1. What’s covered by pet insurance?

In short, pet insurance helps cover vets’ bills for various things. But the details can be radically different, depending on who you ask.

Some pet health insurance providers like to keep things simple, and just offer one plan to cover most unexpected pickles pets find themselves in. That’s the box we fall into. Because we know taking your dog to the park, or chilling out on the couch with your cat, is way more fun than scoping out the finer details of a pet insurance policy.

But other pet medical insurance providers create plans with different 'levels' of protection... meaning that specific conditions aren't covered by certain plans. Unless you're a vet yourself, the differences (and the jargon) can be confusing - making it pretty tough to see how pet insurance plans stack up against each other.

IMPORTANT: Not even the best pet insurance plan will cover pre-existing conditions - illnesses or injuries a pet had before their pet insurance plan started. Not even ours. Sorry. This just isn't an option in the pet insurance world. 

2. How do you weigh the costs?

As a pet parent, you'll want to think about the question of price versus quality.

The amount you pay each month for your pet's plan depends on what type of animal you have, their breed, and age. Depending on which pet insurance plan you're looking at, there might be other questions to answer, which may also impact the cost of the plan.

But we need to stress here that cheaper isn't always better. 'Cheaper' plans might be cheap for a reason - corners might have been cut, and important coverage slowly nibbled away.

When it comes down to a few dollars difference a month, the extra peace of mind might be worth it.

TrustedPals focuses on offering very affordable pet insurance plans - but we don't let a focus on low cost push us into bad decisions that would put pets at risk later down the line. That's not us. Not at all.

3. Are accident-only plans worth it?

This type of plan was created by humans looking to make a cheaper alternative to 'full' plans. But they won't cover any conditions like cancer, chronic illnesses, or anything else which isn't caused by an accident.

This might leave you facing a potentially massive vet bill if your pet's health takes a sudden turn for the worst. 

That's why TrustedPals doesn't offer accident-only plans. We just don't want to be in the position of turning down claims from humans who were just trying to do right by their pets.

4. What about the extras?

Let's be clear - pet insurance is about the coverage, not the bells and whistles. Don't let fancy extras sway your decision too much. But we can't deny they're sometimes nice to have.

Nose out all the potential discounts. Take a look at optional plans like wellness coverage to help keep your cat or dog feeling fit every day. Then make a decision based on setting up the best protection for your pet.

5. Settled on a pet insurance provider?

Once you've looked through the coverage and decided who to choose, try to get your plan set up as soon as possible.

You never know if tomorrow's the day your cat uses up one of their nine lives, or your dog develops an appetite for your socks. (Yes, it really happens.)

And, the sooner you get your pet insured, the less risk there is of them being left without coverage for any pre-existing conditions that might pop up in the meantime.

Plus, pet insurance is cheaper while your furry friend is younger, so it makes sense to have them leap in with all four paws while they're a puppy or a kitten (so long as they're at least 8 weeks old).

If you need to know anything else before choosing your pet insurance provider, just get in touch.