Pet Insurance
Veterinary care is excellent in this country, but that excellence does not come cheap. For that reason, pet health insurance is gaining in popularity.

Policy premiums vary by type of pet, age, breed and location, but most hover around $10 to $20 a month for a basic policy and increase with more coverage and, in some cases, the age of your pet. Policies may not cover existing problems or those deemed congenital or genetic. Some polices have a yearly deductible; some are per incident. Co-pays vary.

Only you can decide if pet insurance makes sense for your situation. It can get pricey if you have several pets, especially if premiums go up as they age. Two of the largest providers are Veterinary Pet Insurance (www.petinsurance.com or 1-800-USA-PETS), available nationwide; and PetCare Pet Insurance (www.petcareinsurance.com or 1-866-275-PETS), which offers coverage in 45 states.