Health insurance

Health Insurance

We all love our Bearded Dragons and we want nothing more for them to be happy and healthy but the truth is that on occasion they just might get sick or injured.

Vet bills can be expensive and when moments like these hit us out of the blue so some of us prefer to have our Bearded Dragon insured so that they can get the help they need without having to worry about the cost.

The fact of the matter is that there aren’t that many reptile insurers out there but the good news is that the ones who are out there are specialists and very good at what they do.

If you live in the US or UK then you’re in luck as there is a solid option in both countries.

Here are the options:

• In The US – Nationwide
• In The UK – Exotic Direct

What Are The Benefits Of Health insurance

The main benefit of having health insurance for your Bearded Dragon is that if they get sick, injured or require surgery at any point you won’t have to worry about paying huge vet bills out of the blue.

If your Bearded Dragon was to get sick and needed immediate medical treatment and you didn’t have health insurance you would have to be sure you could pay the vet bill or they wouldn’t get treated, however, with health insurance you can pay what is essentially a small monthly fee and if your Dragon gets sick your health insurance will typically pay around 90% of the bill.

This can be a huge weight off your shoulders if you have any concerns about the health and wellbeing of your Bearded Dragon. You may also feel more confident about taking your Dragon to the vets knowing that the bill is more or less covered rather than waiting to see if the situation gets better as you are worried about the cost.

Nationwide (USA)

Nationwide is one of the only pet insurers in the whole of the US that offers health cover for reptiles/exotic pets.

They are a well-respected company that offers extensive cover for a reasonable price. You can expect to pay somewhere in the region of $9 per month for their basic cover.

Their cover includes illness, accidents, lab fees, examinations, prescriptions, hospitalization, x-rays and more.

To get a solid quote for exotic pet cover you will need to call Nationwide and they will ask you a few details before giving you an exact quote with all the policy details based on your specific needs.

If you are located in the US and you are looking for good quality health insurance for your Bearded Dragon then you have very limited options but luckily Nationwide is a great option and one I would recommend giving a call. You can check out the website here

While you’re on the phone I would urge you to make sure you understand the policy fully and you are getting the right kind of cover you need for your Bearded Dragon. The last thing you want to do is find that if your Bearded Dragon needs any treatment and you aren’t covered for it on your current policy choice.

Exotic Direct (UK)

The UK is also lacking in lots of options in exotic pet health insurance but again, luckily they do have a great option in Exotic Direct.

You really don’t need to look any further then this company if you live in the Uk and you’re wanting to get cover for your Bearded Dragon. You can check out the website here

They specialize in exotic animals so you can’t rest assured they know what they’re going to give you the best possible cover.

Their basic cover starts at around £4.50 per month but I really don’t recommend that you choose this option. The reason for this is that I can’t find anywhere that states that you get the vet bills covered with this basic plan.

The ‘Essential’ option is around £12.80 per month which is quite a jump from the basic but this covers you for a total of £1,000 of vet bills and you can have 3 pets on the cover.

You do have to pay the first £35 of each course of treatment from the vet but this can give you a huge piece of mind knowing that if your Bearded Dragon ever needs a treatment that it’s only going to cost you a maximum of £35 and no more.

As always you should read the full policy details before taking out any policy to make sure it’s the right cover for you and you are getting everything you expect.

Alternatives to Health Insurance

If you don’t like the sound of paying the monthly payment to a health insurer but you still want to try and find an alternative way to cover the cost of your Bearded Dragons vet bills then there are a couple of options available to you.

You can try and ask your vet if you can pay the bill in instalments. Not all vets will do this but it’s becoming more popular and widely accepted in the industry.

It’s definitely worth asking your vet if they have this option available because even though the bill will be high you can spread it out over monthly instalments that work for both you and them.

Your next option is quite a clever one, it’s actually a credit card called ‘Care Credit’ that are used for financing veterinary bills.

If you don’t want to pay for the vet bill upfront and you can’t get a monthly instalment plan from you vet either then paying on a credit card that’s designed for helping people with veterinary bills could be a great option.

You will have to apply for the card just like you would with any other card but this could just give you that piece of mind that you have the funds available if something unexpected comes around.