When you sign up for a pet insurance policy, there are some things you should check for. In the US, there is an 80 to 90 percent deductible on medical coverage; make sure you know the exact amount. Also, investigate the reputation for prompt payment for the issuer, and whether they directly pay the vet for very large bills.

You must also check to see whether the insurance company covers for preventive care like vaccines as well as for optional medical procedures like neutering. This is known as comprehensive coverage, and if your pet is young, it is a good idea to get this cover.

Another technicality to look out for is whether the insurance issuer is offering life time coverage or non-lifetime coverage. The difference is that, in the later, if a claim is made one year for a certain medical condition, then the following year, that particular condition will be excluded from the list of possible claims. Understandably, you will want to get lifetime coverage, even if it costs more. Make sure the lifetime coverage offered is a fully lifetime coverage, and not coming with various small print constraints like “per condition, per year” or “per condition.”

There are also non-medical insurances like pet boarding costs when its owner is in a hospital, or stolen or lost pet coverage covering detecting costs.