Your pet’s health care can get expensive – and fast! Traumatic events such as being hit by a car, broken bones, or severe illnesses often happen without warning and can leave you, your pet, and your wallet, a little worse for wear. So, what’s a pet owner to do? There are a couple options but researching all your options is the only way to guarantee finding a financial plan that works the best for you and your pet’s lifestyle.
CareCredit
CareCredit is a medical credit card that is available for use in the medical field (either human or veterinary) only. CareCredit is a popular payment plan with veterinarians, dentists, and other health-care providers.
A credit card for my pet? Absolutely! You can pay CareCredit just like any other credit card and make small monthly payments just like you would a credit card. You can get interest-free for up to 18 months (depending on the amount spent).
There are no spending minimums, upfront costs, and no penalty for early payoff.
CareCredit is great to have for emergencies, surgical procedures, prescription medications or diets, or just general medical procedures and vaccinations.
For more information, or to apply for a CareCredit card, please visit CareCredit.com
Please Note: If you are approved for CareCredit and would like to use your funds BEFORE receiving your CareCredit card in the mail, please bring a copy of your approval that includes your name, account number, and credit limit to our office at the time of your visit.
Pet Insurance
Yep, it’s really out there. Basic plans can start as low as $12 a month and can cover basic items such as vaccines and annual exams to bone fractures and chemotherapy. Just have your veterinarian fill out the claim form your insurance provides you with and mail it in!
But beware! Most insurance plans still require you to pay ALL of your pet’s vet bills up front first. Once your insurance processes your claim, you will receive a reimbursement check in the mail. We strongly recommend you research several companies, check out what’s covered and what’s not, and make sure you get to choose your own veterinarian! Also, be aware that most insurances do not cover pre-existing conditions.
What is considered as a pre-existing condition?
For most insurance companies, a pre-existing condition is defined as an illness or injury that first occurred or showed clinical signs before the end of your policy’s waiting period, even if your pet never went to see your veterinarian for the condition.
Here are some examples of what a pre-existing condition is:
- If your dog has a history of a torn cruciate ligament, and you purchase pet insurance afterwards, your policy is likely NOT to cover treatment if your dog should tear the opposite cruciate ligament later in life. This is likely due to most dogs’ tendency to tear both cruciate ligaments at some point in life once one cruciate ligament has been torn.
- If your cat had an episode of wheezing and coughing but your vet was not able to give a definitive diagnosis upon your initial visit. If you decide to take out an insurance policy AFTER your cat had been seen, and she has another episode of wheezing and coughing at a later date, it would be defined as a pre-existing condition, whether a diagnosis was ever reached or not.
- Your dog had an ear infection and a skin hot spot last year before you purchased your policy. You sign up for pet insurance and, a few months after the 2-week waiting period has expired, your veterinarian diagnoses your dog with allergies. These allergies would be considered a pre-existing condition.
Note that these examples are just that – examples. The best way to know if a condition is pre-existing or not is to get a Medical History Review done after you purchase your policy.
Don’t know where to start? Check out some of these Pet Insurance companies: