Dogs, cats, birds, snakes, fish - pets of all kinds become family members when they're adopted. They are companions, confidants, protectors, walking partners, foot-warmers and friends. We take care of them by feeding them, making sure they get their exercise and taking them to a veterinarian. Is it any surprise, then, that pet insurance has become essential for many families who want to keep their pet healthy and happy?

Pet insurance has grown in popularity since the first policy sold in the U.S. to canine television celebrity Lassie in 1982. Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) was the first of its kind in America to start the trend and weathered the decades when people didn't see the value in purchasing pet insurance. As veterinary costs rose, though, more companies joined the market, and slowly pet insurance blossomed into what it is today.

There are two different plans to consider, depending on the needs of your pet. One is routine care coverage, which can include vaccinations, check-ups and spaying or neutering, while the other is accident and illness coverage, which will help pay for treatments such as surgery, lab work, hospital stays, medication and more. And there are varying degrees of these plans that cost and offer more or less, based on what you need and can afford.

There are some differences in the way pet insurance works in comparison to human health insurance.

Human health insurance will have you make a co-payment at your doctor's office, then the claim for the full amount of the visit or treatment is filed by a doctor's employee, reimbursing the doctor. Pet health insurance, however, will expect you to pay the full amount of the visit or treatment to your veterinarian and then you will be reimbursed by your pet insurance provider when you file the claim.

Since pet owners are the ones filing the claims, it saves veterinarians time and money.

"One thing that has made pet insurance successful is that they know we can't afford to file claims without raising prices," said Dr. Steve Bentsen, DVM, of Nolana Animal Hospital.

Most pet insurance providers will pay 70 percent to 90 percent of the cost, up to a fixed lifetime allowance. Also, there is often a per-incident deductible you must pay each time you visit your vet and then file a claim. There is also a monthly or annual fee for each pet you have covered.

Prince is an 8 year-old Chihuahua who has had a few health problems in the past. His owner, Bill Ingram, discovered pet insurance at his vet's office after paying $600 on knee surgery for Prince.

"I was living in Austin at the time and saw the brochure for VPI," the Pharr resident said. "I kind of laughed and went, ‘Insurance for dogs?' But I looked into it and went ahead and got it for both of my dogs."

Ingram's other Chihuahua, Sadie, has been lucky and hasn't had any serious issues in her 5 years. Though Ingram is glad he purchased insurance and a wellness plan for both dogs.

Prince was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and his insurance plan helps pay for the insulin he needs. A year after his diagnosis, Prince also was taken to a specialist who discovered he had cataracts.

"The surgery was about $2,800. I read in my insurance policy and found they'd pay about $1,500 for the surgery. So that's more than half. I took the claim forms to my vet to sign, and then faxed it to VPI. It saved me a lot of money," said Ingram.

Health insurance for humans is almost a necessity. Without it, you may hesitate to visit the doctor regarding an illness that could be serious because of the high cost of medical care. Pet insurance allows you to take care of your pet without worrying about how it may affect you financially, since the cost to you will be a fraction of the total.

If you have a pet, odds are you will make use of pet insurance in the course of your pet's life.

"These two pets are like my kids," Ingram said. "I'd recommend pet insurance for anyone who has pets."