Cat health care can be very costly, especially without insurance. There are five ways to save money on pet health care and to maximize the benefits of enrolling with companies that provide health care for cats. The intelligent cat owner can use money saving techniques related to the timing of enrollment, to the type of plan itself, and to different ways of interacting with the companies themselves.
1. Enroll Early
Getting feline health insurance as soon as you adopt your pet can save you money when your cat does become ill. As soon as your cat has a pre-existing condition, her cat health care will cost more, even if she is not ill at the time of enrollment. Many insurance companies will also charge less to insure a young cat. All cats need veterinary assistance at some point in their lives, particularly as they age. Getting pet insurance when they are well will save you money when they are ill. Uninsured veterinary care costs a lot more than the monthly dues associated with cat health care insurance.
2. Do Your Research
You can get very useful information about pet health care companies that can save you money. If you closely compare companies and plans, you'll see the difference in savings from plan to plan. You can also learn a lot by talking to your vet and to other pet owners. Find out which companies they believe offer the most savings and then follow-up with your own research on those companies. The company with the best website or the one that comes up first in the search engines might not necessarily offer the best coverage at the best cost. Taking the time to look into at least 5 companies might lead to discovering a company that spends money on customer care versus a fancy website.
3. Analyze Your Normal Spending Pattern
If you learn how much you might spend on your cat's health care without insurance, you can pick the plan that makes the most sense for you and will save you the most money. If you adopt a healthy kitten, you're early expenses will be mostly for routine care such as flea and tick prevention and regular check-ups. If you adopt a cat who's breed is at risk for a certain disease, you know you might run into a lot of expenses related to that disease should the cat get ill. If your cat is older and less active, care for outdoor accidents such as being hit by a car might not be as necessary as for a younger outdoor cat. Some cat owners are more prone to focus on preventative health care than others. Create a budget of all that you think you'd spend in a month before you choose the plan.
4. Interact Assertively with the Insurance Company
Cat health care companies want to gain your business so when you first enroll, you may be able to get some special new enrollment discounts. Don't be afraid to ask about these opportunities. Once you have the insurance, read each piece of mail from them carefully. If you feel they've made an error in coverage or billing, don't hesitate to call them and point out the mistake. Often insurance companies will charge for services you did not receive or will deny services based on erroneous information about your benefits or eligibility. Learn your customer rights and politely yet assertively make sure they are honored.