Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world with 63% of the population owning a pet. Recent studies show that pet owners live a happier and healthier life so it’s no wonder that pet owners consider their beloved pets to be a part of the family.

Most of us probably have taken out or have at least considered health insurance for our families but even if we don’t have health insurance we are fortunate to have access to Medicare and the PBS to assist us with the cost of treatment. Often pet owners forget to budget for their pet’s healthcare and with no government funding available for veterinary treatment, pet owners are frequently faced with unforeseen veterinary expenses especially when the unexpected occurs.

Every year Australians spend over 1 billion dollars on veterinary services and recent statistics show that one in every three pets will require some sort of emergency treatment each year. When considering pet insurance think about the impact an unexpected bill of $5000 to perform emergency gastric torsion surgery or a bill of $3000 to repair a fractured leg would have on the household budget. With the current high cost of living and the financial pressure families are facing, most families would be unable to lay their hands on this type of money at short notice leaving them with a heartbreaking decision to make.

The great thing about pet insurance is it gives pet owners peace of mind that if the unexpected did happen, they can focus on what is the best treatment for their pet rather than worrying about how they would pay the vet bill.

There are a number of pet insurance policies available with varying inclusions and exclusions. It’s important to take the time out to review and compare policies carefully to ensure the one you choose is the best one for your pet and budget.

Ideally, the best time to take out pet insurance is when your first purchase your pet because some policies exclude pre-existing conditions. Some policies also exclude certain hereditary conditions so if you have a purebred pet it’s extremely important to do your research.

If you would like to give pet insurance a trial before you commit, please call either of our clinics to see if your pet is eligible.