You take good care of your family and make sure they have everything they need: a roof over their heads, food on the table, and good medical insurance for when they get sick. But are you sure you’re protecting everyone in your family? What about your four-legged kids?

The fact is, many people don’t think about pet insurance until after it’s too late to get it. They take their pet to the vet for their annual checkup and vaccinations, pay the annual cost, and then don’t think about it for another year. But in the meantime, your pet can get sick out of the blue without any warning at all, just like you and your family, and you should be prepared in advance to take care of it, just like you do with the rest of your family.

You may not think that pet insurance is all that important to have, but what happens when your pet eats the wrong thing, or ingests something he shouldn’t have, and you’re suddenly faced with an emergency trip to the vet? You could be looking at a bill that’s well over $1 thousand. If you invest wisely in insurance for your pet, you could save yourself a lot of money on that bill.

Health insurance for pets comes in a variety of different plans. You can choose to purchase packages that cover accidents, illnesses, diagnostic tests, medications, and surgeries. You can even purchase insurance for the annual exams your pet already gets, such as vaccinations, and heartworm and flea protection. Does your dog need behavioral training? There are insurance programs for that too.

Pet insurance plans are easy to work with, too. They allow you to choose your own vet, file a claim at each visit, and receive your refund. So the next time you’re choosing your annual insurance plan for your family, don’t forget about Fido’s.