Pet Insurance

At Firth Veterinary Hospital, our veterinary care team strongly recommends that pet owners hold a pet insurance policy to cover everything from unexpected health emergencies to routine preventative care. Pet insurance in Canada generally covers three types of claims: (1) accidental claims; (2) illness claims; and (3) preventative claims. Our veterinarians recommend choosing pet insurance in Ontario that provides comprehensive coverage for accidental, illness, and preventative claims.

Pet Insurance in Canada: Understanding Accidental, Illness and Preventative Claims

Unexpected veterinary care can be very expensive, especially when a serious emergency or accident threatens your pet’s health. As a responsible pet owner, you will want to do everything possible to protect your pet’s wellbeing. However, no pet owner wants to be placed in the difficult position of choosing between veterinary care for their dog or cat and other household expenses. This is why pet insurance in Ontario is so important – it can often help pet owners avoid a financial crisis. Monthly premiums for pet insurance are very affordable and provide important financial protection. In fact, some policies with basic coverage start with premiums $5 to $10 each month – prices increase from there based on the level of coverage you select.

When selecting a pet insurance policy, it is important to carefully research the policy and the coverage that the policy will be providing. In general, policies should offer accident, illness and preventative claim coverage. So, what is the difference between these claims?

Accident Claims: These claims are those related to emergency care that is necessary following an unexpected accident, such as emergency surgery after a pet is hit by a car.

Illness Claims: These claims are disease or illness related, and typically for a serious health problem. Example of illness claims include a urinary tract infection, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, liver disease, eye infections, pancreatitis, and severe gastrointestinal upset. Most pet insurance in Ontario will also cover treatment and diagnostic tests associated with these illnesses. This includes blood tests, lab work, X-rays, digital radiography, ultrasound, and further diagnostic tests.

Preventative Coverage: This type of coverage is for claims related to routine preventative care, such as routine physical exams, vaccinations and vaccination boosters, heartworm testing and fecal parasite screenings. While preventative coverage is less common in basic pet insurance plans, our veterinary care team encourages pet owners to consider this coverage. Pet insurance is not just for sickly pets; with preventative coverage, pet owners are more likely to ensure their pets receive regular wellness checkups that will protect against potential accidents and illnesses. Since some breeds are predisposed to a specific illness or long-term health problem, pet health insurance is a smart investment for your pet’s health and your family’s financial security.

Once you select a policy, accidental coverage is typically effective within 12 hours. For some policies, there may be a 30-day waiting period for illness coverage to ensure no claims are made for pre-existing conditions.

Our veterinarian is happy to answer questions you may have about pet insurance in London, Ontario. Contact Firth Veterinary Hospital to learn more: call 519-681-4377.