Consumer Reports | Why pet owners aren’t satisfied with their pet insurance

We treat our pets like family members, making sure they are taken care of, but that can add up.

And Consumer Reports finds that we spend trillions of dollars each year on veterinary bills.

If you think pet insurance can save you money on routine checkups and emergencies, listen up.

We will explain how the Consumer Councils have found that not all pet insurance parents are satisfied, and there may be better ways to save.

Paulina Vargas had insurance for the other dogs she had, but with Nigel and Bella, she decided not to.

“It makes more sense for us not to pay monthly for pet insurance and we decided the best option for us is to just pay out of pocket,” Vargas said.

Paulina is not alone. A survey by Consumer Reports revealed that pet owners are quite unhappy with pet insurance coverage.

“In our survey, more than two thousand members shared their experience with pet insurance covering everything from what is actually covered, to the premiums they paid and the claims process to be reimbursed. And overall, there was no real top dog. In fact, most of the results found that insurance companies were all pretty much in the middle of the pack,” said Brian Vines, with Consumer Reports.

CR looked at survey data on eight pet insurance providers. On average, the total cost was about $47 per month per animal.

Six insurance providers earned an average overall satisfaction score – two based on unfavorable ratings.

So what can you do to save? – Put what you will spend on the insurance premium in a dedicated savings account.

“Insure yourself by putting money each month into a high-yield savings direct deposit that you can take out in case your fur baby needs medical care,” Vines said.

If you’re struggling to afford medical care for your pet, consider a trip to a veterinary college that may offer discounts on everything from checkups to spaying and neutering.

And if your pet needs medicine, make a purchase. It may be cheaper to order medication online from places like Chewy, Petco, PetMeds and Walmart Pet Pharmacy.

“We were very lucky. They are very healthy and they are happy,” said Vargas.