Decide With Your Partner
You probably want your partner to share in the decision about whether to get pet insurance or not. But what do you do if your partner isn't convinced about the whole idea? Or perhaps your partner doesn't think pet insurance is "real" insurance?
The first thing you want to do is ask the question "What would we do if we were faced with a $4,000 veterinary bill?" Your partner's first reaction might be that no animal is worth $4,000 or that veterinarians can't be that expensive, so help your partner understand what insurance is for and why veterinary care is expensive nowadays. Each family has its own limits, find out what yours is.
Hard Decisions Best Discussed in Advance
You should talk with your partner and decide what you will and will not do for if your pet becomes seriously ill or injured. It's usually better to talk about this when your pet is healthy as the raw emotions that surround an ill or injured pet can make this a really tough conversation. For example, if you find euthanasia unacceptable except as a very last humane resort, make sure your partner understands this.
Even if your veterinarian is successful at saving your pet's life there is no guarantee that after a serious injury or illness that your pet will have a good quality of life afterwards. The only decision you and your partner should have to make is what is right and in your pet's best interests, not whether you can afford the care. That's where pet insurance can help.
Having a sick or injured pet can put a lot of emotional pressure on the family, especially if kids are involved. No family is looking for financial stress and pet insurance removes the life-or-money decision you may be faced with. With pet insurance you can focus on giving your pet the best medical attention she needs.