Will pet insurance really save me money? We answer this question and dig deeper into the benefits of pet insurance

As a pet owner, pet insurance might be a questionable purchase. And I get it. Your pet might seem healthy and bounding through life right now, so what’s the need, right?

Is pet insurance really worth it?

Well, if you are questioning whether or not pet insurance is really worth it, then I suggest you read this article on the topic. Even if your pet is still young and healthy right now, you never know when unexpected medical costs may arise.

What it comes down to is that medical care for your pets is expensive, and pet insurance helps cover the costs. It’s that simple. A simple check-up can set you back upwards of R400, and this is not including the costs of medication and surgery (if needed).

Don’t forget about the unexpected expenses

If you are thinking, “I hardly ever go to the vet and I just don’t think pet insurance is worth the monthly premium.” But, what you might not be taking into consideration is the unexpected costs of healthcare when something does go wrong.

And not only that but perhaps you put off the occasional routine care visit (like dental cleanings) due to the cost factor of the vet visit.

Let’s dig into all of this…

Veterinary care is expensive

There’s no way around it.

And, as pet lifespans have increased due to advanced in medical care, so have the cost of groundbreaking new medical procedures.

If your cat or dog is injured (e.g. falls from a height, is involved in a fight or hit by a car), or develops a severe and long-term condition, then this can put some serious strain on your budget.

The cost of pet healthcare

As mentioned, the cost of a check-up is around R400.

Then there are vaccinations, dental cleanings, sterilisation, and tick and flea prevention. The costs of owning a pet soon start to add up.

And let’s not forget the unexpected costs of medical care.

If your pet gets sick, then the average cost of hospitalisation and medical care is between R2000 to R5000 for uncomplicated procedures.

An article in the Business Report mentioned the importance of routine care such as tick control.

Have a look at the below…

What happens if you don’t control ticks? This could be quite scary: an “uncomplicated” case of tick bite fever (biliary) can cost anything from R500 to R1 000 to treat, whereas a complicated case resulting in hospitalisation could set you back anything from R2 000 to R10 000, depending on what treatment is required, De Wet says.

It should start to become rather clear just how expensive it is to own a pet and how much medical care can cost.

Pet insurance covers routine care

We already know how the costs of routine care can quickly start to add up.

Of course, whether or not pet insurance covers the costs of routine care will depend on the plan you have chosen.

Oneplan, for example, has two comprehensive pet plans that include amazing routine care cover.

What is routine care?

Routine care includes:

●     Sterilisation

●     Consultations for and/or vaccinations, deworming, flea control

●      Anal gland expression

●     Teeth scaling and polishing

How is routine care different to vet visits?

Vet visits include consultations, radiology (x-rays), pathology (blood tests) and minor dental procedures. Vet visits and routine care are classified as two different benefits.

So, with Oneplan, the Pet Classic and Pet Super Plans include routine care and vet visit cover.

Routine care also helps detect any serious underlying issues that could amount to large medical bills in the future if not detected and treated now.

What it comes down to (the cost factor)

Although routine care and vet visits might not seem like that much money right now, these costs will start to add up.

From only R278 a month, you can have cover for day-to-day medical care costs and emergency care.

Take a look at some of the costs of routine care:

1. Dogs and Cats require annual vaccinations costing R500 for dogs and R 600 for cats.
2. Deworming every 3 months costing R25 -R50 per treatment = R200 per year
3. Tick and flea treatment costing up to R2000 per year
4. Annual check-up = R400

Pet insurance covers unexpected medical costs

This is possibly the biggest reason for the creation of pet insurance.

Let’s take a look at some of the costs of emergency pet care:

A complicated procedure can cost between R2000 to R40 000.

As mentioned, the average cost of hospitalisation is between R2000 to R5000.

Breeds like pugs and other short-nosed dogs often require surgery to help them breathe better, this can cost between R10 000 and R15 000.

Accident and illness cover - the costs

Oneplan includes a range of plans, all of which include cover for Accidents.

Their most basic plan covers R8000 a year for accidents and only costs R55 a month. So, if something goes wrong with your pet, your annual premium fee of R660 (more or less) easily outweighs the cost of an expensive procedure.

Pet insurance gives you peace of mind

Not only are you covered for expected and unexpected medical costs, but pet insurance also gives you the peace of mind you need in not having to make hard decisions such as euthanasia when faced with large medical bills.

This means you can always put your pet’s health first in knowing your bills are substantially less.

What it all comes down to

Pet insurance saves you money, can save your budget and puts the health of your pet first.

It’s well worth your monthly premium, no matter which way you look at it.

Until next time,

The Pet Insurance Team