| A decrease in students applying to and getting | | | | family pet is stolen, lost, or dies. Pet owners |
| accepted into veterinary colleges, expensive | | | | purchased pet health insurance coverage for a few |
| state-of-the-art equipment, liability insurance, | | | | various reasons. The main reason people purchase |
| expensive prescription drugs, and the cost of | | | | pet health insurance coverage is to pay for |
| maintaining a veterinary clinic/office has inflated pet | | | | unanticipated and extremely expensive veterinary |
| owners veterinary bills to never before imagined | | | | bills. In many cases the purchase of pet health |
| prices. When the beloved family pet suddenly falls ill | | | | insurance coverage can be the difference between a |
| or is injured in a freak accident many pet owners find | | | | recovery and economic euthanasia for many family |
| themselves forced to put the family pet to sleep in a | | | | pets. |
| decision called economic euthanasia. Many family pets | | | | Pet health insurance coverage is not a brand new |
| could have been saved from economic euthanasia if | | | | concept. Horse owners have been ensuring their |
| their owners had only thought to purchase pet health | | | | valuable show and pleasure mounts against major |
| insurance coverage. | | | | medical bills and the fatality/mortality for years. In |
| The cost of veterinary expenses for the average | | | | Europe cut health-care coverage has been available |
| dog owner is approximately two hundred and eleven | | | | since the 1940s and approximately 25% of all British |
| dollars per year. The average dog owner will visit the | | | | pet owners care in some type of pet health |
| local veterinary office about 2.8 times a year. The | | | | insurance coverage. It is estimated that nearly 50% |
| typical reasons for dog owners to take the family | | | | called loved household family pets have some type |
| dog to the local veterinarian is her basic routine health | | | | of pet health insurance coverage. All developed |
| care such as physicals, vaccines, dental work, | | | | countries offer some type of pet health insurance |
| neutering or spaying, nail trimming, and heartworm | | | | coverage. |
| testing. | | | | Many dog owners in the United Kingdom also carry a |
| The typical cat owner will visit the veterinary and 2.3 | | | | type of insurance called Third Party Liability insurance. |
| times per year to take care of declawing, physicals, | | | | This insurance became popular after the 1971 animals |
| vaccines, dental work, neutering or spaying, and ear | | | | act came into being; this act states that if a dog is |
| mites. D. average yearly cost for these 2.3 visits to | | | | directly responsible for an accident, like a car crash, |
| the local veterinarian each year it is approximately | | | | the dog's owner will be held accountable. |
| one hundred and seventy-nine dollars. These statistics | | | | Pet health insurance coverage does not typically |
| are based on a 2005 survey done by the American | | | | cover potential hereditary conditions, pre-existing |
| Pet Product Manufacturers Association. Pet | | | | conditions, and normally include a cap on surgeries |
| health insurance coverage and is insurance coverage | | | | and other miscellaneous medical expenses. Some pet |
| that helps pay veterinary costs if your family pet | | | | insurance companies will also cover the cost boarding |
| becomes ill or is injured. Depending upon the policy | | | | your pet at a local kennel or veterinary hospital. |
| you purchase your family may be reimbursed if your | | | | |