You would not even consider the prospect of not having health insurance for members of your family. If you need annual checkups, regular shots for the kids, or that occasional unfortunate trip to the emergency room, you are very thankful that you have health insurance for your family members.

But considering that, is it so strange to think of getting a pet health insurance policy for Rover or Whiskers, who are for all intents and purposes, genuine members of your family as well? These days, the aspect of having a pet health insurance program for your dog or cat or whatever pet you have is not only not strange, it is something that money-conscious consumers are looking at more frequently, since this is something that is saving money for consumers who love their pets.

Think about it – your dog or cat is like a member of your family. You talk to them, they give you unquestioned love in return, but how closely do you watch their health? Do you take them to the vet for annual checkups, or is the only time they see the vet is when they need some kind of emergency health care or that worms or rabies booster shot? If you are like the vast majority of people, your answer is the latter, and you rarely if ever take your pet dog or pet cat to the vet unless there is obviously something wrong with them. And like with people, by the time a problem becomes "obvious", it is far too late to take any kind of effective preventive measures to make sure a minor problem does not escalate into a major and perhaps life-threatening problem.

Pet health insurance programs come in a variety of types and are available through separate companies and may also be offered by your regular vet. You can usually decide what kind and how much coverage to provide for your pet. At the most basic level, a policy would cover regular checkups and shots, while some of the more comprehensive insurance policies would also cover elective and non-elective surgeries, overnight stays, and sometimes may even cover extended stays at a pet boarding house.

The benefit of having a pet health insurance policy is that these are all covered, and depending on the policy you elect to get, may not even have a deductible, or the deductible amount would be very minor. Even if you get a policy with a deductible, the cost savings over paying each time for each and every procedure is dramatic, plus your pet will be healthier because you will not hesitate to take them to the vet to have something checked out if it appears something may be wrong with them. In the long run, you will have saved money and your pet will be healthier without being a major strain on your wallet.

While pet health care insurance may seem like something that only movie stars get for their Hollywood pets, pet health insurance is becoming more mainstream and is being offered for very reasonable prices. If your pet is really a part of your family as most dogs and cats and other pets are, this is something you may want to look into for the long-term enjoyment of having your pet around as part of your family.

Further Reading: Results of a May 2007 survey conducted by Petcover Insurance.