Financial Options
At some point even the healthiest pets get injured, sick or just needs to be seen by a veterinarian. Emergency hospitals are always open and available, but it can be quite costly for your pet to receive the care it needs and you may need help to cover the cost.
What is veterinary financing?
Veterinary financing is borrowing money from a lending institution to pay for your pet’s treatment while hospitalized. It is typically used to help cover emergencies or expensive surgeries that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Just like a personal loan or credit card, there is an application process for financing. Whichever lender you choose will review your financial information and credit history to determine what you qualify for. The lender will also decide the terms, including interest rate and credit limit.
Most of these loans come with fixed terms, meaning you have a set period of time to repay the loan. The other terms will vary depending on which lender you choose and your financial situation.
Can I qualify with bad credit?
Absolutely, some companies offer loans for bad or no credit. Typically, lenders look at credit score, payment history, and debt-to-income ratio.
They use this information to decide who qualifies and what the terms of the loan will be. There are some companies that do not have a minimum credit score and any pet owner is welcome to apply no matter their credit situation.
*Veterinary financing for questionable credit may have an extremely high APR. Be sure to look for ones you can pay off quickly.
What are my options for financing?
All pet card Care Credit scratch
AllPetcard has special financing that ensures your pets get the care they need when they need it. No down payment, no early payoff penalties and no annual fee.
CareCredit is a credit card for healthcare that offers several plans from no interest as well as reduced APR for long term financing.
INFORMATION ABOUT CareCredit®
- This healthcare credit card allows you to begin treatment today, and pay your fees over time with convenient monthly payment options
- It is available for any amount
- The account can be used repeatedly by your entire family, without having to reapply
- Apply online for CareCredit before you arrive or apply at FWAEH with two forms of valid ID (state ID, Federal ID, Passport or Driver’s License) as well as a debit or credit card
?Scratchpay is medical financing for pets that offer several different loans.
How does veterinary financing compare to pet insurance?
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For our clients who are Trupanion members, we are now able to accept direct payments. This means that Trupanion can pay us directly for their portion of the invoice at checkout, and members leave paying only their portion. That’s right! No more waiting for reimbursement. We believe that medical insurance for pets is an important part of pet ownership. If your pet is not currently insured, we recommend researching coverage options so that you can budget for new, unexpected illnesses and injuries.
Additional Info:
For other pet insurances, people usually turn to financing when the cost of their pet's treatment exceeds what they can comfortably afford.
Pet insurance is like any other type of insurance. You pay premiums and when you have an issue they will reimburse you.
Coverage for pre-existing conditions
When looking at pet insurance and veterinary financing, the latter allows you to pay for the treatment of any pre-existing conditions your pet may have. Pet insurance usually will not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Does the emergency hospital take payment plans?
Due to the nature of emergency medicine, most emergency hospitals do not accept payment plans.
We know you can't plan for emergencies, therefore, we offer several payment options so that your pet can get the care it needs!
FWAEH accepts the following: Cash, American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®, CareCredit®
Click here to download and print the Credit Card Authorization form.
Deposit & Billing
For treatments that require hospitalized care for the day or overnight, a 100% deposit of the estimate of cost is required at the time of admission.
FWAEH charges a $5 monthly billing fee on all unpaid account balances. Accounts older than 90 days may be relinquished to a collection agency. Any account relinquished to a collection agency will be designated as inactive.
Additional Policy Information
For clients with pet insurance, we are happy to provide you with the necessary documentation to submit a claim to your carrier. If you have any questions regarding your account, please contact us at (817) 263-2900.