QuickCare Pet Insurance Programs

(LifeWire) -- When David Quilty of Santa Monica, California, took his cat Damon to the vet for a checkup, he didn't expect to spend $1,000 to get two of Damon's teeth pulled because of cavities.

"It was quite a shock," Quilty says. "It's the biggest expense we've ever had on him, and the cat is 13 years old."

Like Quilty, many pet owners are concerned by the rising cost of pet health care, which is partially the result of advances in veterinary medicine. Some are looking to pet health care insurance as one way to cope.

"Medical treatments and technologies being used for humans are now being used for pets. Chemotherapy, heart surgery and MRIs are becoming more common in the pet world. But advanced treatments and surgeries can cost thousands of dollars.

Some pet owners facing an animal's serious illness or injury will choose to euthanize -- put the animal down -- for financial reasons. Or they will decide on a less expensive treatment for an injured animal.

"If they have a fracture that they can't afford to get stabilized -- can't afford to go to the orthopedic surgeon to plate it -- they might choose amputation rather than fix the fracture," says Dr. Lauren Adams of Emory Animal Hospital.

Such tough decisions are more likely in rural areas, Adams says, noting her clients in Decatur, Georgia, usually are able to pay for any specialized treatments that their pets may need.

Statistics show that people are willing to foot the growing medical bills for their beloved pets. U.S. pet owners spent $10.5 billion on vet care in 2005, compared to $7.2 billion in 2000, according to the Pet Industry Strategic Outlook report from Dillon Media LLC, a marketing and research firm.

Statistics vary on the percentage of pet owners in the U.S. who insure their pets. A 2004 survey by the American Animal Hospital Association estimated that three percent of pet owners carried insurance. That's far lower than in Sweden, where nearly 50 percent of pet owners insure their animals, according to market research publisher Packaged Facts.

Pet health insurance may be worth considering as a way to prepare for unexpected medical expenses. What's not always clear is whether it is cost-effective. Regardless, some pet care practitioners say such insurance may simply give owners peace of mind or help them make decisions about their pet's future that are not influenced by financial considerations.

When pet insurance makes sense

After Quilty felt the pinch of Damon's vet bill, he started looking into pet insurance. But he decided not to insure Damon when Quilty learned that most policies only offer full coverage to cats less than 9 years old. An older feline like Damon would qualify only for accident coverage, and dental coverage is not included.

On the other hand, Kerrie Sanders is sure that purchasing QuickCare insurance was the right decision. Soon after she signed up to cover Chelsea, her 5 year old German Sheppard, the policy paid off.

"I decided to sign up for pet insurance with QuickCare after a friend told me about it, and I realized it wasn't a bad price, and that I could afford it! Only a few days after I signed up for QuickCare coverage, my dog was hit by a car. Chelsea dislocated her hip and had a broken pelvis. I was pleased to see that Quickcare paid the claim for $1495.36, even though I had only been signed up for a couple of days. She is doing really well now, and just today started running again. I have been telling all my friends about QuickCare pet insurance!"

Choosing a pet insurance policy

When shopping around for a policy, find out exactly what the policy covers and what the exclusions are.

Most policies exclude pre-existing conditions and many exclude hereditary conditions, which purebred cats and dogs are more likely to have, or limit coverage for older animals.

Here are some additional questions to ask the insurance company:

QuickCare Pet Insurance Programs