The most frequently cited reason for dog owners not buying pet insurance is that they never got around to doing it. But one trip to the emergency vet to the tune of hundreds (or thousands) of dollars is a terrible time to wish you had. While any time is a good time to protect your pet, here are some scenarios that practically demand it.

You’ve just brought home a puppy.

You’ll get the most value from a pet insurance policy if the policy is in place before your pet has developed any health problems. Pet health insurance providers do not cover pre-existing conditions, so if you insure your pup while he’s young, you’ll have protection when you need it down the road. Don’t despair if you’ve got a pup with a health history; he is still insurable, but any pre-existing illnesses or injuries will be excluded from coverage. Check to see if curable conditions (like UTIs or ear infections) can be covered after an exclusionary period. Some insurers will cover curable conditions after a certain amount of time has passed without relapse.

You’re having a baby.

Oh, baby – your world is about to change. While you’re making all kinds of preparations for your two-legged tyke, this is also an ideal time to sign your dog up for pet insurance. Why? With the arrival of a child, your household budget will likely get tighter, and leave less room for unexpected expenses like an unplanned trip to the vet. It is much easier to find an extra couple of dollars per day for a pet insurance policy than it is to cough up a huge chunk of change on the spot – even if it will save your pet’s life. The last thing you want to choose between is your pet and doing what’s best for your new family budget.

Your pet has been diagnosed with an illness.

This may sound counter-intuitive considering that pet insurance can’t cover pre-existing conditions, but just because your pet has had one health hazard doesn’t mean he’ll never have another. So your pup just tore his CCL and you had to shell out the clams to pay for surgery to repair it – what will you do in another few months if he is diagnosed with cancer? It’s never easy to think about our pets in distress, but a diagnosis is a good wakeup call that neither your pet nor your checkbook is invincible.

You’re getting another pet.

Having a multi-pet household is tons of fun, and the camaraderie that develops between your little critters will totally warm your heart, but adding another pet to the mix means all of your pet care expenses will double. With two in your brood, it’s wise to call for backup in case of medical emergencies (like when they break into Thanksgiving leftovers together and both get pancreatitis).

Pet insurance is designed to protect you from a significant loss in case of accident or emergency, and it has been a literal lifesaver for so many people who have it – trust me, I work for a pet insurer and have seen the claims data. While purchasing policies for my two dogs never crossed my mind before I started working in the business, I can honestly say that now that I know how it works, I’d never go without it.

If you want to know more about pet insurance, and read customer reviews of each company, visit PetInsuranceReview.com.