Find Out if You Need Health Insurance for Your Cat

May 10, 2011 by admin  
Filed under Pets

Jay Schindler asked:


Before cat owners purchase health insurance for their family cat there are a few questions they should ask themselves. Asking themselves these questions will give the cat owner a reasonable idea of what type of policy will best suit them.

The first thing they should consider is whether or not they would like a discount insurance plan or a comprehensive insurance plan.   

The next question cat owners need to ask themselves is how attached are they to their local veterinarian. Some veterinarians will not accept pet health insurance from various pet health insurance companies for a variety of reason. If the cat owner does not feel comfortable taking their family pet to a different veterinarian they should look for an insurance company their veterinary clinic accepts. Cat owners should also be aware that in certain instances the local veterinarian or animal hospital cannot help their pets and might refer them to the State University veterinary clinics. When purchasing a health-insurance plan for their owner should double check and make sure that any expenses charged to the university veterinary clinic will be covered by the insurance plan.

Before cat owners purchase a health-insurance plan for their family cat they should decide if they would like to neuter or spay their cat. Some pet insurance companies offer health insurance plans for pets that will cover the cost to neutering or spaying. If the policy you are thinking about purchasing does not include neutering or spaying you might want to purchase an additional rider to help with the expense. Remember that if you have adopted your cat from a local animal shelter you will be required to neuter or spay your cat if the shelter hasn’t already done that. This is also a good time to get the first round of your cat’s annual shots out of the way.      How much can you actually afford to pay in addition to the monthly or yearly cost of your pets health-insurance plan? If you have to bring your cat to the veterinarian will you be able to pay a deductible? A deductible is the amount of money you have to pay the veterinarian out of your pocket each and every time you visit them. The higher the deductible you carry the lower your monthly premiums are on your pet’s health-insurance plan.      

If your cat gets injured in a freak accident or suddenly becomes sick will you be able to pay for any medication that the veterinarian might prescribe. Prescription drugs are expensive whether they are for humans or for pets. If you are concerned about the potential cost of prescription drugs you may want to purchase a rider that will help cover the cost. Purchasing a co-pay option a prescription drugs get help lower your annual fee.      

Before purchasing a health-care plan for your cat find out if the plan just coverers your cat’s immediate health care issues or if it will also cover the cost of the veterinarian’s office visit. Cat owner should remember that the time to research the various types of pet health-care insurance is normally before they purchase their pet. Most injuries and illnesses occur during the pets early years of life.



How to Choose a Health Insurance Vendor for Your Business

May 10, 2011 by admin  
Filed under Business

Asad Haroon asked:


Many businesses provide health insurance for their employees as a benefit for working for the company. Individually purchasing health insurance is expensive, so businesses purchase group policy plans, which lowers the overall cost of the health insurance per individual. There are many types of policies that businesses can select from. For example, some health insurance policies cover preventative care, while others do not. Some policies cover dental care while others do not. Some cover prescription medications, gym membership, alternative medicine treatments, and more, while others do not. Do you need help choosing a health insurance provider? If so, click here.

Health insurance companies and plans vary significantly in what they offer and how much policies cost. So how should you select a vendor? Here are some suggestions:

Determine the type of health and other insurance you will provide. In addition to medical insurance there are also short and long-term disability, dental, vision and prescription coverage.

What are you paying for? Many employers cover a portion of the deductibles for each medical procedure. Many employers also cover a portion of the cost that the employee needs to pay for the policy each month. For example, if the out-of-pocket monthly expense for an employee is $100 for a health care plan, the employer may cover 30%.

What are the group rates? The rates for each health care plan and company will vary based on the vendor and what you actually purchase.

What are the terms of the policy? What is the annual deductible that employees must meet? Does the plan cover preventative care and immunizations? Does the plan allow employees to visit the doctor for check-ups? Will the plan cover x-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs? Does the plan cover hospital-acquired infections? These answers make a great deal of difference to your employees should they become ill.

Check the Better Business Bureau and Google for both your insurance agent and the company they want to insure you with. Make sure you are dealing with reputable firms.

When an employee has a health care policy through work, the employer needs to understand his or her limitations and responsibilities as well. For example, the employer is legally prohibited from inquiring about the employee’s medical condition – before hiring the employee, during the term of employment, and after the employee has left the business. They cannot interact with the medical providers caring for their employee at all.

Because of the variety of coverage that companies offer, the rates and your individual decisions as an employer, choosing a health care insurance provider for your employees can be time-consuming. If you want health insurance vendors to compete for your business, click here. For additional information, you can visit our health insurance wiki.