You may be considering taking out a pet insurance policy to avoid unexpected costs if your furry friend requires treatment. With all the possible health issues your dog or cat can face, it's important to understand what's covered under your policy.
Some of the most expensive treatments can involve surgery.
The good news is that pet insurance policies in Canada generally cover a large variety of medical treatments, including surgeries. However, the way in which the surgeries are covered can vary significantly and will depend on the pet insurance provider and the policy you choose but there are several commonalities.
Most insurance policies will have a set coverage limit per year. It means that once you've reached your policy's max annual limit, the provider no longer covers any additional eligible costs, including ones associated with surgery, or/and other eligible claims.
For instance, if your pet insurance plan has a coverage limit of $10,000 and the total surgery cost is $15,000, you'll have to pay for the remaining $5,000 out-of-pocket. This is just an example figure, always check with your provider directly to understand how surgery is covered in your particular policy.
Be aware that some procedures may be excluded from your coverage. Common examples include things like spaying and neutering as these are usually considered elective surgeries that don't fall under pet insurance coverage.
In some cases, pet insurance may even cover the cost of rehabilitation after surgery. The best way to find out if your provider does include rehabilitation is to ask them directly.
If you learn your pet needs surgery and you scramble to buy pet insurance before the operation, please know that it will likely not be covered, since the condition emerged before the insurance policy was taken out. It’s a little like taking insurance out after your car has been broken into, it would not be covered.
Additionally, most pet insurance policies have a waiting or cooling-off period to ensure your pet is indeed healthy at the time of enrollment.
Regardless, insurance can prove beneficial for any unexpected future illnesses or accidents. If you're considering pet insurance, take the time to research different providers, compare their coverages, and choose the one that best fits the needs of your pet and your budget. Find out more by getting a quote from PHI Direct pet insurance.
Remember, pet insurance is a means of reducing risk. For many people, paying a predictable monthly premium is worth the reassurance of being able to provide for their pet's health under any circumstances, especially in emergency situations and protecting their household budget.
Even if your pet is healthy, there may come a time when it needs surgery. To make it easier for you to determine which treatments are covered, here's a list of some of the most common pet health conditions that can require surgery in cats and dogs:
It’s important to take your pet for regular check-ups as this can help keep your pet happy and healthy, while preemptively finding an illness or condition before it becomes too severe, which can potentially avoid costly and painful surgeries or other procedures.
Pet insurance works with you paying your premium every month, or in some cases annually, and in exchange, the insurer will cover a portion of the cost when there's an eligible claim.
Ways to file a claim for your pet’s veterinary costs vary from pet insurer to pet insurer. When your pet insurer receives your claim, they'll review your documents and contact you to ask any additional questions, share the results of their review, and notify you when the claim is approved or denied.
PHI Direct offers you low-cost pet insurance premiums with quick payouts, giving you peace of mind if illness or accidents should occur.