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Bivvy
|December 18, 2018
Over half of Americans own one or more pets. When it comes to dogs and cats alone, 36.5% percent of Americans owned dogs in 2012 and 30.4% owned cats — and for good reason.
Beyond being adorable, pets bring indisputable health benefits to their owners, including stress reduction and heart disease prevention.
Those benefits don’t come cheap however, and not just because owners pay for fancy snacks, chew toys and doggy daycare. While some species and breeds are more expensive than others, all pets take a financial toll. The annual cost of owning a dog averages $1,843, including health care for pets like heartworm, flea, and tick medication, wellness visits, surgical vet visits, and those all-expensive emergency vet visits. (One expert estimates pet owners are likely to incur at least one $2000 to $4000 bill for emergency care in their pet’s lifetime.)
Studies show those pet health costs are steadily rising. In 2011, a report by the American Pet Products Association calculated that the rise of veterinary costs (routine and surgical visits) in the last decade had risen 47% for dogs and 73% for cats.The fact is advanced medical care means advanced medical costs.That’s in part because an increase in veterinary education (and corresponding tuition). In addition, the greater availability of technology like MRIs, CAT Scans, and cancer treatments (and the specialists and staff that accompany it) that was once available only to humans is now an option for our pets.
As a consequence, many pets are getting less or even no-care. While we want our pets - like all of our loved ones - to live longer than ever, many pet owners are increasingly avoiding vet care, including exams and vaccinations, laboratory tests, medications and flea and tick products necessary for optimal pet health. While most think routine checkups are important, according to one report, 20% to 30% of cat and dog owners said they just couldn’t afford it.
If you are struggling to pay for your pet’s care - or just dreading the moment you are faced with a potentially prohibitive bill - affordable pet insurance might be an answer. The question now is, what's the best pet insurance for you? With Bivvy's low cost pet health insurance, it's an easy decision to make.
While pet insurance was once considered a luxury only for the very rich, today the pet insurance cost toward a pet health insurance policy is an option for all pet owners. And it’s catching on. In April 2018, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) reported that more than 2 million pets in the U.S. and Canada (out of nearly180 million) are now insured.
Avoid having to choose between your wallet and your pet. More than 60% of pet owners surveyed by the AVMA said they considered their pets to be members of the family as opposed to say, merely pets, companions, or property. For most, the thought of losing their family member to “economic euthanasia” is unbearable.
Skip a last-minute high-interest payment plan. After an investigation into predatory lending practices, reports the Washington Post, the New York state attorney general learned that the majority of those who signed up for a major high-interest credit card offered by dentists, veterinarians, and others did so while in the provider’s office - in other words, while in distress. Now with an insurance plan you can count on, you’ll never feel pressure in the moment to make a financial decision you’ll regret.
It’s simple. We ask you to simply submit the receipt from your vet, and within a few weeks, you receive a check for part or all of the cost of the visit. It’s that easy!
Get ahead of your pet’s medical needs. Accidents and illnesses can happen to any pet, and sometimes when it’s least expected. If you sign up before your pet is diagnosed with a medical condition or has an unfortunate accident, you can avoid being stuck with a massive bill and no support.
Keep your emergency fund intact. One way of thinking of pet insurance is as a savings plan for the day you’re faced with a nearly unavoidable financial decision. Even if you have an emergency fund, you will spend the next several months (or more) building it back up. With insurance, you pay month-to-month premiums instead of shelling out thousands of dollars in the midst of a crisis.
Have peace-of-mind. If there is anything better than a furry friend whose snuggles lower your blood pressure at the end of each day, it just may be eliminating the fear that an impending medical bill will send your heart rate through the roof.
If you know you can afford a pet, but want to protect your finances in the case of an unexpected accident or illness, Bivvy pet insurance is for you! Sign up your furry friend for our low-cost dog health insurance or cat insurance here. Need to read a bit more about us first? Check out Bivvy reviews.