Reasons for Pet Insurance
A steady decrease in the numbers of graduates finishing veterinary colleges, expensive state-of-the-art equipment, liability insurance, expensive prescription drugs and the cost of maintaining a veterinary clinic has skyrocketed pet owners veterinary bills to unimaginable prices. When a beloved family pet suddenly falls ill or is injured in a freak accident, many pet owners find themselves in the impossible position of having to put their pet to sleep - also known as economic euthanasia. Many family pets could have been spared from economic euthanasia had their owners had the foresight to purchase pet health insurance cover.
Nowadays, the average cost of veterinary expenditure for dog owners is $211 per year. The average dog owner will visit the local veterinary office about 2.8 times a year. Typically, the main reasons for dog owners to take the family dog to the local veterinarian is for basic routine health care such as physicals, vaccines, dental work, neutering or spaying, nail trimming and heartworm testing.
The typical cat owner will visit the veterinary clinic 2.3 times per year to take care of declawing, physicals, vaccines, dental work, neutering or spaying and ear mites. The average yearly cost for these 2.3 visits to the local veterinarian is approximately $179. The results of these statistics are based on a 2005 survey done by the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association.
Pet health insurance coverage helps pay these veterinary costs if your family pet becomes ill or is injured in an accident. Depending upon which policy you chose to purchase, you may be reimbursed if your family pet is stolen, is lost or dies. Pet owners purchase pet insurance coverage for a variety reasons, the main one probably being to pay for unanticipated and extremely expensive veterinary bills. In some cases, the purchase of pet health insurance coverage can be the difference between a recovery and economic euthanasia for many family pets.
