Whether or not you’re a pet owner yourself, it’s easy to appreciate the risks pet families face when a furry family member becomes ill and requires medical care. Same-day appointments, often challenging to obtain, are expensive, and yet that care is often critical to pet health and well-being. 

That’s important to your employees. As you evaluate your current employee benefits, consider the value of pet insurance. You’ll find that it’s not only beneficial, but quickly becoming an essential feature of a competitive benefits package that aids in employee attraction and retention.  

Is Pet Insurance Really Necessary? 

Recent data shows that just 4% of U.S. pet owners are enrolled in pet insurance. However, the cost of pet care continues to rise. In 2024, the average cost of a veterinarian visit rose by 6.2% - that’s a huge amount in any area. That increase can be difficult for pet parents who pay between $200 and several thousand dollars for routine and acute pet healthcare.  

From a cost perspective alone, including pet benefits into your employee benefits package is often well-received and appreciated.  

Yet even with the cost-savings, many people still believe the following common pet insurance myths.

Myth: Pet Insurance Costs More Than It Pays Out 

With pet care costs on the rise, don’t make the mistake of thinking pet families don’t need that care. A single emergency vet visit could mean a $3,000 vet bill that some may not be able to afford. This could lead to the pet not getting the care it needs or families needing to take drastic measures to cover the expense. 

While pet insurance has a cost, most pet parents will use the coverage, especially as their pet gets older and needs more significant routine veterinary care, preventatives, and prescriptions. 

If pet owners don’t have access to pet insurance, they must foot the bill themselves. About 43% of people say they must reach for a credit card to cover these expensive pet care costs, with others draining their savings to do so. Pet insurance can greatly reduce the risk of long-term financial insecurity for your long-term employees. 

Myth: Pet Care Isn’t That Expensive  

As we stated above, the average cost of pet care is on the rise, with no end in sight. In fact, the American Pet Products Association studied overall pet care costs in 2024. They found that 125 million households across the country paid $38.3 billion in vet bills. 

Pet insurance is often applicable for emergencies and advanced medical care needs, which are some of the most expensive for employees to cover. 

Look at some recent pet care costs: 

• Heart conditions – Ranging from $1500 up  
• Skin conditions – Impacting a large percentage of dogs - $200 to $2500 
• Stomach and digestive complications: $1,600 to $5,000.  

Myth: Vets Don’t Take Pet Insurance 

This one is a common mistake because it assumes pet insurance is the same as human health insurance. If you’re in HR, you already know the complexities of human health insurance plans such as in-network and out-of-network coverage with HMOs and PPOs.  

Pet insurance works a bit differently. Most pet insurance does not have in-network considerations. Instead, owners pay the cost of their vet bill upfront, then receive reimbursement for care as long as it’s covered under their policy. They can usually visit any vet or emergency hospital, including specialists.  

They simply get the care where they want, submit a claim to the pet insurance company, and receive reimbursement.  

Notably, not all policies are the same. When selecting the best pet benefits for your team, consider the quality of the product, the provider’s industry experience, implementation requirements, and their customer service reputation. 

Myth: Coverage Is Impossible for Unique Breeds 

Half of your staff may own a popular Goldendoodle. Others may love talking about their exotic snake, turtle, or parrot. How can you choose coverage that fits everyone’s needs? It’s common to believe that insurance is limited to just a simple puppy or kitten, but that’s far from the case.  

While fewer insurance providers cover all types of animals, such as pocket pets, birds, and reptiles, coverage options are still available, such as discount pet care plans and other alternatives to pet insurance. 

Myth: Pet Insurance is Only for Young Animals 

Pre-existing health conditions are another factor that can limit your willingness to offer pet insurance. After all, your employees may own a majority of older animals or rescues, which are typically more costly to ensure. Yet, pet insurance is more inclusive than you may realize. 

It’s true that pre-existing conditions can impact coverage availability and premiums. However, policies are more flexible than ever before, with some plans offering pre-existing coverage as add-ons or riders. Routine care options are becoming more common as well, some of them offered as stand-alone plans. Pet wellness care plans are ideal for pets of all ages, and help cover the costs of routine vet visits, vaccinations, and essential preventative care so pets can live a long and happy life. Since today’s employees treat their pets like a family members, this level of support can be especially attractive. 

Discount pet care plans are a good alternative to pet insurance in these cases, since there are usually no limitations based on age, breed, or pre-existing health conditions. Many even come with pet telehealth and lost pet recovery services. 

How Pet Benefit Solutions Can Help 

At Pet Benefit Solutions, we can help you decide whether pet insurance is a good fit for your employee benefits package. If you see photos of pets on your employees’ desks or hear conversations at the water cooler about dog parks and pet playdates, it’s time to start offering pet benefits to your employees. 

Explore our pet benefit plans to learn more, then contact us today for a custom proposal.