Pet owners with pet health insurance are more likely to seek care: Nationwide

Pet owners who purchase pet health insurance are more likely to bring their pets to the doctor at the first sign of trouble and follow their veterinarian’s treatment advice, according to a new study from Nationwide.

The pet insurer sponsored the study in partnership with analytics group VetSuccess. The analysis looked at nearly 10 million pets served by about 2,000 veterinary practices, comparing those with Nationwide pet insurance to those not covered by Nationwide.

“We’ve long known from our internal research that pets insured by Nationwide see their veterinarians more often, with the predictable results of catching disease early and getting consistent follow-up care for conditions that need it,” said Dr. Jules Benson, Nationwide’s chief veterinary officer. “I know from my own experience as a practitioner that removing financial barriers to care makes an enormous difference in pet health outcomes and to a veterinarian’s professional and personal satisfaction.”

The study found that, compared with pet owners who don’t have Nationwide coverage, those with Nationwide pet health insurance:

• Spend more on veterinary care.
• Visit their veterinarians more often.
• Approve surgical procedures more often.
• Stick with their veterinary practice.

The full findings are available here.