Pet Insurance in New Jersey
What Type of New Jersey Pet Insurance Do I Need?
The type of pet insurance plan you purchase depends largely on your pet. Factors to consider include your pet’s existing health, breed, age, lifestyle, and location. For example, a super active dog that spends a lot of time outdoors in New Jersey may need more accident coverage than an older cat that enjoys naps and inside time. Certain animals are prone to specific ailments more than average so one approach is to do a little research and gain an understanding of the most common illnesses that your pet is prone to as you will want to make sure those are covered. Keep in mind, it's essential to read any policy's fine print and exclusions to determine whether the plan is a good fit and provides coverage where you want it.
How Does New Jersey Pet Health Insurance Work?
Like health insurance for yourself, pet insurance is a type of contract between you and an insurance company. You pay a monthly or annual premium in exchange for coverage of certain medical costs. Premiums can range in price depending on the type of coverage you choose, the age and breed of your pet, and where you reside, whether it’s in New Jersey or elsewhere. You'll want to consider all the details to get the best pet insurance cost estimate. Also, reimbursements come after you pay for medical care. While your insurance will pay the reimbursement rate according to the plan for most of the cost of your pet’s care (as long as the service is covered, of course), they don’t reimburse you until later on, when you file a claim. This means that at the time the service is provided, you have to pay the full cost upfront. It’s important to know this before getting that expensive surgery for your dog because you don’t want to break the bank if money is tight at the time. It’s wise to look into your policy’s specific stipulations on processing times before signing, as some companies can take longer than others. Remember that most insurance companies will have a deductible and reimbursement limit, so it's essential to read your policy thoroughly before signing up.
Benefits Offered in major plan types
A comprehensive plan, also referred to as accident and illness, offers the most coverage and generally covers health conditions, illnesses, accidents, emergency care, diagnostics, behavioral, and potentially alternative treatments. Accident-only plans cover treatment, medication, and surgery related to injuries caused by accidents. Some examples are broken bones, injuries such as being hit by a vehicle, or unfortunate accidental poisoning. Finally, Wellness plans cover elements of routine health visits and care. They're typically reimbursements for care such as vaccines, flea/tick medications, parasite control, and dental cleanings. You can most often purchase wellness plans as add-ons to a base plan for plans that cover pets in New Jersey.
Get Your Money's Worth: Understanding New Jersey Pet Insurance Reimbursement Levels
How much money you will get reimbursed for a given vet bill is driven by the reimbursement rate which is the percentage the insurance company will cover. This rate depends on the policy, and it impacts the premium as the higher the rate, the greater the risk the insurer is subject to, and they charge more for this. This is true if you live in New Jersey or elsewhere. That said, it is most common to see reimbursement ranges in the 70% - 90% range. The reimbursement rate will kick in once you have satisfied your deductible whether that is a per-incident or annual deductible. After that, you split the charges with your insurance company with the percentages pre-determined. For instance, if you have a policy with 80% reimbursement and the pet surgery or treatment costs $1000, assuming you have met the deductible the insurance provider will reimburse you $800 or 80% of the charges for the approved vet bill.
Factors that Impact New Jersey Pet Insurance Cost
Pet insurers review a handful of core variables in determining the prices they charge. One of the factors that determine the monthly premium is the breed of the dog or cat. Certain breeds are more predisposed to illness requiring treatment than others and this is in part due to their genetic makeup. Age is another factor that influences cost with older pets costing more to insure as they tend to generate more medical costs than younger pets. Unfortunately, if your older dog has a medical issue and you don’t have insurance, you are out of luck. The best bets are to start insurance at a younger age so you will have it when you need it and not be subject to exclusion based on a preexisting condition. Location also factors into the cost of pet insurance as treatment costs differ as do most things depending on where you live, so the cost to insure the same animal in New Jersey could be more or less than another area of the country.