(ARA) - Your dog, cat, bird or exotic pet is a member of the family, but chances are they aren't covered by your family health insurance carrier. With many pets needing treatment for an accident or illness every year, the cost of veterinary care can force tough decisions between a pet's health and available funds if pet owners are not prepared.

Washington Mutual is one financial services company that recently identified the growing need for pet insurance. "We're here to help protect our customers' financial well being," said Carl Formato, president of Washington Mutual Insurance Services. "Pet insurance takes the financial burden out of the equation so pet owners can make the best health care decisions for their pets based on medical information, not money."

Washington Mutual Insurance Services partnered with Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) to deliver pet insurance to its customers. Depending on the type of plan selected, coverage helps pay for medical problems and conditions related to accidental injuries, poisonings and illnesses (including cancer). Optional routine care is also available for dogs, cats and birds that covers an annual physical exam, vaccinations, heartworm protection, prescription flea control, and your choice of spaying, neutering or routine teeth cleaning. VPI's insurance for dogs and cats includes an identification tag corresponding to a lost and found registry.

"If you don't think you have the discipline to save money on a regular basis for emergencies, pet insurance might be a good option for you," said Stephanie Shain, director, Companion Animal Outreach for the Humane Society of the United States. "The most important thing is to financially prepare for emergencies that can happen to your pet and keep in mind that a little preventive care can go a long way. Having your pet spayed or neutered, keeping shots up to date and proper nutrition are keys to keeping pets healthy."

Unlike managed health care plans for people, pet insurance often provides direct reimbursements to pet owners. "Veterinary Pet Insurance helps pay for covered medical expenses in the case of an accident or illness, so you don't have to worry about big medical bills," said Formato.

Once you file a claim for the service that your pet receives, your pet insurance company will send you the appropriate reimbursement for covered expenses. With VPI's pet insurance policy, you are free to use the veterinarian you trust most without provider restrictions.

"The quality of veterinary medicine today has never been better. Our pets are healthier, living longer more active lives and are frequently considered members of the family," said Gary Gallerstein, veterinarian and hospital director at Acacia Animal Health Center in Escondido, Calif. "Veterinary Pet Insurance makes the wonderful advances in veterinary medicine affordable for all pet owners."

At www.wamuins.com, visitors can request a quote, access educational articles about pet care and enroll online. There are insurance plans for dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, ferrets, reptiles and other exotic pets.

For more information about pet insurance, visit www.wamuins.com or call (800) 685-9551, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time. Find out more about the care of your pet at the Web site for the Humane Society of the United States at www.hsus.org.

Courtesy of ARA Content