While many people consider their pets as part of their family, it's important to remember that pets can unexpectedly fall ill or suffer an injury that requires costly medical attention. Pet insurance provides financial protection for these unforeseen events, giving pet owners peace of mind and ensuring their pets get the care they need.

As veterinary medicine becomes more technologically advanced, the cost of care increases. That's because of higher costs associated with the equipment, facilities and training required to provide these higher-quality services. Pet health insurance can help by offsetting some or most of the costs of diagnosing, treating and managing your pet's illness or injury.

The AVMA endorses the concept of pet health insurance that provides coverage to help defray the cost of veterinary medical care and encourages veterinary healthcare teams to proactively educate their clients about the existence of such resources. The AVMA recognizes that viable pet health insurance programs may be an important approach for the veterinary profession to continue to provide high quality veterinary services.

It's important to note that pet insurance can be customized to fit the needs of each individual pet. Coverage options can range from basic wellness care to comprehensive coverage for accidents, illnesses, and even hereditary conditions. Pet owners can work with their insurance provider to find a policy that fits their budget and their pet's unique needs. Here's what a pet health insurance policy should have: 

• Require a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.
• Allow policy holders to choose their own veterinarians, including specialists and emergency and critical care facilities.
• Never interfere with the veterinarian's fee structures.
• Be approved by the state insurance regulatory agency where the policy is sold.
• Be consistent with the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics and the pet health insurance industry ethical standards.
• Use licensed veterinarians to assist in claims adjudication.
• Be clear about policy limits, pricing structures, and optional coverage (eg, coverage for annual wellness visits) that might be available to policy holders.
• Be transparent about how the terms and conditions of plans will impact coverage and costs, including the financial obligations of policy holders such as co-pays, deductibles, and exclusions.
• Communicate clearly about the fee reimbursement process (i.e., how reimbursements are determined and how quickly reimbursements are provided to policy holders).