MetLife: 4 Reasons Pet Insurance Makes Sense for Employees
For many people, pets are more than a furry distraction—they’re important members of the family. And keeping them healthy and happy is a top priority for maintaining the pet’s quality of life. But even one unexpected trip to the vet can wreak havoc on an employee’s personal finances.
This is where pet insurance comes into play. Certainly, the long-term cost of caring for a pet will vary, but medical bills are inevitable. Finding the right pet insurance policy can help employees balance taking care of their furry family members with their own financial well-being.
Here are 4 things employees should know about pet insurance:
1. Pet insurance policies can be customized
Much like auto insurance, employees can customize a plan based their individual circumstances, like the pet’s breed and age, and the employee’s desired deductible. Employees can also choose to add a rider to a plan to help cover routine care, like vaccines, teeth cleanings, and heartworm preventives. And it’s easy for them to get reimbursed for covered vet care.
Using pet insurance it is straightforward. In exchange for a monthly premium, employees receive reimbursement for certain covered expenses under the policy after they reach a deductible. Here’s how the process works:
- Employees pay a monthly premium, starting as low as $9 for a cat and $15 for a dog through MetLife Pet Insurance.¹ ²
- They can see any licensed vet in the United States—there’s no need to worry about vet networks.
- Then they submit the claim and get reimbursed for eligible vet expenses. The amount of the reimbursement depends on the plan coverage they pick; some plans cover up to 100 percent of the total vet bill.
2. Most pets will need vet care at some point.
Accidents and health conditions can affect any pet, at any age, at any time. In fact, one in three pets need emergency vet care every year.³ The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) receives nearly 200,000 calls each year from worried pet owners about their pets consuming chocolate, drugs, and other toxic substances.⁴
But pet health problems can also be age-related or develop over time. For example, nearly six in 10 dogs in the U.S. are considered overweight or obese, which can increase their future risk for cancer, organ disorders, or bone problems.⁵ Considering all these scenarios, offering employees access to pet insurance may be a smart move.
3. Pet insurance protects employee finances.
You wouldn’t want employees to choose between their pet's health and their financial well-being. Consider that one in four pet owners go into debt to pay for care.⁶ Pet insurance plans can help pet-owning employees mitigate the cost of their pets’ veterinary care.
4. Offering pet insurance is easy.
Offering pet insurance can help you give pet-owning employees the reassurance that they can provide the care that their pets may need. And offering the benefits is easy. Businesses with 51-99 employees (who have/add other MetLife core coverages), can automatically offer a discounted pet insurance program to their employees. To get a quote or enroll, employees can call 1-800-GETMET8 and provide the discount code that’s available through their employer.
People love their pets. With pet insurance, employees can help their pets stay healthy and ensure they get the care they need if something goes wrong.
For questions or help with a MetLife quote, please contact a member of your B&P Sales Team - 888.722.3373.
1. Independence American Insurance Company (“IAIC”) is the insurance carrier for this product. IAIC, a Delaware insurance company, is headquartered at 485 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10022. Like most insurance policies, insurance policies issued by IAIC contain certain exclusions, exceptions, reductions, limitations, and terms for keeping them in force. For costs, complete details of coverage and exclusions, and a listing of approved states, please contact MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC. MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC is the policy administrator authorized by IAIC to offer and administer pet insurance policies. This entity was previously known as PetFirst Healthcare, LLC and in some states continues to operate under that name pending approval of its application for a name change. The entity may operate under an assumed name and/or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions as approved, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota), MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois), and such other assumed names or fictitious names approved by certain jurisdictions.
2. Premium depends upon the coverage that is selected, as well as other underwriting factors
3. Top 5 Shocking Health Stats Pet Owners Must Know, https://www.petfirst.com/pet-care/five-shocking-pet-insurance-stats/ Accessed on March 2021
4. Top Toxins as shared by Animal Poison Control Center of America (ASPCA), https://www.aspca.org/about-us/press-releases/aspca-animal-poison-control-center-shares-top-toxins-2017, Accessed on March 2021
5. Weight Gain in Dogs: Keeping Your Pet Healthy, https://www.petfirst.com/pet-care/weight-gain-in-dogs-keeping-your-pet-healthy/, Accessed on March 2021
6. 2019-2020 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, https://www.americanpetproducts.org/pubs_survey.asp