Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

In a recent freak accident to our 6 month old puppy I ask myself is Pet Insurance worth it?  Should I pay monthly insurance premiums or put that money into a savings account for such an emergency?  All good questions when it comes to caring for our pets.  I’ve had 3+ dogs of my own and 2 of them have needed serious emergency care.  However I still feel I would have paid more in insurance premiums than I did paying out of pocket.  Even after this latest incident my feelings are still to put the money in savings, but each person and scenario is different so I did some research on the web to find out more and get others opinions.  Here is what I found most informative:

“A recent survey by the Associated Press found that a significant number of pet owners (41 percent) are extremely or somewhat worried they could not afford the medical bills for a sick cat or dog.

Is insurance the answer? When people ask me that question my answer is always the same: It depends. Buying pet insurance is both an economic and an emotional decision that needs to be based on your personal financial situation and what you’re willing to pay for peace of mind.

“If you get the right policy, it can be an asset to the health care of that pet and have a significant impact on the bill that results from a visit in an emergency situation” says veterinarian Jean Maixner, co-owner of Animal Critical Care & Emergency Services in Seattle.

“Some people can’t afford the treatment so they ask us to euthanize their pet. It’s absolutely horrible,” Dr. Maixner says. “If people had acquired pet insurance before the emergency occurred, they might have been able to move forward with some reasonable treatment to help their pet.”

Consumer groups have a different take on pet insurance. Robert Krughoff, president of Checkbook.org, says “it doesn’t make sense” in most cases. (read more)”

Source: Con$umerMan on NBCNEWS.com