If you are an owner of a pet, other than a cat or a dog, then you must purchase Exotic Pet Insurance or the equivalent thereof, to ensure your pet of quality veterinary care. These policies cover health care for animal companions that are not covered by standard pet care insurance.
In certain cases, although outside of the usual insurance categories people go for the bizarre such as tigers and other wild and dangerous animals which are generally uninsurable.
I hope to give you a global picture on the world of insuring the weird and wonderful in the kind of pet some keep, along with advice and things to think about before embarking on your unusual pet venture.
Having an exotic pet can be a huge responsibility and it is important you fully understand the implications of owning a pet with unusual and different needs and how best to protect yourself from the potential high cost of veterinary care and treatment.
What’s inside this article:
What is classified as an Exotic Pet? Generally, it is any unusual or rare pet animals that is not usually regarded as a normal pet, and the list include the following animals to name a few popular ones:
- Ferrets
- Rabbits
- Rodents
- Reptiles and Amphibians
- Salamanders and Newts
- Snakes
- Turtles and Tortoises
- Hedgehogs
- Monkeys
- Marsupials
- Potbellied Pigs
If your pet falls under any of these types of exotic animals but you are unsure if it is covered, then make sure to check the pet insurance companies’ policies. However, it is most important that you as the pet owner should have at the very least a basic knowledge of taking care of your exotic pet, as this factors in a lot in an insurance company’s process of drawing up an insurance plan for your pet.
Because these animals have such specific needs, the cost of care can be enormous. To take care of this need, the marketplace for pet health insurance has expanded to meet the demand in some parts of the world but there is still a lack of choice.
It is highly noticeable that in the US, not many pet insurance companies cover exotic pets, not like in the UK or elsewhere in Europe, where pet owners have more options to review before purchasing the best insurance plan for their pets.
The ones that stood out based on my research are VPI® Pet Insurance, and Pet Assure, which is NOT a pet insurance provider, is also remarkable in that what they offer is discounted veterinary care, with no exclusions or limitations.
In the UK, there is Exotic Direct. For dangerous wild animals kept as pets, there is the Lester Kalmanson Agency Inc.
VPI® Pet Insurance has been covering pet animals, primarily cats and dogs, for quite some time now, more than 30 years in fact. When people have started to own as pets, animals other than dogs and cats, VPI® had started drawing up insurance coverage for these kind of animals, to make sure that they are well cared for by the humans that keep them. In the United States, they are the only choice when it comes to general exotic pet insurance.
Initially, VPI® offered insurance for birds and later on added other exotic animals to their list. Birds, like any other pets, are vulnerable to illnesses and injuries, and VPI® had designed their Avian Pet Plan specifically to address these needs of birds and ensure that they live longer lives. In many cases with many companies around the world, avian flu is exempted so this is a major bonus to bird lovers.
What is covered?
For birds and select exotic pets, basic accident and illness coverage includes examinations, lab tests and diagnostics, treatments, surgery, hospitalization, and prescription medication. Alternative therapy is covered; however, it must be performed by a licensed veterinarian only for a medical condition that is listed in the benefit schedule.
Similar to VPI’s Dog insurance and Cat insurance, they do not pay a percentage of your veterinarian’s fees. However, they have a designed a schedule of prices that they will pay for certain illnesses, accidents and other treatments. Click here for the VPI Avian and Exotic Plan Benefit Schedule.
For the birds and exotic pet insurance, regardless of what kind of bird or exotic pet you have, VPI® will pay up to 90% of their schedule of cost, up to $2,000 maximum per illness or accident, and up to$7,000 maximum per policy term.
VPI® will NOT provide any payment for any illness, injury or accidents that may be caused by insurrection, enemy attack by armed forces, with or without a state of war, including actions taken in resisting that attack, revolution, rebellion, civil war, invasion, usurped power, illegal acts, or nuclear radioactive contamination. [source: VPI Avian and Exotic Pet Plan Benefit Schedule]
So in times of rebellion, revolution, or when insurgents appear in your town, or the local nuclear generator leaks, then ensure your pets are safely caged and covered. But seriously, this is fairly generous conditions and the list of definitions of when they won’t pay suggests that with most realistic happenings, you are covered for.
Pre-existing conditions might be covered upon VPI’s discretion if the condition was short-term and has been treated 6 months prior to enrolment. VPI does not cover Hereditary & Congenital conditions. See their detailed policy on these types of conditions.
The VPI® Avian & Exotic Pet Plan includes in its coverage major medical treatments and surgeries for illnesses and accidents, minor treatments, as well as X-rays, lab fees, hospitalization, and prescriptions. To know more about the VPI Avian and Exotic Pet Plan, you will need to call them directly at 1-888-899-4VPI, as the plan details are not available online.
Pet Assure, as already mentioned above, is not a pet insurance company. Their mission is to be able to provide quality yet affordable veterinary care to any and every pet, whether old or has a pre-existing condition, without having to deal with claim forms, deductibles, or denials. Any and every medical service is covered.
Pet Assure is a membership only organization that provides a Veterinary Discount Plan, allowing pet owner members to save an average of from 100% to 400% of their annual membership cost. Being a member entitles your pet to 25% discount on all medical services from member veterinarians; 5% to 50% discount on pet services and supplies from participating merchants; and the Lost Pet Recovery service.
Participating veterinarians offer 25% discount on ALL medical services provided from their offices, which include the consultations, examinations, vaccinations, x-rays, surgeries, and any other procedures that the vet may perform.
However, on products that you are sent home with such as food, medications, and heartworm or flea preventatives, laboratory work services, non-medical grooming and boarding, or other discounted services already covered, the veterinary practice is not required to provide a discount.
Although this is not pet insurance as reported, it is still good to be aware of some alternatives. However, to avail of these discounts, you have to be a member which can cost you anywhere from $79 to $149 annually. So it is for you to consider whether that expense is worth it, just to avail of a 25% discount. Your call.
With pet insurance, as long as you understand the policy thoroughly by reading the fine print, at least you understand what you will be getting back for your investment.
A word of caution though, ensure that whatever your chosen vet charges falls within the bracket of what the insurance provider is prepared to pay out. Sometimes, people get caught out by paying, for example, $300 for a procedure, which the insurance provider deems it only to be worth $200. It may be wise to seek the advice of your insurer as to which vet to use.
As stated, there’s a little more scope of choices in the UK although not overwhelmingly. Searching for cover in the UK is most likely to bring up Exotic Direct.
For over 25 years, Exotic Direct has been offering exotic pets insurance. Exotic Direct has policies for the parrot, tortoise, rabbit, lizard, snake, small mammal, small bird, exotic mammal, bird of prey, and the large mammal; in fact, all the usual exotic pet categories.
They have a varied range of policies that may include the following:
- Veterinary Fee Cover
- Death or injury of your pet by weather perils
- Death and loss of your pet by theft
- Dangerous Wild Animal Public Liability Insurance
- Public Liability Insurance
Options included in a pet insurance tortoise cover as an example are veterinary fees of up to £2,500 per policy period for accident, injury or illness; death by accident, disease or sickness; and perils from fire, theft and weather (e.g. lightning, wind, storm, and flood).
Interestingly, insurance for Dangerous Wild Animals include public liability cover for animals kept in your own backyard. It covers you for legal liability to other people, including legal fees in case that there will be damages to property or injuries to other people.
For more information on other offers, Exotic Direct may be reached by telephone at 0800 626 012.
Basically, if we are talking about dangerous wild animals though, you simply cannot afford to let them escape, period. It would be advisable to receive the help of experts on the safekeeping of your dangerous pet, as well as welfare and management advice.
To think public liability insurance will take care of security, and for you to neglect keeping such pets safely, when it comes to dangerous animals, it is irresponsible and damned right stupid to think that insurance means you don’t need to worry so much about such an incident as it could result in the serious injury if not death of someone somewhere.
In Florida, the Lester Kalmanson Agency Inc. specializes in animal mortality insurance coverage for zoo animals, circus animals, race horses, working dogs, police dogs, aquariums, marine mammals, domestic animals and exotic animals.
These are not the kind of policies you would be able to just look up a price online. Each policy would be tailored dependent upon how dangerous your choice of wild animal pet is, what degree of safety and security you have, and the degree of risk.
The website, www.lkalmanson.com, does not specify in any detail whether it covers vet care. What they do provide is liability and mortality insurance covers for all animals. They would assist you in determining security management for your particular dangerous pet.
For your veterinary needs, with a pet like that, you most likely will have to shell out the cost yourself. This is why it is not a good choice to have such a pet. In the US alone, there are more tigers in captivity than there are in the wild. There will be very few that would endorse the keeping of such creatures.
It could be advisable to seek out enthusiast sites related to your particular exotic pet. They can be invaluable sources of information where you can share tips and knowledge with other pet owners. It is also worth maintaining a relationship with the breeder of your chosen exotic pet, as naturally, breeders have a lot of knowledge in the subject.
And as in many cases with certain pets, you may need specialist veterinary care as not all vets deal with all animals. A breeder would be forearmed with such knowledge and over the lifetime of your pet could prove to be an invaluable aid and a relationship worth investing in.
In a Nutshell
Competition often means better choices as no one company can claim a monopoly and unfortunately as things are at present in such as the United States; the options are simply not there. But as a whole, a VPI cover meets most needs adequately.
Don’t buy an unusual exotic pet on a whim. Research thoroughly before making a choice as you may just have some unpleasant surprises in store. Choose your pet carefully and sensibly.