As the owner of two little Fidos, I can be the testament … owning pets ain’t cheap. I adore my four legged babies, but they cost me just as much as my two legged babies do. It’s not like I’m keeping tally or anything but… well let’s see -

• Obedience training
• Flea medicine
• Doggy bed, doggy bed, doggy bed and yeah… more doggy beds (they like to see what’s inside)
• Annual check-ups
• Grooming
• This food, oh and that food (for the days they feel like being picky)
• Cute little doggy clothes
• Toys
• Treats
• Heartworm prevention
• Big, meaty hambones
• Shampoo
• Rabies shots
• Electric collar, Pinch collar, Walking harness, Leather collar with the fancy gems
• Combs, Brushes, Dematters
• Toothpaste, Toothbrush
• And let me not forget … re-grassing the yard, replacing the sheetrock, replacing a phone jack, replacing the drapes, snaking the fur clogged drain, replacing the carpet… need I go on?

Oh, yeah multiply that times 2!

My dogs… l love ‘em. They bring my family a lot of joy… but they also bring bills.

Anywho, I was talking to an old friend the other day and she told me that she’d recently found out that her pup was diabetic. She told me that she had to take her dog to the vet often for follow ups and that the dog had to take daily medications.

A diabetic dog? Who woulda thunk it? I had never heard of such a thing. But after doing a little digging, I soon realized that our canine buddies are vulnerable to many of the same ailments that afflict us humans. That was a big shocker to me.

I wasn’t trying to be meddlesome, but I was curious about how she could afford the treatment. She said that the treatment was expensive, but not as expensive as it would have been had she not had pet insurance.

I had heard of pet insurance before, but I never really thought much about it. Now after hearing my friend’s story, I figured I’d better learn what it was all about. God forbid, if one of my babies got sick, I’d want him to get the best treatment available. So I better see what insurance options are available.

I took a look at the 3 top plans. I compared price and coverage. Here’s what I found:

VPI Pet Insurance

The best plan covered accident, illnesses, x-rays, surgeries, cancer, prescriptions, hospitalizations, vaccinations, heartworms, flea control, urinalysis, and dental for $411 a year. For this they’ll pay 90% of eligible expenses, less a $50 per incident deductible. I have to pay the cost up front, but will be reimbursed after submitting a one page claim form and receipt.

ASPCA Pet Insurance

The premier plan which covers accidents, illnesses and well care is $649.20 a year. There is a maximum incident benefit of $5,000 and a Maximum annual benefit of $13,000.

Petplan

The Gold Plan covers up to $20,000 in vet fees, $500 in boarding fees, $500 in advertising and rewards, $500 in loss due to theft or straying, $1,000 for death from illness or injury, and $1,000 for vacation cancellation. Wow, that is comprehensive! With a $50 deductible and 0% coinsurance, this plan is $537.38 per year.

Those are the specs for the crème de la crème plans. There are many more plan options available that are less pricey… some for as little as $6.99 a month.

If you are looking for security for your pet’s well-being (and your pocket), consider investing in pet insurance.