Getting veterinary care for your pet can be very expensive, and some vets don't offer payment plans. Fortunately, Pets Best pet insurance and the CareCredit credit card solution can help pet owners who want to make sure that costs don’t get in the way of providing the care that their companion animals need.

Pet insurance companies typically provide a choice of coverage options, often including accident-only or accident and illness policies. Some may also offer routine pet care policies, where the pet insurance reimbursement helps pick up the tab for vaccines and wellness exams.

Pet insurance companies typically allow you to visit any veterinarian you want when getting covered care for your pet. You’ll pay the veterinarian upfront and submit your claim to the insurance company. For eligible claims, you’ll then receive reimbursement for the portion of pet care costs covered by your policy.

While reimbursement of care is standard with pet insurers, this can present some logistical challenges for pet owners. Many types of veterinary care that become necessary for your pet can have a very high upfront price, so paying the vet bills before you get reimbursed can be challenging.

How can CareCredit and Pets Best work together?

Pets Best, like most pet insurance providers, generally will reimburse you for part of the costs of the care that your animal receives. In general, you — as the pet owner — will pay upfront for care at the time of service and will then submit claims to Pets Best to get money back.

The amount of time it takes to receive the reimbursement can vary from a few days to about a month. Depending on your pet insurance company, some claims may qualify for pre-authorization, which helps ensure your claim will be approved.

Even if you receive a reimbursement quickly, your veterinarian likely will require that you pay for care at the time services are provided. If you don’t have the cash on hand to cover expensive procedures, this could become a problem.

Fortunately, the CareCredit credit card can solve that problem. CareCredit cardholders can take advantage of promotional financing* to pay for care at veterinary practices in the CareCredit network. This makes it possible for you to pay for your pet’s health needs with CareCredit and then potentially get reimbursed by your pet insurance company after your animal has received the essential medical services and you have submitted your claim.

Why Pets Best and CareCredit provide the ideal partnership

Pets Best and CareCredit are an ideal partnership because both companies are in the business of helping people move forward with recommended care for their pets.

Vet care can be very expensive, especially if you do not qualify for financial assistance through an organization like the Pet Fund or for a payment plan with your vet. If you have to put this care on a credit card or take out a loan for it, you could end up paying interest costs. This could make it more difficult for you to afford to provide the medical assistance that your pet deserves.

You could also run into problems in situations where your pet needs an expensive procedure, such as a life-saving surgery that costs thousands of dollars. You may not have enough credit available to cover the procedure or enough money in the bank to pay off the vet bills.

With Pets Best and CareCredit, your pet doesn’t have to wait to get care. Many Pets Best policies provide unlimited annual coverage, which can put even expensive surgeries within your reach. And, CareCredit cardholders can take advantage of promotional financing* to pay for care at veterinary practices in the CareCredit network while waiting for reimbursement.

Pet owners covered by pet insurance may also have coinsurance costs they have to pay. For example, depending on your pet insurance policy, you may need to pick up anywhere from 10% to 30% of the costs of the care your pet receives in the case of an accident or an illness. With CareCredit, you can pay off your portion of the treatment costs over time,* rather than using cash on hand.

Get your pet essential care without money worries

Together Pets Best and CareCredit aim to help eligible pet owners who are doing their very best to maintain their pet’s health and give them the medical care animals deserve. Just be sure to research your pet insurance coverage options carefully and to understand the terms and conditions of the CareCredit credit card so you can make the right choice for your pet and your budget.