Should You Get Health Insurance For Your Dog?

16 Jun 2008

16 Jun, 2008 Pet Care

You would never consider going without health insurance for your family but what about your dog?

Although many people think it is an unnecessary expense, health insurance for your pet can actually save you money and spare you from making a tough decision between the life of your dog and paying the bills should a serious health issue arise.

Just like everything else today, Veterinary cost have skyrocketed. When you do not have insurance, you must pay for every visit whether they be routine or emergency. This can run into thousands of dollars so why not get some help?

Just like personal health insurance, health insurance for your dog has annual premiums and, of course a deductible. The premium price depends on the dog breed and type of policy, if you have more than one pet, you can usually get a discount.

As with the premium, the deductibles vary. Typically it is around $100 a year. There are many policies to choose from based on your dogs age, breed, lifestyle and pre-existing conditions.

Theres a dog health plan to please almost everyone. Some plans cover most everything from annual checkups to vaccinations, spaying, neutering and any medications as well as ay sickness and, of course accidents. These policies, of course will be the most costly.

But if you can handle the yearly costs of a well dog just fine and want something just in case your dog becomes injured or sick, you can get a policy that will cover just these occasions.

Getting a new health insurance policy for your dog is similar to getting one for yourself – emergency coverage begins as soon as you sign up with your first payment and there is a 30 day waiting period for illness and other routine claims.

When considering health insurance for your dog, be aware that his age will affect the coverage. Most policies cover the dog starting at 6 weeks of age. On the other end, you may not be able to get coverage for your dog if he is more than 8 years old. Once your dog is covered, however, he will be able to retain coverage past 8 years of age.

Getting health insurance for your dog should be a serious consideration for any pet owner. Think of it as the normal expense for having your pet. It’s well worth it and it really set your mind at east to know that should your dog need expensive medical treatment to save his life – you’ll be covered.