Our good health is one of the most important possessions we have - and with the cost of health care rising, health insurance is one of those things that just makes sense. The possibility of you or a loved one being affected by serious illness isn't something you like to dwell on, but it definitely pays to think about the consequences of such an event before it actually happens.
Chronic or serious illnesses are expensive, and without health insurance, getting the medical treatment you need may be difficult if not impossible. A comprehensive health insurance plan can take some of the worry out of life with the reassurance of knowing that if the worst happens, your medical expenses are covered.
When you're shopping for a health insurance plan, there are several things you'll want to consider when deciding what type of plan is best for you and your circumstances.
- Your lifestyle will affect the cost of your insurance coverage - if you smoke, are overweight, or have an otherwise unhealthy lifestyle, your insurance costs will be higher. Pre-existing medical conditions will also increase the cost of your insurance coverage. - Most plans cover normal medical expenses - but before signing anything, think about what other services you and your family are likely to need, and if the plans you're considering cover those needs. This is where it pays to know about the medical history of your relatives, so that you can make decisions based upon what types of medical conditions might run in the family. - If you require specialist care, make sure your plan covers it. - Emergency care - usually a referral from your doctor is a prerequisite of emergency medical care. Some health insurance policies won't pay for weekend hospital visits unless you are referred by your doctor, and some will require that you wait until a weekday if it's not a matter of life and death. Check out these types of details before making a commitment. - Prescriptions - think about what prescriptions you currently need and what you may require in the future. Insurance plans vary as to the percentage you are required to pay on prescriptions, and some charge a flat fee rather than a percentage. - Supplemental insurance - dental insurance and chronic or acute illnesses such as cancer are not usually covered by normal health insurance. Dental insurance is usually covered by an entirely separate policy. Diseases such as cancer, or critical conditions such as heart attack or stroke, can quickly become expensive, and supplemental insurance is designed to kick in when regular health coverage is exhausted.
Before you commit to an insurance plan, make sure you're absolutely clear on what is and isn't covered. Your policy will list services that are covered, and will also list those that aren't covered. Bear in mind that your insurance company decides what expenses they will pay for, not your doctor.
Your doctor may decide you need a specific medical procedure, but that won't make your insurance company change their mind about covering it if it's not included in your insurance plan. It's a good idea to be very familiar with the terms of your policy, so that you can let your doctor know what you're covered for - when possible, your doctor can then recommend medical care and services that you insurance policy will pay for.
It doesn't matter if you have already decided to purchase health insurance for the family pet or if you are simply. When you are comparing the quote of one health insurance quote to another remember that the base doller amount is not the only number you have to consider. In addition to the monthly payment make sure you also check out exactly what type of veterinary care and treatments are covered (some basic insurance plans do not include cancer treatment), what kind of deductible you, the pet owner, will be expected to pay, is there a yearly cap on medical expenses, and what type of discounts are available.
At the moment there are only a handful of companies that offer pet health insurance. Five of the most popular companies are Pets Best Pet Insurance, Veterinary Pet Insurance, ShelterCare, Pets Health and PetCare.
An insurance plan through Pets Best Pet Insurance will cost approximately $32.00 a month ($384.00 annually). Pets Best will cover pet sterilization provided the pet owner purchases an additional wellness plan. Pets Best does not cover pre-existing medical conditions a pet has so its best to insure them early in life before problems develop. Pets Best has a life time limit of $99,750 dollars per pet. Pets Best health insurance plans come with a $75.00 deductible. Multiple pet discounts are available. Pet's Best pet health insurance does cover cancer.
Veterinary Pet Insurance is a company that offers pet owner a $14,000 a year cap on an insurance plan that only costs approximately $20.00 dollars a month. Veterinary Pet Insurance offers plans with a $50.00 deductible (after the deductible they pay ninety percent of the bill) on plans that include pet sterilization and cancer coverage. Veterinary Pet Insurance does not accept pre-existing conditions and does not offer multi-pet discounts.
ShelterCare is a pet insurance that cost pet's owners approximately $29.95. For that $29.95 there is absolutely no deductible and cancer treatments are covered. ShelterCare will not pay for pet sterilization nor will they cover any pre-existing conditions. ShelterCare does not have a benefit cap. ShelterCare offers premium discounts for multi-pet plans, medical service, and micro-chips.
A pet health insurance policy through PetsHealth insurance company will cost the pet owner approximately $37.17 dollars per month. PetsHealth covers 80% of the pets vet bill after the $100.00 doller deductible is paid. PetsHealth has a $13,000 doller cap on each per year. PetHealth does insure pre-existing conditions after ninety days. Multi-pet discounts are available through PetHealth. PetsHealth does offer pet health insurance plans that cover cancer on a case by case basis.
PetCare is a pet health insurance company that estimates the average cost for a policy for a pet is $29.95 a month. This plan includes a fifty doller deductible. While PetCare is happy to cover the cost your pet's cancer treatments they will not pay for any pre-existing conditions nor will they pay for pet sterilization. PetCare offers discounts for multi-pet plans and medical service.
None of the estimated monthly prices for these insurance companies include any extra insurances riders.
Any one or all of these companies can change their policies between now and the time you purchase a pet health insurance plan.
Remember to read the fine print before you sign up for a pet health insurance plan.
All five of these pet health insurance companies have their own websites where you can go to get up to date pet health insurance quotes.
There are other pet health insurance companies with different prices, discounts, stipulations, and benefit caps if you are not content with the previous five comparisons.
Both Casey Yew & Jasmine Stone are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Casey Yew has sinced written about articles on various topics from Insurance, Health and Options Trading. Get Your Now. Find Out More Information about Different Types of Insurance such as Home, Car, Dental, Term-life, Travel and. Casey Yew's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.