About Exotic Pet Insurance

If you;re thinking of purchasing an exotic pet, keep in mind the additional upkeep that will be required to keep it healthy and alive. Exotic pets are prone to more health issues and have more specific needs than the average household dog or cat. Because of this, special insurance coverage is needed to cover the more complicated circumstances that may arise.

Types

Before deciding on insurance, you must understand which animals are considered exotic pets. The following animals are termed exotic by most insurance plans: amphibians, chameleons, chinchillas, large snakes, geckos, gerbils, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters, hedgehogs, iguanas, lizards, mice, opossums, pot-belied pigs, rats, rabbits, snakes, sugar gliders, tortoises and turtles.

Health

Health coverage is the most heavily relied-upon aspect of a typical exotic-pet-insurance plan. Depending on the company providing the coverage, your health insurance may help cover vaccinations, visits to the veterinarian, booster shots, yearly checkups, prescriptions and preventive health care. Exotic-pet health insurance may also cover surgery and emergency care.

Theft

Depending on the cost of your exotic pet, you may also want to look into insurance that covers replacement costs if the pet is stolen. Some exotic pets can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Though the phenomenon is rare, some criminals focus on stealing expensive exotic pets to resell them on the pet market. Insurance can usually be taken out for the original purchase price of the animal, although you can vary the amount of coverage you wish to have.

Death

Because exotic pets are usually harder to take care of and may experience more health problems than average pet breeds, you may also want to take out insurance that covers the death of the animal. Death coverage allows you to receive money to replace your animal if it dies unexpectedly. Certain rules and regulations apply, depending on the company that provides the coverage. Most coverage is equal to the original cost of the exotic pet.

Length

Exotic-pet-insurance coverage lengths can vary from 1 year to the lifetime of the pet. When deciding on an insurance plan other than a lifetime policy, keep in mind that your insurance company can decide not to renew the policy. This decision is dependent on the health, age and breed history of the animal at the time of renewal.

Resources

• Exotic Pet Insurance: Fact and Fiction