Separating Fact from Fiction

The NJVMA recognizes the important role that veterinarians play in educating clients on the benefits of

PHI. Strong advocacy by veterinarians can significantly increase the use of PHI and help to grow your

practice. For information on PHI providers and other resources visit njvma.org/pet-health-insurance/.

For more tips on how to promote PHI in your practice, download NAPHIA’s Practice Guide.

FICTION

Pet owners will

purchase pet health

insurance policies on

their own without

guidance from their

veterinarian.

Pet owners expect

their veterinarian to

be experts on PHI and

require a hard sell to

purchase it.

Pet health insurance

won’t help my

practice grow.

Pet health insurance

is just another form of

managed care.

FACT

The United States’ low numbers of insured pets shows that this is not the case. Unfortunately,

too many pet owners only think about or research PHI after the big bill arrives. The good news is

that veterinarians are trusted by pet owners and your advice carries a great deal of weight with

them. In a recent study by the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA),

45% of pet owners with PHI policies surveyed said that a veterinarian’s office was the place that

they first learned about pet insurance and 50% more pet owners would purchase pet health

insurance if their veterinarian made an active recommendation of it. Since most pet owners that

purchase a policy do so within the first six months of their pet’s life, you are in a strong position

to provide your clients with information about PHI early on to avoid difficult conversations about

cost down the road.

Many pet owners only require a gentle nudge from a veterinarian to decide about whether to

insure their pet. In your day-to-day treatment of pets, you routinely recommend care and best

practices for pet health to your clients. A recommendation or conversation about purchasing a

pet health insurance policy is no different. Providing pet owners with a brochure is a good first

step, but it typically works best when accompanied by a conversation between a veterinary

professional and a pet owner. A staff member, ideally a designated pet health insurance

advocate, should discuss PHI with the client, then give them a brochure so they can go online or

call to get more information, and if inclined, purchase a policy. Far from a salesperson, you are

simply giving a client advice on how they can provide their pets with the best treatment and

care, free from financial concerns.

It’s a fact that clients with PHI are more likely to come in sooner when an accident, illness, or

injury strikes and receive the full range of care that their pet needs. Not only are insured pets

taken to see their veterinarian more often, but their owners tend to utilize services more and

better follow their doctor’s recommended course of treatment. Increased use of PHI can help

fuel the growth of veterinary practices and allow you to treat more pets and provide treatment

free from worries about the finances of your clients.

Most PHI plans do not require any change to how a veterinarian’s office handles billing. Typically,

pet owners pay their bill in the exact same way as they did before and handle reimbursement

directly with the insurance company. You can continue to practice medicine as you always have

and pet owners can receive the highest level of care without worrying about cost.