How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Virginia Cost? 2024 Update

Finding pet insurance can be complicated. It requires hundreds of hours of research, quotes, and checking emails. When you shop for pet insurance, you want a customizable policy with comprehensive accident and illness coverage. Of course, the policy must fit your budget. No one wants to be trapped in a policy paying for coverage you didn’t request.

But how much is all of this going to cost anyway? For all you Virginians, we’re here to answer that question. Let’s get started!

The Importance of Pet Insurance

The sad truth is that thousands of pets suffer because pet parents can’t afford the astronomical vet bills. Once a medical emergency strikes, owners are forced to make difficult decisions about their pets’ lives, all because of an empty wallet.

Here’s the good news: pet insurance can help fill that void by turning an emergency into an inconvenience. Like human medical insurance, pet insurance typically covers the following:

Needless to say, these come with a hefty price tag. Pet insurance can help remove a few zeros off the bill, allowing you to breathe and make better decisions.

However, pet insurance doesn’t cover the cost immediately like human medical insurance. You have to pay the total cost upfront, and the insurance company will reimburse you later. With this in mind, it’s still a good idea to have some savings in the bank for a rainy day. Still, pet insurance can keep more money in your savings account.

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Top Rated Pet Insurance Companies

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How Much Does Pet Insurance in Virginia Cost?

Pet insurance costs vary greatly based on your location and pet’s age, species, and breed. It also depends on how much annual coverage you choose and your yearly deductibles.

Let’s say you have a $30/month policy with a $500 deductible and a $10,000 annual limit. Sounds reasonable, right? But what if you want a cheaper yearly deductible? If you change the deductible to a smaller amount, like $250, your monthly payment may increase to $35 or $40.

It’s the same with annual limits as well. Instead of a $10,000 cap on coverage, you decide you want unlimited annual coverage. Your monthly payments will increase even higher as a result.

Source: moneygeek.com

Dog insurance costs more for accident and illness coverage than cats. Older and larger animals also have higher prices since they are more likely to have medical issues.

Many pet insurance companies offer customizable plans so you can tinker with the price until it suits your budget. Your policy coverage won’t change unless you include riders.

Insurance Riders: Additional Costs to Anticipate

An insurance rider is additional coverage you can include in your basic plan. You have to pay a few dollars more per month for this coverage. Every insurance company offers different riders, but a few of the most common include the following:

Some pet insurance companies offer these services in their basic plans, and others require an additional monthly fee. You have to decide what’s important to you and your pet and what you’re willing to ignore.

Does Pet Insurance in Virginia Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

Pre-existing conditions are ailments your pet has before starting a pet insurance policy.

Unfortunately, pet insurance companies don’t cover pre-existing conditions because the costs are too high. It protects insurance companies from people signing up for pet insurance, getting an expensive bill covered, then canceling their plans.

Hereditary and Congenital vs Pre-existing

Congenital conditions are abnormalities present at birth, such as an enlarged organ, a missing limb, or blindness. Hereditary conditions are medical issues passed down to your pet from its parents. For example, hip dysplasia, cherry eye, or intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).

Hereditary and congenital conditions are technically pre-existing, but they often don’t show symptoms until your pet is older.

Your pet has to be diagnosed after enrolling in pet insurance for hereditary and congenital conditions to be covered. If you wait to sign up for pet insurance after your pet’s diagnosis, pet insurance considers it a pre-existing condition and won’t cover the related costs.

How Much Should I Pay for Pet Insurance?

The overall cost of pet insurance shouldn’t outweigh the cost of veterinary care. You should only pay for the services you need or may need.

If you don’t want to pay the full price for comprehensive coverage, which includes accident and illness, you can opt for an accident-only plan. It’s cheaper and will cover the costs of injuries, like broken limbs and lacerations, but your pet won’t receive coverage if it falls ill and needs hospitalization.

Keep an eye on customizable plans. These policies tend to have less coverage in their basic plans and allow you to cherry-pick everything else. But that can get pricey since the extra coverage is often considered riders. Policies with more comprehensive coverage in their basic plans can be cheaper in the long run, but every company and household is different.

Here’s the best way to keep money in your wallet with pet insurance: know the difference between necessities and things that are just nice to have. After getting a few quotes, you can decide what’s worth the cost.

What to Do for Your Pet in Between Vet Check-Ups

We can’t always expect the unexpected, but we can minimize the damage. Routine vet check-ups, preventative medicines, and vaccines will catch issues before they become severe or prevent them entirely.

Take your pet at least once yearly for a nose-to-tail examination and try to include blood work if you can. That way, you know your pet is healthy, inside and out.

Conclusion

Understanding insurance is exhausting. Every company is different, and we want to choose a policy that helps our pets and finances during difficult times.

The important thing is to take your time choosing a company. Don’t go with the first company you think works. Make a list of what your pet needs, and consider what is nice to have, just for when life gets rocky. This will help you select the best policy, so you don’t spend more money than needed.

See also:

• How Many Whiskers Does a Cat Have?
• How Many Cats Can You Own in New Jersey?

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