Is pet insurance worth it? Experts say ‘it’s all in the details’
Global News
Many pet owners are hesitant about insurance, and for good reason: there are so many companies in Canada offering widely varying policies.
Ottawa graduate student Daniel Boutin adopted Samwell the cat in 2019, hoping the formerly feral rescue animal could keep him company as he studied.
Samwell adapted well to his new life. But there were a few surprises.
In 2020, Boutin found out his new companion had a gum infection and needed some teeth removed. Then, Samwell was diagnosed with FIV, an immunodeficiency disease that likely caused the gum infection. Soon after, the cat underwent a second surgery to remove the rest of his teeth.
Boutin had pet insurance, but neither surgery was covered by his policy, instead costing him thousands of dollars.
“There’s a whole page dedicated to what they don’t cover in my insurance,” he says. “And that’s fault on me for not reading the fine print.”
Boutin is now worried that future illnesses might not be covered if they’re linked to his cat’s FIV.
“The answer I got from my vet was essentially, it’s a case-by-case basis. So I wouldn’t know until Sam started to have some sort of health issue.”
Boutin is part of a relatively small club: Canadian pet owners who have pet insurance. According to the Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI), in 2020 only 2.74 per cent of almost 16 million pet cats and dogs in Canada were insured.
