Why should I consider pet insurance?
You never know when an accident or illness may be a health issue for your pet and an unexpected expense for you. If you have purchased pet insurance, you can be comforted by the fact that finding a way to finance your pet’s urgent health care will not have to be a factor when making health care decisions for your pet. Many plans also offer full or subsidized preventive care such as annual vaccination, seasonal parasite prevention and dental care. Most plans have a minimal deductible payment for each health incident but every plan is different so read the plan coverage carefully before you commit to a monthly payment.

How can I decide which plan is best for me?
Most pet insurance companies have an easily accessible web site for you to use to explore their varied insurance policy options. Ask us for a list of the most popular pet insurance companies in Canada.

What pet insurance plan does North Bay Animal Hospital recommend?
Although every insurance company has it’s own unique policy options, most of our clients use Trupanion. Trupanion is a well-established pet insurance company with a good range of policy options for every need with competitive pricing. There are no exclusions for high-risk breeds or the age of the pet. Their claim form is easy to fill out and they reimburse their clients quickly. Please feel free to ask us for one of their brochures or check out their web site at www.trupanion.com

All pet insurance polices require that the owner pay the veterinary bill personally and then submit the claim form to the insurance company with a copy of the paid invoice for reimbursement. We can usually provide the necessary claim form at the time of the veterinary service in order to make the process as easy as possible for the client.

What are wellness plans? Does North Bay Animal Hospital offer one?
Many veterinary clinics are now offering “wellness plans” for clients that would prefer to pay a regular monthly fee for preventive care such as vaccination, nail trims, parasite prevention etc. These wellness packages do not cover diagnostic work, surgery, hospitalization or medication and are designed only for routine medical care. These plans also require significant added administration costs to the clinic. These added costs are passed on to the clients in their monthly fees.

In our experience, most clients are able to budget adequately for their regular medical care, but are often financially unprepared for the unexpected. Pet insurance companies do the best job at offering the most complete and economical plans for all pet owners in all health care situations. North Bay Animal Hospital does not offer a Wellness Plan at this time.