To Insure or Not to Insure

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Pet insurance has always been one of those things that I’m very on the edge about. I’ve had cats for most of my life, as well as various rodents and a dog, and my family has never considered getting coverage. Why? Well, mostly because trips to the vet have always been few and far between, and, when we have had to take an animal to the vet, it’s almost always for something that isn’t covered. Pet insurance usually tends to only cover the unexpected – accidents, unforeseen illnesses, and basically things that aren’t preexisting or genetic. I’m sure, for a lot of people, that this type of coverage would be the perfect incentive, but, for me, it comes down to overall affordability. I could spend $300 (this is just a guestimate) a year on insurance or I could just cover the vet bill when I need to. So far, with my rats, the latter has proven to be a far better choice. Since adopting them just over a year ago, I’ve had to take them to the vet twice – once when I first got them and Potato kept sneezing (it turns out he has nothing wrong and is just a sneezey rat), and once when they got lice from an unknown source. Including vet fees and the cost of lice shampoo, I’ve spent just slightly over $100 on vet time and I don’t mind covering future costs if and when they come up. That’s just what works for me. If you think you’ll be better off with insurance (say, if you have a clumsy animal or a cat who just can’t seem to stay away from your rats), then I do recommend looking into it just in case.

If you want a more in-depth look at the value of pet insurance for your rats, check out this post on the Rat Whisperer.