Hooray! It is that time of year again! Time to pack up the house, the car and the family, and head out to enjoy a respite from the daily grind…VACATION! Summer vacations are often taken in close proximity to the water (the ocean, a mountain lake, fishing in a stream, etc) so we may include our "furry family" members, too!

Now, you are enjoying your get-away, and everything is PERFECT - until there is an accident and perhaps a serious injury. It happens: new surroundings, curious minds and then, one misstep. If it is a child, we immediately rush them to the nearest emergency room to get treatment, regardless of the cost, right? But what if it is our beloved pet? What do we do then?

Fortunately, there are also emergency clinics for pets, and although you might have to travel a bit further to reach an animal clinic, you can rest assured they, too, will be treated - but at what cost?

Many veterinary emergency clinics require payment upfront before they will begin treating your pet. At home, this is usually not a problem, but on vacation, you might be "cash strapped," particularly when it comes to an unplanned expense such as this. So what do you do?

Having veterinary pet insurance can eliminate the stress and anxiety of just this kind of situation. Pet insurance can offer pet parents peace of mind, throughout the year, at home or away, no matter what life presents to them – or their pets!

However, not all veterinary pet insurance plans are created equal. It is important to look for a plan that will address your specific needs. For example, in the scenario described above, the ideal plan would be a flexible plan - one that did not require using a "preferred network of veterinarians" or pre-authorization for any procedure. What if the closest emergency animal clinic available to you was outside of "the network"? Or, what if your pet needed immediate surgery, but you were unable to get authorization until the next day? For these reasons, it is important to research ALL veterinary pet insurance plans before deciding upon the BEST plan for you and your "furry family!"