How Much is Pet Insurance in Tennessee? (2024 Cost Update)
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Over the past few years, pet insurance has become more and more popular—and for a good reason. Vet bills can be extremely expensive, and budgeting for emergency vet costs is impossible. Pet insurance helps you budget for these costs a bit easier.
However, you do have to pay for pet insurance, and it often isn’t cheap. This insurance does differ depending on your area, in any case. Companies often consider how much vets cost in your area when determining your rate.
Luckily, this makes Tennessee a cheaper place to find pet insurance. However, you will still pay more in urban areas, where vet costs are usually higher. Let’s look at exactly how much you can expect to pay for pet insurance in Tennessee.
The Importance of Pet Insurance
The last thing you want to do in today’s economy is pay for something extra. However, pet insurance shouldn’t just be seen as something else you must pay for. Instead, it is easy to spread out emergency vet bills in a budget-able way. It is much easier for most people to budget a set monthly expense than an unknown cost sometime in the future—a cost that can easily be thousands of dollars.
Pet insurance is a way to ensure that very expensive vet bills can be paid. That way, you can focus on taking care of your feline instead of how much the treatment will cost.
Without pet insurance, you may find paying for the treatment your pet needs difficult and no owner wants to get stuck in that position. Vet bills can easily cost thousands of dollars and pet insurance gives you a ledge to fall back on if your pet has an accident.
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How Much Does Pet Insurance in Tennessee Cost?
Pet insurance is much more expensive for dogs than it is for cats. You can expect to pay between $20 to $48 per month for a dog in Tennessee. Cats are much cheaper at between $12 and $20. Many factors affect how much you’ll pay. However, one of the biggest factors is your zip code, which companies use to determine vet costs in your area.
If the vet costs more in your area, you can expect to pay much more.
Certain breeds often cost more to insure, as they may be more prone (or less prone) to health issues. Younger pets often cost less than older pets. Some companies may raise your rates if your dog or cat has previously been diagnosed with certain health conditions (even if they don’t cover pre-existing conditions).
The company and specifics of the plan also matter. Some companies are cheaper than others, though their coverage may be less comprehensive. Which deductible and reimbursement rate you choose will greatly affect your monthly premium.
For these reasons, figuring out exactly how much you’ll pay is impossible unless you get a quote directly from a company.
Additional Costs to Anticipate
While the monthly premium is often the major cost people consider when choosing pet insurance, there are other expenses you should pay attention to. Your deductible, reimbursement rate, and limits can all affect how much you pay in the long run. Therefore, you should pay attention to them as much as your monthly premium.
Here is a quick run-down of what each of these costs is:
- Deductible: Before the insurance company begins paying anything, you’ll need to meet your deductible. Therefore, you should be prepared to pay your deductible at any time. Most companies have a yearly deductible so you’ll only need to pay it off once a year. However, others have a per-incident deductible, which you’d need to hit every time you visit the vet.
- Reimbursement rate: Once you hit your deductible, the company will start paying for covered procedures. However, most insurance companies only pay a portion of the vet costs, which usually range from 70% to 90%. Some companies do offer a 100% reimbursement. However, premiums for this sort of plan are often very high.
- Limits: Some companies have limits on how much they will pay. These limits vary a lot, and not all companies have them. Sometimes, these limits are yearly. In other words, the company will only pay so much a year. However, other limits are per condition or even lifetime. You’ll have to fund the rest of the bills if you go over these limits.
When Should I Get Pet Insurance?
We recommend getting pet insurance as early as possible. Most companies will not cover preexisting conditions so if your pet has already been diagnosed with a problem, you’ll have to pay all vet costs associated with that problem. For this reason, it is best to get your pet insured before they’re diagnosed with anything. In this way, you can help ensure that the company pays for as much as possible.
Therefore, it’s time to consider pet insurance as soon as you get your pet. Luckily, you often have plenty of time to research and get multiple quotes. However, you should plan on getting pet insurance as soon as possible. You never know when your pet is going to have an accident.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
What different companies cover varies. Many companies have a base plan with several optional add-ons. These add-ons often cover “extra” procedures and costs, such as vet exams. However, other companies have an extremely comprehensive plan without any add-ons. While these companies often appear more expensive up front, their coverage is much more comprehensive.
With that said, pet insurance often covers anything associated with a sudden illness or accident. This includes surgeries, diagnostics, medication, emergency care, and other procedures associated with that emergency injury or illness. Whether or not the company pays for the vet exam for that illness or injury varies.
Furthermore, not every expense in each of these categories may be covered. A company may not cover every diagnostic test out there, for instance.
Be sure to check what your particular insurance plan covers before purchasing it. When in doubt, ask. You don’t want to purchase a plan and later find out that it covers much less than you thought.
How to Lower Pet Insurance Costs
Some steps may lower your pet insurance costs. Firstly, you can adjust the details of the policy. Lowering the reimbursement rate and increasing the deductible can lower your premium. However, this will mean higher costs at the vet’s office, as the plan will cover less. Therefore, consider if you could reasonably pay these decreased costs before continuing (if not, then the plan won’t be very helpful).
Take advantage of any discounts the company offers. For instance, if you have multiple pets, look for a company that offers a multi-pet discount.
You can also look for plans that cover less, often making them cheaper. Of course, you’ll need to ensure that the plan covers enough to be useful. After all, you’ll never know what your dog or cat will need.
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Conclusion
Pet insurance can save you thousands of dollars in emergency vet costs. These vet costs are notoriously hard to budget for, as you never know how much they’ll be or when they’ll occur. Pet insurance allows you to get around this by paying a monthly premium. The company pays some of your pet’s vet bills for emergency problems in exchange for this monthly premium.
Luckily, Tennessee is a cheaper area to purchase pet insurance. Vet costs in this state seem to be lower, which helps keep pet insurance cheaper. Often, pet insurance companies base their rates partially on how much they expect to pay when your pet gets sick. When you live in a cheaper area, this often leads to cheaper vet bills, too.
However, there are still many factors to consider. Your pet’s breed, age, and health will affect the plan’s cost. Plus, the exact company you choose and your plan from them will also affect the cost.
- See also: How Much Is Pet Insurance in Kentucky?
Featured Image Credit: v-svirido, Shutterstock
