Before purchasing pet insurance for their pets, there are many factors pet owners should consider. Failure to do proper research and fully understand what they are buying is the number one reason pet owners have denied claims and/or end up disappointed with pet insurance. Reading and understanding the policy you are about to purchase is an absolute must in order to make a smart purchase.

The first thing to do when beginning your research is to visit each company’s website and get a quote for your pet(s). The way to do this is usually prominently displayed on the home page of the website. You must do this first to avoid having to read a lot of information about policies for which your pet may not even be eligible for coverage. For example, the company may not offer policies in the state in which you live. They may not offer policies for pets over or under a certain age. Typically, you’ll be asked to answer a few questions about your pet’s previous medical history, and if your pet has a chronic illness, the company may offer you an accident-only policy. When answering questions about your pet’s health, be honest. Any attempt to deceive the insurance company is fraud and may result in a claim being denied and/or the company canceling the policy.

Please listen to the following advice because I consider it the one something that every pet owner should to do before buying pet insurance. Once you have determined which policies your pet is eligible for, print a copy of a sample policy and read that. I have seen or heard of too many pet owners who just read the policy after have a claim denied or receive a much lower refund than they expected. Most of the time, the reason was there, in black and white, in the politics they never bothered to read. As you read the policy, highlight any item you have a question about and call or email the company for an explanation. Don’t be afraid to keep asking questions until you are sure you understand the answers given. Do this for each and every company you investigate.

Sometimes the reasons for pet owners’ frustrations and regrets when shopping for pet insurance is because the insurance company didn’t provide the customer service they should have. But, a lot of times it’s because the pet owner had unrealistic expectations because they didn’t really read and understand the policy they purchased.

You may be saying, “Wow, doc, that sounds like a lot of trouble to go shopping for pet insurance.” Consider this scenario. Let’s say 2 years after buying a policy, you get frustrated and decide to cancel your policy (with Company A) and go with a different company (Company B). During the 2 years that he was in Company A, he filed various claims. When you sign up with Company B, there is a chance that those problems will be excluded from coverage as pre-existing conditions. That’s why it’s better to do everything possible and do it right the first time.