Recent changes to the UK’s quarantine laws mean that it is now possible for you to obtain a pet passport (under the government’s ‘passport for pets’ scheme) and take your family pet away with you on holiday.  However, before you run off down to your local travel agent and book tickets for the whole family to that exotic seaside tropical location you have always wanted to visit but have to put off because everyone else at home didn’t want to leave Fido in the kennel, you might want to consider getting you and your family some travel insurance – including that all important travel pet insurance.

A number of leading pet insurance providers now offer pet owners travel pet insurance to give pet owners the comfort of knowing whether they are far away in exotic places enjoying the sun and sea or closer to home enjoying the cultural delights of Europe, their pet will be insured against any illness or mishap that may unfortunately befall them.

Typically, included in the travel pet insurance is:

- x-rays
- injections
- lab tests
- prescriptions
- costs while they stay at the vet and recuperate

Keep in mind, however, that as with other types of insurance, travel pet insurance usually comes with what is known as an excess.  In short, what this means is that you – as the owner if the pet – will be required to pay a certain amount until a threshold amount is reached.  Thereafter you can claim for a reimbursement against the insurance provider.  However, unlike humans, travel pet insurance premiums are usually calculated on the type of animal you have and the age of the animal.  As such, it is possible to leave arranging the travel pet insurance policy until the last minute, then purchasing this online once you have decided that you will definitely be taking your family pet away with you on your family holidays!

Moreover, as with human travel insurance policies, pet travel insurance can be purchased either as annual policy or as a one-off travel policy.  If you get an annual pet travel policy, this means you can take your pet with you whenever you travel one of the 25+ countries outside of the UK which the UK government currently has arrangements for the ‘passport for pets’ scheme, or any of the European Union countries (which are all part of the ‘passport for pets’ scheme already).  Alternatively, with one-off pet travel insurance policies you need to name the country you are going to visit and the dates you’ll be there and the policy will only cover you for the duration and place stated.

One of the most widely publicized and hotly debated forms of insurance in America today, health insurance is the subject of intense political and social debate.  A rapidly evolving and extremely complex subject, health insurance is also one of the most important benefits offered by many employers.

Types of Insurance

Medical Insurance typically covers and specifies payment levels for doctor visits and treatment, medications, hospital stays, emergency room visits, surgical treatment, and so forth.  There are wide variations in coverage plans, with numerous combinations of covered and excluded items, different coverage levels, deductible amounts, and other variables that make it impossible to offer a general statement regarding all coverage plans.  Many employers offer an open enrollment period annually, during which employees may select from different coverage plans.  Careful selection of the appropriate plan for each individual is a critical task.

Dental Insurance is sometimes included in medical plans, but more often it is a separate policy.  Virtually all dental plans cover annual or semi-annual cleanings and check-ups, with many plans increasing the covered percentage with regular appointment attendance over time.  Routine treatments such as cavity fillings, bridges, and the like, are also typically covered, though the amount of coverage can vary.  Braces are sometimes covered for minor dependents, and more rarely for adults.  Cosmetic procedures are typically not covered.

Vision insurance is often offered as a separate plan to go along with medical insurance.  Vision plans typically cover an annual check-up, with glasses or contacts covered to a pre-determined limit every year or two.  Necessary medical procedures to protect or correct eye health are usually covered.  At this time LASIK or other corrective procedures are rarely covered.

Managed Care

One of the biggest trends in medical insurance over the past two decades in the United States has been the rise of managed care as a primary delivery model for medical care.  Based on the concept of centralized decision making, pooled resources, and efficient delivery of services, Health Management Organizations, or HMOs, do offer economical coverage, often at much lower premiums than privately managed insurance plans.  Critics, however, point to longer wait times for appointments, fewer physicians from which to choose, and often the need for specialist referrals as weaknesses of the HMO mode.  Regardless of the advantages or disadvantages of HMOs, it seems certain that this organizational model will continue to grow in popularity.

Medicare and Medicaid

The United States government has, for many years, funded two particular programs to help extend medical coverage to individuals who may not be able to otherwise access the necessary health care.  Medicare is designed to help elderly Americans pay for their health care.  More recently, the Medicare Part D program was set up to help the elderly pay for prescription drugs.  Medicaid is intended to help impoverished Americans obtain health care; however, with high administrative costs, low reimbursement rates, and an often complicated set of restrictions and requirements, the number of physicians who accept Medicaid has decreased steadily over the past several years.