Pet insurance emerges as a financial cushion as vet bills run into lakhs

When Pronita adopted a rescued cat, she did not expect a veterinary illness to leave her with bills running into ₹1.2 lakh. Her cat was diagnosed with FIP, a serious disease, and treatment over about three months cost her around ₹1.2 lakh. The first round of diagnostic tests alone cost ₹8,000.For Ms. Pronita, the experience showed how quickly veterinary expenses can escalate, especially when a pet needs prolonged treatment. It also prompted her to look more closely at pet insurance, a product that remains relatively unfamiliar to many pet owners in India.“As more pet parents begin treating their animals as family members, the cost of providing them medical care is becoming an important consideration,” she said, recalling another rescued cat that had been bitten by a dog and suffered signif