When it comes to finding different varieties and options for any pet product, things can be difficult when you’re a reptile owner. It seems like often, you have limited availability in several different aspects of care.
When it comes to expenses, you know it is imperative to have savings for your cold-blooded friends. But are there any pet insurance companies on the market yet that support exotic pets? Here we will dig into all the details of what you can expect from today’s pet insurance companies.
Coverage for Reptiles
Reptiles, at this point in time, have minimal options on insurance coverage. Only one insurance company has bricked up the interest in exotic pets. As other companies check their competitors, they can see this is now covered and respond accordingly. Some good comes out of this.
If you are looking for the best exotic pet insurance, we recommend looking at a few different companies to compare policies and find the one that best fits your needs.
Top Rated Pet Insurance Companies:
Many employers and standalone companies offer different programs to help you get discounts to take care of your pets. We encourage you to look around at your available options. But here are two that might strike your interest.
PetAssure Veterinary Plans
PetAssure does things a little differently. Instead of being an insurance company by definition, they offer veterinary plans. Essentially, they have a network of veterinarians. You can enroll for Pet Assure through your employer. Take your given ID card to a local network and receive discounts on your visit.
Savings isn’t typically exponential, but it’s a great way to reduce costs. Also, you have to have a participating employer to be eligible for the service. So, if your company is not on the list, you can’t get coverage for a reptile.
Luckily, it is super quick to check. You simply get on the Pet Assure website and type in your employer to see if you qualify.
One major upside of Pet Assure is that you can get discounts on all in-house visits, even for preexisting conditions.
Nationwide Pet Insurance
Avian & Exotic Pet Plan
Nationwide is the first pet insurance company to offer policies for exotic pets. It covers a comprehensive list of small animals and less popular pets like:
Per the website, it says they cover:
There is very little information on the site about exact pricing and details, but they do offer a customer service number.
Exotic Veterinarian Services
Exotic veterinarian services are typically more expensive than traditional vet offices. The reason is that they have a specialization in obscure pets, whereas typical veterinarians only cover cats and dogs.
If you own a reptile, you know just how expensive vet care can be. Getting on any veterinary plan can really save you some cash.
Importance of Vet Care for Reptiles
It’s all too easy to push the health of a caged pet aside. You’re giving them their food and water and cleaning their bedding, and it seems like they’re pretty low-maintenance pets.
Even though they might not have the same veterinary requirements as your standard dog or cat, it’s important not to undermine the care they require. When the really significant problem with reptiles is they often don’t show signs of illness until it is very far advanced.
That makes treatment a little more complicated and potentially more expensive. Do you have a plan in place for protecting your reptile is an exceptional idea, especially since exotic veterinarians can be more pricey than traditional vets.
We thoroughly believe that these pets will get the recognition they deserve in the future.
Common Reptile Health Issues
Any part of your reptile’s body can malfunction—no matter the exact species. Here is a complete list of issues reptiles can face from the Merck Manual.
Common issues include:
In Conclusion
As pet insurance grows in demand, the options will ever increase—including for your reptiles. One company actually covers your reptiles with insurance coverage. The other has discounts on all vet visits if you qualify through your employer.
In the meantime, keep looking out for new options from existing companies. Many should pick up an interest in other pets in the future.
Featured Image Credit: Rawpixel.com, Shutterstock
