Why insure a pet at all? One good reason is technology. Some surgeries and procedures performed on animals now were unheard of five or six years ago, such as radiation treatment, ultrasounds, heart surgery and organ transplants. While this is exciting news, it's also extremely expensive. Many pet owners cannot afford an unexpected medical bill in the range of thousands of dollars. Oftentimes this type of medical need will arise unexpectedly, and just like humans, emergency treatment is more costly than going to a regular doctor through a scheduled appointment.

With pet insurance, you pay a monthly premium and varying copays and deductibles, depending on the company you choose. This can be more affordable than unexpectedly having a bill coming to $3,500 plopped in your lap.

Another good reason to have insurance in place for a pet is that pets are living longer than they used to. Vaccinations against fatal diseases are much more common, certain medicines like antibiotics are more affordable and leash laws and vigilant animal control agencies have all contributed to this. While this is fantastic for pet owners, that these beloved members of their homes will be around longer, the expense of an older animal can be more than some people can handle.

Older animals are more inclined to various illnesses like obesity, arthritis, cataracts and numerous other ailments, much the same as humans. Pet insurance can really be the saving grace for owners that have to deal with these problems. Pet insurance in general can alleviate the cost of major treatments, routine care, hospitalizations, euthanasia and blood tests.

There are certain things it will not cover; holistic treatment and genetic testing to name a couple possibilities. An online search for pet insurance will yield numerous options for those interested in this service. Many of these companies do offer Older Pet policies, if you didn't already have insurance in place for your pets when they were younger. The premiums and/or deductibles may be higher.

There are numerous pet insurance companies available for your comparison. Even though an estimated less than 5% of pet owners carry insurance, this number has been steadily growing for about the last half dozen years. Depending on your needs and that of your pet, it might be time to hop on the bandwagon.