Menu

For millions of Americans, their pets hold a special place within the family. It doesn’t matter if it’s man’s best friend or the cat that’s chosen its home, the role of pets as family members has increased dramatically in the past 20 to 30 years, according to Elizabeth Hodgkins, a veterinarian and executive vice president of claims and compliance for Veterinary Pet Insurance, Ohio Farm Bureau’s newest member benefit.

At the same time that pets have become more important, "Veterinary medicine has increased in its sophistication and complexity and its ability to deal with an increasing number of animal diseases," Hodgkins said. "We keep animals alive longer and keep them healthier during that longer life."

Unfortunately, she added, costs have increased at the same time "just as has been the case in human medicine."

Hodgkins said many pet owners don’t comprehend that when they get a new puppy or kitten, that animal’s prospects for living a long life are much better than they used to be. "But there can be considerable costs between the time that puppy or kitten is acquired and the end of its life," she said, "and those costs can be significant – thousands and thousands of dollars."

That’s where Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) comes in. It’s designed to bridge the gap between a pet owner’s ability to pay and the actual cost of what’s available.

VPI offers two tiers of indemnity coverage. The Standard Plan’s annual premium may be less, but it only reimburses owners’ for 50 to 60 percent of covered procedures. The Superior Plan has a higher annual premium, but reimbursements could amount to 85 percent of a veterinary bill. As members of the Ohio Farm Bureau, you can get an extra 5 percent discount on annual premiums.

Unlike some human health insurance plans, there are no lists of providers to select from. "As long as your veterinarian is licensed and (practices) on this planet we will cover any services provided," Hodgkins said. The plan covers more than 6,400 medical problems and conditions. For an additional premium, enhanced coverage can be purchased that covers routine visits and annual vaccinations.

For premium and enrollment information, call 800-USA-PETS or visit www.ofbf.org under Featured Links for a link to VPI’s Web site.

Hodgkins said: "I think it’s important for people to understand that the best time to insure a pet is when that pet is young. Not only (does it have) a lower premium, but that animal is healthy and has absolutely no pre-existing medical conditions. … So the best way to make sure that you have a complete policy that will serve all the needs of your pet is to get it while the animal is young and healthy."