How do I select an appropriate pet health insurance policy?

While pet health insurance is much less complicated than human health insurance, it’s still important to select a policy that is appropriate for one’s needs, from a company that can be trusted. The premiums that are charged for policies are usually a fairly direct reflection of what the insurance company intends to pay out in reimbursements, so in most cases, you get what you pay for. There are very inexpensive policies that only pay out in cases of catastrophe (e.g., a pet hit by car), to moderately-priced policies that cover most medical conditions (e.g., diabetes mellitus), to more expensive policies that cover not only medical issues, but prevention and early-detection costs as well (e.g., vaccination, parasite control, etc.).
The amount of coverage is a personal choice, but the cheaper the plan, the fewer services are likely to be covered. The cheapest plans tend to be accident-only, and cover the one-time costs associated with a calamity. The most expensive plans tend to cover accidents, medical conditions, medications, therapeutic diets, and potentially also vaccination, spay/neuter surgery, and even dental cleanings. There are also a variety of polices that provide in-between levels of care. While having insurance of any kind in place is useful, it is important to be aware of what services are excluded from policies if pet owners are to make valid apples-to-apples comparisons.