Once you understand the terms and some of the basic things to compare in a pet insurance policy, you should then decide which specific pet coverage options are most important for you. Below are the top seven most important features to look for when comparing pet insurance policies.

1. Wellness coverage: This is one of the most important benefits to keeping your pet healthy. Pet wellness coverage includes preventative and routine care like annual checkups, vaccinations, parasite prevention, and even covers prescribed food for your pet’s special dietary needs.

2. Prescription Drug Coverage: This benefit covers any medicine prescribed by your veterinarian (all preventative medicine is covered by the wellness benefit).

3. Death Compensation: This benefit provides you with a set amount in the event of your pet’s death. This is usually set up to a given amount and depending on the market value of your pet, or what you paid for it (this benefit is especially important for those needing pet insurance plans for pedigree or exotic animals).

4. Cancer coverage: Many pet insurance policies do not cover cancer, or pre-existing hereditary conditions. Cancer coverage can be found for your pet to cover diagnostic examinations, and treatment, as well as alternative therapies and rehab.

5. Third Party Liability: This covers you for damage or injury that you pet may cause (this coverage is often only available for dogs).

6. Advertising and Reward: Some pet insurance carriers offer coverage for the costs of advertising a missing pet, and even cover the reward offered.

7. Theft or Straying: If your pet goes missing and you have advertised, searched and still cannot find it, the insurance carrier will offer compensation up to a given amount and depending on the market value of your pet.

*Dental illnesses including gingivitis, periodontal disease, oral abscesses, cavities, feline receptive lesions, and extractions & cleanings when treating illness.

Pet insurance is hard to choose sometimes. If you are considering purchasing pet insurance, it is important to understand a few terms around your pet insurance policy, as well as the price. Understanding what benefits and terms are available can help you when choosing a pet insurance policy for your furry friend.

1. Monthly Base Premium: The monthly premium is also known as the “subject premium” or “underlying premium.” This is the amount of money you will have to pay per month to insure your pet. Note that the premium will be higher for more comprehensive pet insurance policies. It also tends to be higher the older your pet. (Note that for some older pets you may not be able to get coverage; some carriers offer “older pet” insurance policies that will have some of the same benefits as a regular pet insurance policy.)

2. Wellness rider: The wellness rider is an optional protection tool that some pet insurance companies offer, which can be attached to your pet insurance policy. This provides additional wellness coverage such as vaccinations and yearly checkups. When you are considering purchasing a wellness rider for your pet insurance policy, understand carefully how this affects your policy, as some riders can actually reduce the coverage of your existing policy.

3. Deductible: This is the amount of expenses you must pay for a given service before your pet insurance coverage will pay any expenses. The deductible is usually annual, which means that once you cover the given amount, your pet insurance policy will cover all other expenses for the rest of that term (a year). Note that premiums with lower premiums tend to have higher deductibles, and vice versa.

4. Co-pay: This is a stated amount that the pet insurance policy may specify you must pay each time for a given service. It can be a set amount ($20 per veterinary examination), or it can be a percent of the value of the service rendered.

5. Length of Coverage: Some policies limit the length of your coverage. Pet insurance policies with time limits tend to be a bit cheaper. These are ideal for you if you want the best pet insurance coverage after an illness, accident, or operation. Otherwise, if you are interested in long-term coverage, verify that the coverage does not have a set termination date.

Next, you should get deeper and understand what you can cover. Compare pet insurance benefits!

The next consideration to keep in mind as you review cat insurance is the current health of your cat. Cat insurance providers ask you to disclose your cat’s pre-existing health conditions, which usually will not be covered. Common cat health problems include digestive diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes and heart issues. Find out from your vet if your cat is at risk for any of these problems and take preventative measures like special diets (which are often covered by your cat’s insurance plan).

Finally, you should be clear with your cat insurance provider on the terms and conditions of any insurance agreement before you sign up. This means understanding your monthly premiums, deductibles and co-pays and ensuring that your payment options are correct for you.

Insurance can make the difference for your cat between the best possible care and a potentially life threatening situation, so when you are reviewing cat insurance options, plan ahead and know what you are dealing with.

1. Common dog maladies

Knowing what problems your dog could have can help steer you towards the correct insurance. Common dog maladies include hypothyroidism, allergies, hot spots, diarrhea, ear infections, and gastritis. Knowing what issues most likely will affect your dog mean that you can have a better idea of what coverages you need as you review dog insurance.

2. Hereditary issues

The above mentioned issues are likely to affect all dogs. But certain breeds are at a higher risk than others, which is important to consider as you review dog insurance. Depending on breed, certain dogs have higher risk for eye disease, musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia syndrome, heart disease, endocrine or blood disorders. Check with your vet as to which your dog may be susceptible, and bear this in mind as you review dog insurance offers.

3. Liability

More and more local laws are currently being passed to require dog owners to have liability insurance, especially for large or “dangerous dog breeds.” When reviewing dog insurance, try to find coverage for third party liability and for property damage, as sometimes your renter’s or home insurance will not cover this.

4. Lifestyle

Your dog isn’t the only factor to consider when reviewing dog insurance—you also have to consider your needs! That’s why as you review dog insurance, you should consider coverage like overseas coverage, kenneling coverage, and holiday coverage. These benefits allow you to rest assured that your dog is well covered in various scenarios and emergencies.

5. Wellness

Many dog insurance policies will not cover preventable diseases, so choosing an insurance provider that covers wellness activities is important. Look for options that include coverage for regular visits and checkups, parasite medicine, vaccines, and even specialty food. These visits also allow you to talk to your vet about ways that you can keep your dog as healthy as possible, which will reduce your dog insurance costs in the long run.