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Pet Health Insurance Explained

As a pet parent, you are responsible for keeping your furry friend safe and healthy. However, you cannot always protect them from unexpected accidents or illnesses. In this case, you must ensure that they can get the treatment they need, and to do that, you must be able to afford it. This is where pet insurance can help you with that.

What is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance provides coverage for veterinary care. It can be partial or full, and there are two types:

  • Accident Only: Covers a portion of the cost of treatment in case of an accident.
  • Accidents & Illness: Covers fully or partially any type of illness unrelated to any accidents.

Important: There are policies that exclude coverage of specific health issues, such as pre-existing conditions or behavioral problems. Pet insurance does not usually cover:

  • Regular check-ups
  • Vaccinations
  • Annual bloodwork
  • Dental services
  • Flea medications

Remember, every policy is different.

How Pet Insurance Works

Dog or cat insurance is essential to treating your pet in case of an accident or an illness. By investing in a plan, you are ensured that any treatment for your pet becomes more affordable. The pet insurance company helps you cover some or all of the costs for them. You can do this in 3 simple steps:

  1. Pay the veterinary bill
  2. Notify your insurance agency
  3. Get some or all your money back

Each insurance plan has a different cost that you pay every month. The factors that affect the cost are:

  • The type of pet you have
  • Breed
  • Age
  • Where you live
  • Your plan’s deductible & reimbursement level
  • Your plan’s annual payout limit 

To better understand how pet insurance works, you need to familiarise yourself with a few terms. These are:

  • Deductible: It is the amount you pay for veterinary services before the insurance company starts reimbursing you. There are different kinds such as annual, per condition/incident, or per visit. Unless you exceed the deductible, you won’t be reimbursed.
  • Reimbursement: Occurs when the pet insurance company pays you back. Depending on the plan you have, you get reimbursed for the full cost or a smaller percentage.
  • Payout Limit: If your plan includes a payout limit where the insurance company only pays up to a certain amount, then you must pay for any expenses that exceed said limit. This gets reset at the start of each policy year.
  • Filing a Claim: After you pay for a veterinary bill, file a claim in order to get reimbursed. Once it’s approved, the pet insurance company will pay you back.

Is Pet Insurance Worth it?

You may be skeptical about investing your money in insurance. However, pet insurance is indeed worth it, and here’s why:

  1. Treatment of any of your pet’s injuries is affordable as pet insurance helps cover the costs.
  2. It is a small investment that requires small payments that saves you money in the end.
  3. It is more reliable than having a savings account, as you pay the company to ensure coverage.

Most importantly, pet insurance is truly your furry friend’s lifesaver. Eliminate your worries about paying for expensive treatments. Ensure that your pet stays healthy and overcomes any obstacle that comes their way!

This article is contributed by Cooper Pet Care. Cooper Pet Care provides instant access to vet support via chat and video calls as well as honest pet insurance with fair and transparent terms.

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Aon Happy Tails Pet Insurance – Interview with Debby and Mocha

We always want the best for our pets.

The cost of pet ownership is high, and the cost of their medical bills even higher. When owning a pet, it is important for us to determine their physical health before engaging with surgeries. Our pets are unable to verbalise what they feel internally hence the multitudes of consultations, x-rays and blood tests before we are able to truly determine what ails them.

Last month, we heard from Jane and considered the benefits of pet insurance with her. This month, we decided to reach out to a paw-rent who has recently discovered Aon Happy Tails pet insurance and to garner a better understanding of what drew her to consider Happy Tails.

Hi there! Tell us more about Mocha, and your relationship with them!

We got Mocha at the end of 2018. My previous dog, Jack Russell had passed on six years before and my son had been bugging us to get a dog so we thought that it was finally time to get a new fur kid.  Mocha is very timid and shy, it took quite a while for her to actually get comfortable with us but once she did she started following me everywhere. During CB (Circuit Breaker 2020), we truly bonded with her and she became much more comfortable being playful with us. On trips to the dog park, she remains happy to explore the park and runs around even if she is not playing with other dogs.

How do you and Mocha spend time together this June holidays?

This June Holiday, there is not much we can do as we are still under phase 2A (ha) in Singapore. Yet, we still made time to go for walks in the parks. We also plan to bring her for a swim once we can meet up with more people.

How do you work to ensure the safety and well being of your furkid?

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of my furkid I always give her fresh good food, supplements, and bring her for regular walks so that she has enough exercise. She is not very active at home. Additionally, I always make sure to bring her to the vet if I notice anything amiss with her.

What concerns do you have when visiting the vet?

Just like humans visiting the doctors, our main concern when we visit the vet is the cost of the treatment.

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Upon hearing this, we asked her about her knowledge of pet insurance. Aon Happy Tails in particular, helps to offset some of the costs incurred by medical procedures.

Have you heard of pet insurance prior to this conversation?

I have heard of pet insurance prior to this conversation! I heard about it from fellow fur parents who had signed up for pet insurance. I think it is important because it will help us cover the cost of any emergency treatment for our furkids.

How do the coverage plans offered by Aon Happy Tails alleviate your concerns (as mentioned above)?

I think the coverage is pretty good as I am very concerned about IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) as a dachshund owner.

IVDD is a paralysis caused by back problems and short-legged dogs are quite prone to having it. Treatment may include rehabilitation or even surgery hence finding out that Aon Happy Tails covers surgery in their insurance plan made them quite appealing to me.

Will you be purchasing Aon Happy Tails in the foreseeable future?

Yes, I will!

Debby’s concerns regarding treatment costs and emergency medical procedures are extremely common amongst pet owners. Simplydollar states that medical costs are the most expensive aspect of owning a pet, with the average vet visit ranging from $50 to $400. 

When it comes to sudden health complications, costs can go even higher, or double, to accommodate the needs of the pet.

Aon Happy Tails’ comprehensive insurance scheme prioritises supporting pet owners through sudden surgical procedures that may arise from new complications in their pet’s health. These complications do not include pre-existing conditions which have already been assessed by the vet.

Regardless, as Debby has aptly mentioned, pets are always at a growing risk of developing new conditions such as the IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) for dogs. To ensure the safety of our pets, and to reduce wallet pains from unexpected medical costs – Pet insurance is a great way to keep us and our loved furkids safe and protected!

You can find out more about Aon Happy Tails pet insurance via their Instagram or Website.

Follow Debby and Mocha on Instagram.

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What is Pet Insurance? Why Do I Need It?

Man vet examining boston terrier with stethoscope in clinic. Veterinarian doctor making checkup of a dog. Young man vet examining dog by stethoscope at pet clinic while nurse making notes in background.

In one of our previous articles, we learnt about Jane and Milky’s experience with entropion. Entropion is a condition in which eyelids begin to roll inwards to the eyeball. It commonly affects animals who have thick eyelids, such as Chow Chows. 

At the end of her anecdote, she wonders about Aon Happy Tails Insurance. 

We sat down with Jane once more to discuss the benefits of pet insurance, and how owning one might have eased the financial burden she experienced.

Photo Credit: Instagram @oolongmilkytea

Hi Jane. We understand that it’s been some time since Milky underwent his eye surgery. Can we ask how he’s doing now?

Jane: He is doing great now! However, the vet recommended undergoing 2-3 more surgeries as his eyelid will continue to drop as he grows older. 

For now, we pay close attention to his tear stains, and/or if he starts scratching his eye excessively. It pains our heart to see him go through multiple surgeries at a young age.

I felt truly distressed reading about Milky’s experience with entropion. In your articles, you mentioned having to pay out lots of money to cover Milky’s consultations and surgeries. What was the total estimated bill incurred?

Jane: All in all, we spent close to $6,000. As it was our first time overcoming the entropion issue, we went for multiple vet consultations. We also had to cover for corrective surgery as the first one was unsuccessful. It was a very stressful period as we had to manage our emotions of watching our boy go through a difficult time. We also struggled to decide whether to go for the best treatment or the best financial decision.

Luckily, I had my husband with me hence we were able to share the burden, and alternate between roles (i.e. when he gets too emotional, I will try to be the logical one and make a decision from gathered data, and asking questions).

I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope your family feels much better now. Overall, what would you conclude was your biggest takeaway from this experience?

Jane: At the end of the article, I mentioned coming across Happy Tails pet insurance. I think having said pet insurance might have helped us A LOT. Compared to Western countries, local pet owners are unlikely to purchase insurance as they feel it might be more expensive in the long run.

Yet, I disagree! We spent a lot of money to ensure Milky’s health. If we had been insured, we might have been able to alleviate some of the costs incurred especially through insurance claims!

Photo Credit: Instagram @oolongmilkytea

I see! Do you think owning pet insurance is important?

Jane: Owning pet insurance might be beneficial in the long run. I think a large stigma against pet insurance stems from the fact that there are no agents actively selling pet insurance. As a result, pet owners are afraid claims will be difficult, and/or there will be hidden clauses. 

I would advise pet owners to make sure they read the T&Cs carefully to ensure that they fully understand the policy and what type of expenses can be claimed and what cannot be claimed. Also, check the duration given between each claim!

Thanks Jane!

Pet Insurance helps to protect the well-being of your fur friends. Like regular insurance, pet insurance covers medical fees incurred by vet visits. 

In Singapore, options for pet insurance are rather limited. However, for pet owners who are largely concerned with the cost of medical bills- Happy Tails pet insurance offers a comprehensive medical plan. Their coverage extends beyond one-off accidents, going beyond to consider outgoing costs in medical care for injuries and illnesses.

Aon Happy Tails Pet Insurance promises to cover a wide range of fees and expenses such as:

  • Diagnostic tests such as x-rays and blood tests culminating in surgery
  • Surgery fees
  • Medications
  • Chemotherapy charges
  • Room and board charges
  • Post-surgery follow-up treatments
  • Surgical implants

This helps to alleviate some of the burden pet owners might experience with veterinary medical bills. Like Jane, many pet owners may undergo repeated consultations and surgeries to ensure the well-being of their pets. With pet insurance, such expenses can be covered and subsequently claimed. That way, you can keep your pets safe while reducing the pressure unexpected surgical procedures can have on your wallet. 

Photo Credit: Instagram @aonhappytails

You can find out more about Happy Tails pet insurance via their Instagram or Website.