Needed in an Emergency: One Pet Insurance Policy

The number of insurance claims for veterinary emergencies has skyrocketed over the past few months at the Southern Animal Emergency Centre. Given that treatment at referral centres can now be in the magnitude of thousands of dollars per visit, the question ‘Are you insured?’ should be on everyone’s lips.

Pet insurance has long been argued to be a necessary cornerstone in the rapidly progressing market of veterinary medicine. Amounts for treatment are skyrocketing as major new services become available across Melbourne every few months. A quiet revolution is moving through the veterinary industry.

In line with this, astute owners are keeping pace with increased diagnostic and treatment opportunities by meeting their costs through insurance rather than out of their own pocket.

Nowhere is this more evident that in the emergency room at the Southern Animal Emergency Centre. Stabilisation, diagnostic and treatment regimes are becoming more and more comprehensive and owners are now faced with the prospect of four figure bills rather than three figure bills for emergency services. This leads on to referral services, whose costs for treatment are also climbing rapidly as the level of service increases.

Insurance policies will cover non-existing accident and illness conditions for amounts up to $15 000 per annum. An indicative cost for a policy is around $300-$400 per annum for dogs and less for cats. Excesses and percentage rebates vary from policy to policy, but for a legitimate claim, the refund available is often the difference between comprehensive care and the balancing act between client finances and patient care which is seen more and more in the veterinary industry. The statement 'its ok, I'm insured' is now being heard more and more at the admission desk for after-hours emergencies.

The Southern Animal Emergency Centre strongly recommends pet insurance for all pets. Are you insured?

Pet Plan
Pet Secure
Vet's Own Pet Health Insurance
AFS-PetMed
Pet Cover

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