Insurance talk for every life stage

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In today’s economy, the pet insurance conversation has become more important than ever before. Clients with pet insurance are more likely to say “yes” to care without the stress and anxiety that comes with vet bills. This means pets get the care they need, leading to happy, positive experiences for more pet owners and veterinary teams.

Personalizing the pet insurance conversation for each stage of the pet’s life can resonate more deeply with the client and drive them toward action—and it does not have to be complicated.

Here, you will find use cases to illustrate how pet insurance can benefit puppies, adults, and seniors alike. You will also see several tips on how to frame the conversation for each life stage, so your clients are more likely to enroll in an insurance plan and say “yes” to the care their pet needs.

1) Start early

As a veterinarian, I always recommend discussing pet insurance with new puppy owners (or new kitten owners) during their first visit. Most owners purchase pet insurance within six months of adopting, and for a good reason: pet insurance generally does not cover pre-existing conditions. This means, the sooner a healthy pet’s coverage can kick in, the better.

Puppy appointments present the ideal opportunity to educate pet owners about their breed’s health risks and the importance of enrolling in pet insurance before any health issues arise.

Use these data points in your conversations with puppy/kitten owners, so they have a better understanding of the risks and potential costs associated with pet ownership:

  • One in three pets will need emergency treatment each year
  • Diagnostics often cost hundreds of dollars
  • Hospitalizations can easily cost more than $1,0001
  • The highest claim payout for a dog in 2020 was $71,603 for a large mixed-breed dog with cancer, while the highest payout for a cat in 2020 was $24,545 for a domestic shorthair cat with pneumonia2

    Explaining breed-specific risks and their projected costs will get clients to proactively think about how to pay for potential veterinary bills early on and encourage them to consider pet insurance as one of many solutions to help offset the financial burden that often comes with raising a pup or kitten.

    2) Increasing risks

    During adolescence, dogs tend to be exposed to new activities. This phase often involves more active play, which can increase the risk of accidental injuries. For example, cruciate ligament tears can cost upwards of $5,000 to repair one joint—and, often, a related bilateral injury can occur within the next six months.

    By emphasizing the financial assistance insurance provides, you can help clients navigate the unpredictable adolescent years with peace of mind. Underscore the benefits of pet insurance in terms of emergency veterinary care, X-rays, and surgical procedures.

    Some conversation points include:

  • 20 percent of all dogs are affected by osteoarthritis3
  • Urinary tract obstructions are a prevalent health issue among cats
  • At least two out of three dog breeds have one or more recognized genetic disorders4
    Some emergency veterinary teams believe the pet insurance conversation is too late for their patients, but this is a common misconception. In fact, owners who have experienced unexpected vet bills firsthand are often those most prone to investigating options for financial protection in the future.

    “Puppy appointments present the ideal opportunity to educate pet owners about their breed’s health risks and the importance of enrolling in pet insurance…”

    3) Revisiting history

    When it comes to adult dogs, tailoring the conversation based on the patient’s medical history is crucial. For dogs with a relatively clean bill of health, adulthood is still the perfect time to enroll in pet insurance; however, when discussing pre-existing conditions, remember to use caution, as most pet insurance plans will not cover any treatment for these conditions, nor for issues related to them.

    Further, while some pet insurance companies will cover certain curable conditions after a waiting period with no recurring symptoms, it is not our role to tell clients what will or will not be covered. Instead, we should encourage clients to compare companies and make informed decisions about their coverage options.

    Additionally, many dogs and cats face health issues in their senior years. Consider communicating that, although the client’s adult pet may be healthy now, the risk for unexpected vet costs increases rapidly with age.

    Here’s a few talk tracks to incorporate:

  • 87 percent of dogs over three years old are affected by periodontal disease, along with 70 percent of cats over three years old5
  • If a pet has a pre-existing condition, it is still eligible for insurance coverage for other unrelated health problems
  • The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends using a free pet insurance comparison tool that gives personalized advice6Insurance coverage can be a literal lifesaver for dogs and cats in this stage where the higher risks associated with more senior ages are right around the corner.

    Routine care versus the unexpected

    It is important owners understand pet insurance does not usually cover routine or preventive care. Rather, pet insurance is for unexpected accidents, injuries, and illnesses. For preventive care, a wellness plan can prevent routine care from becoming a financial strain for owners (especially in the first year of pet ownership).

    Many clients underestimate how quickly the costs associated with vaccinations, flea preventatives, spaying/neuter surgery, and so forth can add up. These preventative measures are crucial in setting the stage for long-term health, and clients should not have to pick and choose between them based on what they can afford. Instead, they can use a wellness plan to budget for their planned pet care expenses.

    4) Senior pets and the golden years

    Senior dogs require extra attention due to age-related conditions, such as arthritis, cognitive decline, and vision or hearing impairments. Even though these conditions may be excluded from insurance coverage for dogs who enroll at a late age, pet insurance may still be worth considering (if they are not already enrolled).

    The frequency of veterinary visits often increases toward the end of a pet’s life, which can make the unexpected ones that much harder to afford. Clients can gain peace of mind in knowing that some insurance companies cover the cost of hospice care, euthanasia, and bereavement services for pets who have passed away, helping to ease financial burdens and make the process of saying goodbye less stressful.

    While these conversations are more delicate, clients can benefit from knowing:

  • Nearly 50 percent of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer7
  • Pet insurance may cover any new health issues not related to pre-existing conditions
  • Some plans cover hospice care, euthanasia, and bereavement services for senior pets when needed

    5) Implementing a plan in your practice

    Discussing pet insurance and other financial options for paying for care is the responsibility of everyone at the clinic. Opting to include all team members in the strategy strengthens the overall recommendation for pet owners, leading to a larger percentage of insured clientele.

    What works best in one practice may look different in another, but I have seen the following examples to be very effective:

  • The check-in form primes the client by asking, “What pet insurance do you have?”
  • A veterinary paraprofessional asks if the pet is insured during the history-taking
  • If the patient is uninsured, the doctor discusses possible benefits and recommends the owner looks into pet insurance
  • The client services representative reminds the owner that pet insurance was recommended during check-out
  • Owners should go home with something that should remind them to enroll, such as a note on discharge or a comparison brochureUltimately, the more times clients hear the conversation, the more likely they will be to take action. Indeed, an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) survey found 65 percent of pet owners purchased pet insurance because their veterinarian recommended it.8It is imperative for DVMs to actively discuss the benefits of pet insurance with clients based on their pet’s current and future needs. When clients ask for recommendations, you can simply refer them to a comparison tool like the one AAHA recommends.

    Ricky Walther, DVM, serves as chief medical officer at Pawlicy Advisor. Realizing the positive impact pet insurance can provide for pet parents and the profession, Dr. Walther helps ensure that Pawlicy Advisor is aligned with the veterinary community.

References

  1. https://www.pawlicy.com/blog/vet-visit-cost/
  2. https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2021-08/pet-insurance-cases-and-clarity/
  3. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/helping-your-dog-with-osteoarthritis
  4. https://www.aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/life-stage-canine-2019/breed-specific-considerations/
  5. https://www.rvc.ac.uk/review/Dentistry/Shared_Media/pdfs/perio_print.pdf
  6. https://www.aaha.org/your-pet/pet-insurance/
  7. https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/cancer-pets
  8. https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/230144/
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