Pet insurance for your furry best friend

In 2016, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association reported that the average premium for Accident & Illness Plans were roughly $41 a month. Not bad. But truth be told, premiums vary widely.

Like all other types of insurance, pet premiums depend on oh-so-many factors, including:

• Species (cats are generally cheaper to insure than dogs)
• Breed
• Age
• Where you live
• Annual coverage
• Reimbursement level
• Annual deductible (what you pay out of pocket before coverage kicks in)

That said, coverage for your Chartreux might be in the range of $16 a month, while your French Bulldog's could be somewhere around $60. For this reason, it's not a bad idea to shop around and compare quotes — just like you would for health insurance, say, or an auto policy.

It's simple: you pay the vet, submit your claim, and Petplan pays you back (up to the chosen reimbursement level).

All Petplan policies cover the treatment your vet recommends to get your four-legged pal back on its paws after an unexpected illness or injury (up to your policy limits).

Treatments your pet could be covered for include:

• Prescription medications
• X-rays, MRI, and other imaging
• Laboratory and diagnostic testing
• Hospitalization and surgery
• Cancer treatment
• Hereditary conditions
• Dental disease and injury
• Long-term chronic conditions (like diabetes or hip dysplasia)
• Holistic treatments (like acupuncture or hydrotherapy)

Similar to health insurance, most pet policies don't cover any pre-existing conditions. So the best time to buy pet insurance is right now! While your pet's still healthy and long before you ever need to use it.

Filing claims with Petplan is easy and can even be done via their easy-to-use mobile app. Just log in, upload photos of the documentation, and hit submit. Simple as that.

Your reimbursement will be based on the actual amount you paid the veterinary clinic, instead of a benefit schedule or a fee determined by the insurer.

That means you'll never max out per-incident or per-illness caps on coverage — because there aren't any. Instead, there's a simple annual limit you choose.

While many providers label chronic conditions as pre-existing once the policy term expires and exclude them from your coverage, Petplan will cover these conditions year after year as long as the policy is renewed each year without a break in coverage.

Petplan will never cancel your policy due to your pet's age, health, or claims history.

If your pet suffers serious illness or injury, it can be extremely stressful — both emotionally and financially. And costs for treatments like intensive care, meds, tests, and IV fluids can quickly add up. Pet insurance, however, could cover most of those costs, allowing you to focus on your pet's full recovery.

To be sure, there's no one-size-fits all package. As with most providers (and anything, really), you have to balance quality with quantity. As a trusted Esurance partner, Petplan helps you tailor your coverage to the specific needs of your pet.