South Carolina dog and cat parents: It might be time to pet insurance. Whether you’ve got a Chartreux in Charleston, or a Cockapoo in Columbia you’ve come to the right place. We’ll take you through the hidden gems and insider tips of being a South Carolina pet parent, and while we’re at it, we’ll go through the ins-and-outs of pet insurance in South Carolina so you can keep your furry companion (and your wallet) covered from expensive vet bills.
What pet insurance plans does Lemonade offer in South Carolina?
Pet insurance assists in covering the costs of your vet bills. You pay a premium each month to the insurance company, and in return, you can care for your canine or feline fur fam without having to worry about how much it will cost.
With Lemonade pet insurance, there are numerous ways to customize your policy with our coverage options:
To begin with, a base Lemonade pet health insurance policy will assist in covering the costs of medication, tests, and treatments if your cat or dog has an unexpected accident or illness.
A base policy is excellent for the unexpected things in your fur fam’s future. Still, Lemonade also offers preventative care packages, which are designed to keep your pet healthy and help cover expenses you’re probably paying for anyway. By adding this package to a Lemonade policy, you’ll also get access to a live medical chat option and will get covered for all kinds of things like:
- Your annual blood tests
- Vaccinations
- Wellness exam, and more.
There may be some applicable exclusions.
Lemonade also offers these preventative care packages:
- Preventative Care package
- Preventative+ Care package
- Preventative Package for Puppy/Kitten
Depending on your pet’s age, this package covers things like:
- Spaying/neutering
- Vaccinations
- Microchipping
- and flea and tick treatments.
You can also customize your Lemonade plan with a mix and match of optional add-ons like:
- Physical therapy
- Vet visit fees
- Dental illness
- Behavioral conditions
- and end-of-life and remembrance
to help take the bite out of pricey treatments, services, and trips to the vet.
What does a Lemonade pet insurance policy in South Carolina cover?
Pet insurance can cover a lot (but it’s still important to be versed in what your policy doesn’t include). Here are just a few of the things that a Lemonade Pet policy could come in handy for, depending on your specific policy details:
Bloodwork
X-Rays
MRI
CT Scans
Lab Work
Urinalysis
Ultrasounds
Cancer
Emergency Care
Surgery
Heart Disease
Hospitalization
Road Accidents
Outpatient Care
Allergy Medicine
Specialty Care
Injections
Prescription Medications
Arthritis Medication
Knee, Elbow & Hip Dysplasia
How does pet insurance work at Lemonade in South Carolina?
Here’s an example of how a Lemonade pet insurance policy works:
- Buy a policy. You answer a few quick questions about your German Shepherd, Tiger, and build your pet’s policy with the help of our friendly AI chatbot. The monthly premium you pay is determined by various factors, primarily things that you can customize, like your annual deductible, co-insurance, coverage package, and the annual limit on your plan. (If you would like, you can take a deeper dive into how pet insurance works to help you create your perfect policy.) Pet insurance coverage with Lemonade can cost as low as $10/month. Here’s a handy breakdown of the whole (simple) process.
- Go to the vet. You rush Tiger to the vet after he broke his leg from playing too rough at the dog park. The exam, x-ray, and cast cost you $1,000. Woof. But since you have pet insurance, you don’t have to worry about the total amount. Find out what we cover here.
- Get your money back. Tiger is safely on the mend, and you get up to a $900 reimbursement back in your pocket from Lemonade!
It’s worth noting that as your dog ages, they will require more veterinary care and treatments, which is why it pays to take out a pet insurance policy for your dog as early as possible. If you try to sign your 13-year-old dog up for insurance for the first time, they might be declined due to their age; either way, they’re more likely to have pre-existing conditions that won’t be covered by insurance. But if you get your new puppy a Lemonade policy right away, you’ll be able to continue renewing their policy as they age.
What is pet insurance?
Pet insurance assists in covering the costs of your vet bills. You pay a premium each month to the insurance company, and in return, you can care for your canine or feline fur family members without having to worry about how much it will cost.
How much does pet insurance cost in South Carolina?
Several factors impact your pet insurance quote, including:
- Cat vs Dog: Cats are usually cheaper to insure than dogs because medical costs are generally cheaper for cats.
- Breed: For example, mixed breed dogs tend to cost less to insure because they often exhibit the concept of ‘hybrid vigor,’ potentially having fewer health problems than purebreds.
- Age
- Where you live
- The coverages you choose
- The deductible, co-insurance, and annual limit you choose
You can learn more about the costs of pet insurance here. But the truth is, the best way to get a sense for how much you’ll pay for pet insurance in South Carolina is to build a quote. Click below to get started. It’s fast, free, and dare we say it’s even kind of fun.
Apply now to get your free pet insurance quote.
Protect your dog or cat from South Carolina threats
Although the sabal palmetto palm adopted as South Carolina’s official tree, and which gives the state its nickname, is commonly grazed upon by animals such as deer and hogs, not all of South Carolina’s wildlife is so friendly. While a good pet insurance plan can help you avoid the unexpected veterinary bills that come with having a sick or injured pet, it can still be an upsetting experience for you and your family. For that reason, it’s a good idea to remain vigilant against natural threats.
Snakes
Six poisonous snake species call South Carolina home: the Copperhead, Pygmy rattlesnake and Timber rattlesnake, which are found throughout the state, and the Cottonmouth, Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake, and Coral snake, found in the wetlands along the state’s coastline.
The copperhead is the most venomous of these, and is found in all types of habitat. It can be recognized by its dark brown crossbands over a pink to copper tan background color.
You may not see a snake if it bites your pet, but the bite can be recognized as it will quickly swell. Do not try to treat the bite as that can complicate treatment. Instead, seek emergency veterinary care immediately.
Spiders
South Carolina is also home to four poisonous spider species, three of which are in the widow family. They are the Northern Black Widow, Southern Black Widow and the Brown Widow. The fourth species is the Brown Recluse spider, although it’s less common.
Northern Black Widow spiders are the most recognizable, as they are marked out by the classic red hourglass on a black body. In Southern Black Widows, that hourglass may be broken up, and there may be red or even white dots or stripes along the spider’s body. Brown Widows, as the name suggests, feature the hourglass shape on a brown body. The brown recluse is a uniform brown color with a slightly darker brown violin shape on the part of the body that the legs attach to. Brown recluse spiders are about the size of a quarter.
It can be difficult to protect your pets from spiders, as they are most likely to be encountered while your pet is exploring the dark nooks and crannies that spiders like to hide in. If bitten, the venom can make your pet vomit, and it’s not unusual to see the spider in the resulting mess.
Plants
Plants can also carry toxins which can be fatal to pets if ingested. The most common poisonous plants in South Carolina are Nerium Oleander, an evergreen shrub with smooth, leathery leaves and funnel shaped flowers in either pink, yellow, white or red; Tree tobacco, another shrub or small tree with white-waxy leaves and tubular flowers which are yellow-green to cream in color; and Star of Bethlehem, a herbaceous perennial with narrow light green leaves and star shaped pale yellow or white flowers.
Whatever the cause, symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness or a drunken gait, excess drooling, and collapsing. In some cases, particularly with spider bites, the animal may go quite stiff and be unable to move. In all cases, the best course of action is to take your pet to your vet immediately for emergency treatment.
Top South Carolina dog parks
Energetic pup? Let them run wild in one of South Carolina’s many off-leash dog parks. Just make sure your pup is up-to-date on their vaccinations and spayed or neutered before you let them cut loose.
- Chaplin Park Dog Park, Hilton Head Island A wooded park with mulch flooring, this park offers a wonderfully shady space for your dog to let off some steam and make new canine friends. There are separate areas for large and small dogs, a water fountain, and even a few tennis balls and toys on site to play with.
- Page Ellington Dog Park, Columbia Urban pooches need a place to run too, and the dog park set within the 30 acre Page Ellington Park in the BullStreet District lets them do just that. The fully-fenced area features shade, benches for pet owners, and water fountains to keep dogs hydrated when having fun.
- Waggin’ Tails Dog Park, North Myrtle Beach Look for the sports complex in the park to find the adjacent dog park, which includes two runs for large and small dogs, water fountains and plenty of space to run. The wider park also offers scenic trails to explore on-leash.
- Spencer Park Dog Park, Rock Hill This attractive park features a well-maintained grass lawn dotted with trees for your dogs to gambol on. Water fountains help keep playful pooches hydrated, and a waste disposal point helps keep the park clean.
- The Unleashed Dog Bar, Greenville A dog park with a difference, this one features a bar on site for pet parents to take a well-earned break. Sip a bacardi or beer while your dog splashes in the water trough or gallops about with his pals. There is a daily entrance fee of $5, or yearly membership of $20, and humans must be over 21.
Support South Carolina-based pet businesses
Support small South Carolina businesses while keeping your best friend totally pampered!
- Earthwise, Greenville Wellness care starts with the best possible diet, which is why Earthwise have one of the largest selections of fresh pet food in America’s southeast. They also stock healthy treats and toys, and offer pet grooming services.
- Aiken Pet Fitness, Aiken Pet health care is more than just routine vaccinations. If your pet has recently spent time in an animal hospital, he or she will need rehabilitative care to get back to their best. Aiken pet fitness offers physical therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy and more to support your pet recovery from surgery, injury or chronic pain, and giving you peace of mind.
- Modern Companion, Chapin Unable to find elegant, modern accessories for her gorgeous Dalmatians, owner and designer Maddie St Gelais was inspired to launch Modern Companion, a fashion brand for the discerning dog (and their fashionable humans).
- Sarah McGraw photography, Greenville Your dog is more than just a pet, they’re a family member with a unique personality and deserve to be remembered that way, which is why photographer Sarah McGraw loves to create “cool pics of cool pets doing cool things.”
- Camp Miracle Paws, Anderson Somewhere between a doggy day school and a summer camp lies Camp Miracle Paws. Your dog will love their indoor and outdoor play centers, swimming pool, and even their obedience classes so much that they’ll want to stay. The good news is that they can do that too as the camp offers boarding.
Before we go…
Isn’t being a pet owner just the best? The companionship, the kisses, the laughter! Pets really add so much to our lives. The love that South Carolina pet owners have for their furry companions is real. Woof.
We love our pets, but sometimes those vet bills can take a real bite out of our wallets, which is why more and more pet owners are choosing to get covered with pet insurance. Learn more about how much pet insurance costs, and whether or not pet insurance is worth it for you.
