Pet health insurance is an old concept that has been gaining popularity through the years. Insurance companies may have seen the potential as pets are becoming part of the family in many households these days. But with the tough economic conditions, are people still willing to spend extra amount in order to insure their beloved pets?

The trend is still in the process of development. But the idea can be compared with the insurance policies of humans. There are deductibles, annual premiums and the owner can choose from various coverage plans. If you have just learned about this, here are some important notes that might fill in your curiosity.

1. The average amount that can be deducted annually to the insurance is around $100. But the costs of policies vary depending on the kind of plan that the owner will get for their pets. There are even packages that you can choose to acquire.

If you are willing to spend more, the following can be covered with your pet’s insurance: routine care, preventive medications, annual checkups, periodic vaccinations and surgeries like spay or neuter. Simpler plans will only cover the basic, like illnesses and accidents.

There are plans, especially on new policies that will cover accident claims and will allot 30 days for claims with regards to illnesses. There are companies that will insure additional pets at reduced rates when you’ve already availed one for another pet.

2. The coverage of the plans will be based on the species of your pets. It will also look into pre-existing conditions and may also consider the lifestyle of your pet whether they are indoor or outdoor and the likes.

3. Most insurance companies begin the policies for pets when they are about 6 to 8 weeks old. But other companies have no requirements regarding the age. And the length of the policy also varies depending on the company. Others have a limit of over 20 years, while some offers an age limit of 10 or 8 years.

4. The most common pre-existing condition among these insurance companies is that the animal has to be in stable and great condition and is not suffering from any terminal illnesses by the time the insurance is availed. There are companies that choose the breeds of the animals. They won’t accept those that are prone to certain kinds of diseases.

If your pet is refused by the insurance companies, you can ask your trusted veterinarian for advice. They will refer you to the wellness packages that are being offered by some hospitals. Such packages can give you discounts on certain programs like vaccinations, spay or neuter and a lot more. Other hospitals offer checkup packages intended for geriatric health.

You may also want to look into a national program called Pet Assure. This offers discount programs such as 25% on veterinary services and 50% on pet supplies and related services. This is not an insurance policy. You can ask the owners of pet stores and veterinarians on how can you avail of such program.

If you cannot afford a good pet health insurance for your beloved pets, there are some non-profit organizations that can help you financially when your pet encounters some sickness or accidents. There are also veterinary offices that can support you at such instances through an emergency fund that they allocate for such situation.