremation, burial 

It is difficult to compare companies directly because of the great variation of policies available, and pet-owners should evaluate each company’s policies carefully using their website and speaking directly to a company representative.  Many of these websites are very thorough and actually include examples of actual claims and how they were reimbursed.  Another good source for advice is your veterinarian. Veterinarians typically see a cross section of patients with varying insurance coverage.  They often know problem areas of companies and can help you decide on a company and type of policy that may best suit the age, breed and condition of your pet.  Policies must be evaluated carefully for exclusions of conditions that appear to be covered.  Examples include a policy that includes coverage for pregnancy.  In some policies, certain breeds known to have a frequent need for cesarean sections, such as the bulldog, are excluded.  If hereditary conditions are covered, it is important to know if there are stipulations on qualifying for this benefit, such as breed, age at enrollment and pre-existing diagnosis.  It is very important to evaluate exclusions and riders that may require a waiting period for coverage or may exclude some conditions entirely if they are pre-existing.

Pet health insurance is probably a good choice for most pet owners as long as they have a thorough understanding of the policy’s features.  The uncertainty of the type and timing of problems can lead to severe financial strain for many pet-owners.  Many pets go untreated or worse yet, are euthanized, due to inability to afford unexpected health costs.  Pet health insurance is an affordable and practical way of meeting these unexpected healthcare costs.

Over 70% of households in the United Stateshave pets of some kind, and pets have become an important part of the family unit.  However, pet owners should be aware of the expected costs that will be incurred to keep their pet healthy and happy.  These costs include food, grooming, boarding, preventative medications (intestinal worms, heartworms, fleas, ticks), vaccines and veterinary treatment when ill or injured.  This two-part blog will cover the ups and downs of the pet health insurance industry as a potential strategy for helping to pay for your pet’s heath needs. 

Pet health insurance has been available in the United States for 30 years.  Over 50 pet insurance companies have come and gone over this period.  Presently there are at least 12 companies to choose from to provide health insurance for your pet, with more becoming available every day.  Pet owners, however, have been slow to buy insurance policies for their pets.  In fact, it is estimated that only 1% of pets in the U.S.are covered by a health insurance policy.  This pales in comparison to the over 25% of pets covered by insurance in the United Kingdom and over 80% of people covered by health insurance in the U.S.  Even though few pet owners currently own pet health insurance on a percentage basis, the number that do are rapidly increasing and the future looks optimistic for the industry.  The rising costs of medical care and the shrinking economy have given pet owners the incentive to consider pet health insurance as a means of being prepared for unexpected health costs. 

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) is an organization founded in 2007 that provides services for both the pet owner and insurance companies. The NAPHIA is an independent organization that provides useful information for pet owners trying to make a decision on the type of insurance policy that best suits their needs.  The organization provides information on the various features of insurance policies and makes recommendations for options that may be important for your pet.  The NAPHIA also offers membership to pet insurance companies that meet their professional and ethical standards.  Organizations such as NAPHIA hopefully provide unbiased information to help pet owners wade through a confusing amount of information and give companies the opportunity to be recognized for excellence and high quality service.

Most insurance companies in the U.S.provide policies that reimburse pet-owners for veterinary bills.  Pet owners must initially pay for services and submit a claim to the insurance company to reimburse them for qualified expenses.  In other words, the policies do not allow for health services to be rendered without payment and the veterinarian be subsequently reimbursed.  This is different than the human insurance industry. Reimbursement to pet owners may require a 2-6 weeks depending on the company. Another major difference between pet health insurance and human health insurance is that human insurance companies negotiate costs of services with providers.  This is not the case in pet health insurance where the veterinarian determines the cost of service.  Pet owners do have the ability to choose their veterinarian, however.  This is unlike the human industry where patients must use only approved providers or be penalized by having to pay a higher deductible or co-pay.  Pet health insurance companies base reimbursement payments on either a percentage of the services provided or on a certain allowed amount for a particular service.  No pet insurance company is exactly like the other.  Many differences can be found in the types of policies offered, cost, exclusions, time of reimbursement and qualified benefits. 

Check back next week for part two, where will be discussing how to choose a pet insurance company, finding the optimal plan for you, and comparing the differences between companies.