Pet Insurance: VPI For That Four Legged VIP

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

28 Feb 2006 02:22 AM

Are we going too far with pampering our pets or are we not going far enough? Just like for people, medical costs can be staggering. With pet insurance, one advantage pets have over their owners (besides not having to pay for it) is the fact that any licensed vet anywhere can perform routine or emergency services whenever they are needed (I wish I had that. I was forced to give up my doctor because my coverage didn't include him in my list of providers. Would that I were my cat!)

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) is the nation's oldest and largest company of its kind. It has been around since 1982, but the concept is only starting to catch on now, gradually but surely. More and more, owners are realizing the impact of unexpected veterinary costs, which far outweigh coverage. The Superior Plan starts as low as $17.00 per month for puppies and $12 for kittens. Enrolling your pet early, as soon as you bring it home in fact, can result in extra savings because the rates tend to be lower for a younger animal. The chances of having medical exclusions for a puppy or kitten are greatly reduced as well.

VPI also offers coverage to birds and other exotic pets. The Avian and Exotic Animal Plan embraces everything from birds to rabbits, hedgehogs, goats, peacocks, potbelly pigs and iguanas. (This is only a partial list.) Coverage includes major medical treatments and surgeries for accidents and illnesses, lab fees, prescriptions, x-rays and hospitalization. It allows a maximum payment of $2,000 per incident or illness and a ceiling payout of $7,000 for each policy term. Supplemental Care riders are also available and for $99 per year, pet owners can receive up to $181 worth of routine services. (This policy is hardly for the birds, as the saying goes!)

There are, my friends, many option to choose from to fit every life style and pocket book. It all boils down to a change of perspective. The next time you think about buying an expensive toy or novelty gift for that special pet of yours, try to envision the larger picture. What is the best gift I can give my pet that will give me peace of mind? There are only a few answers to that question, and I'll give you three guesses which one I would choose!

For more information about medical coverage for your pet, visit the VPI website at: http://www.petinsurance.com

Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

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Heather Long (16954) 28 Feb 2006 01:34 PM

Pet insurance is a great thing. I can tell you that when you have multiple animals, the overhead for carrying the insurance is too high. But those pet insurance plans are working on multiple animal families. We have all of our dogs on insurance and we're carrying a cost of about $80 or thereabouts a month. That works out to being near a $1000 a year, but we're saving over $500 a year in flat regular medical fees every year and that doesn't count emergencies and special situations. Not to mention that it lowers dramatically the spiked costs to the budget.

Marjorie Dorfman (2577) 20 Mar 2006 09:29 AM

Wow, that does add up to considerable savings! Thanks for sharing and sorry about the delay in answering your informative post. Better late than never...I think.