Pet Insurance: why it's gaining popularity and what local experts are saying - WTVG

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Pet insurance is like health insurance, but it is used to cover the medical bills of cats and dogs.

According to Dr. Brooke West, the owner of West Toledo Animal Hospital, this type of insurance has been around for while.

“You pay your bill here at the veterinary hospital and then you submit your claim to your insurance company,” West said. “Then they reimburse you for whatever your coverage is.”

Recently though, she says more and more of her clients are asking about the extra protection.

“It’s become so popular now that a lot of insurance companies for your car and your home also have pet insurance,” West added.

Insurance agent Dana Mathewson tells us State Farm is one of those insurance companies that also offers protection for pets. He says he begins the process for pet insurance by helping customers decide on an appropriate deductible.

“After your deductible, 90 percent of all covered claims are paid by the insurance and you pay the 10 percent,” said Mathewson.

Mathewson adds the deductible only applies per illness, rather than per year, like most health insurance plans, but what exactly is covered with this type of insurance?

“Illness or accident, so both illness or accident, that’s not pre-existing,” Mathewson said.

You can add on what are called “riders” too if necessary. An example of a rider is for rehabilitation.

“The number two loss on dogs is torn ACL’s and so, if a dog were to tear it’s ACL, not only is the repair covered, then also the rehabilitation is covered,” Mathewson said.

Both Mathewson and Dr. West tell 13abc they highly recommend pet insurance if you own a cat or a dog because it is not only affordable, but also offers pet owners peace of mind.

“When you’re dealing with an emergency where you don’t have time to collect funds or save money or budget for it, it really does help in those types of situations,” said West. “It comes down to life or death because of cost.”

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.