Talking to clients about pet health insurance is critical.
Many pet parents are surprised and unprepared for the significant medical costs that come with owning a pet, and even though pet health insurance is not a new concept, only 2% of dogs and cats in the US are insured.
Most veterinarians wish more of their clients used insurance, and it’s not surprising why. Clients with insurance are more likely to comply with your medical recommendations leading to better patient outcomes, increased staff morale, and an increase in clinic revenue.
This seems especially true for our feline friends. In a lecture at the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) in 2017, John Volk (a senior consultant at Brakke integral to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) research) informed attendees that cat owners with insurance spent a staggering 81% more annually on veterinary care than those without.
In short, insurance allows the focus of client communication to shift back to medical recommendations and quality of care, instead of cost.
Pet owners want to feel that their veterinarian stands behind insurance, and get information and recommendations directly from their pet’s care team. So what are the best ways to begin a dialogue? Based on NAPHIA’s best practices guide, these are tips used in clinics with the highest number of insured clients.
Let’s commit to learning from them and taking a more active role in promoting insurance and thus our patients and practices.
Pick just one or two insurance companies to promote
Just recommending insurance to your clients isn’t enough – they’re looking for your expertise to help them pick from the many available options. Researching insurance can be overwhelming, and many pet owners do not have the knowledge or time to devote to this task.
Make things easier for them by doing research. Focusing on just one or two insurance companies will also allow your team to become more familiar with them, and be better able to relay information to your clients. Be sure to inform your clients of any free trial periods that may be offered.
Designate a pet insurance specialist in your office, but also involve the whole team
It’s a good idea to train a couple of key employees to be the go-to people if clients or staff have questions about insurance. This may be a receptionist, technician, or office manager with strong communication skills and an interest in taking on a special role.
While the whole team can help promote insurance, these employees should be the most familiar with the companies your practice has chosen to work with, and able to answer (or find the answer) to most questions.
NAPHIA research among pet owners indicated that 50% more would purchase pet health insurance if their veterinary practice actively recommended it
Pet Insurance Best Practices Guide for Veterinary Teams (NAPHIA)
Present information about pet insurance to clients during their appointment, with brochures available in the lobby, and with a link on your website
Clients respond best when insurance is discussed in person by their veterinary team. While insurance can be discussed during any appointment, an ideal time is during new client appointments and new puppy/kitten appointments (especially if a client has spent a significant amount on medical care for a previous pet).
This dialogue can be reinforced by having brochures available in the lobby and in any new puppy/kitten materials, as well as a direct link on your website.
What information are clients looking for during this discussion? Most are trying to decide if insurance is “worth it” for their pet. According to these case examples, it often is.
Submit claims for your clients
Based on experience with human health insurance, your clients may be dreading having to navigate this process. You can make it easier on everyone by submitting the claims for them. To facilitate this process, make sure that the company and policy number of your insured clients is easily accessible in their medical record.
In NAPHIA’s survey of pet owners in the US and Canada, 85% of pet owners considering insurance said they were more likely to purchase if their veterinarian submitted claims directly to the insurance company on their behalf after treatment of their pet
Demonstrate that your clinic staff uses insurance. In fact, consider making it an employee benefit
Nothing shows your support of a service like using it yourself. If possible consider making it a benefit for your employees. They will be able to provide clients with first-hand knowledge of how insurance works, and your endorsement will hold more weight.
In the NAPHIA study, 71% of pet owners said they were more likely to buy insurance if the veterinary staff used it themselves
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Volk, J. (2017). The Secret to Increasing Pet Health Insurance in Cats. AAFP 2017. Chicago, IL, USA. Retrieved October 25, 2022 from https://www.vin.com/members/cms/project/defaultadv1.aspx?pid=20197&catId=&id=8303235&said=&meta=&authorid=&preview=
Pet Insurance Best Practices Guide for Veterinary Teams. NAPHIA. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://naphia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/NAPHIA-Best-Practices-Guide.pdf
Hawn, R. (2021, September). Pet insurance: Cases and clarity. AAHA. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://www.aaha.org/publications/trends-magazine/trends-articles/2021/september-2021/pet-insurance/
McKinney, M. (2021, January 7). Educating clients about pet health insurance. DVM 360. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://www.dvm360.com/view/educating-clients-about-pet-health-insurance
The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) is an organization of pet health insurance companies in the US and Canada, together comprising over 99% of pet insurance coverage in North America aiming to “advance and grow the pet health insurance industry through education, research, data sharing, benchmarking initiatives, advocacy efforts, strategic partnerships, resource sharing and the dissemination of information to collaboratively address challenges and opportunities”.
Volk, J. (2017). The Secret to Increasing Pet Health Insurance in Cats. AAFP 2017. Chicago, IL, USA. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://www.vin.com/members/cms/project/defaultadv1.aspx?pid=20197&catId=&id=8303235&said=&meta=&authorid=&preview=