While dog health insurance is not as standard as human health insurance, it is undoubtedly gaining popularity due to the increasing costs of veterinarian care and the medical procedures now available in the animal health industry.
So what are the pros of buying dog health insurance?
1. Dog health insurance can save you a lot of money if your dog needs surgery (sometimes due to an accident) or treatment for severe disease. For instance:
Cost of surgery due to injury ($1000 to $2000)
Cancer treatment ($5000)
MRI and CAT Scans (approximately $1000)
Hospitalization (Prices vary widely, but hospitalization is not cheap)
You may have to face these unexpected expenses if you want to keep your dog alive. Many pet parents often end up choosing between a costly treatment or euthanasia. They usually are forced to put their beloved companions to sleep because they can not afford the cost of the treatments. If your dog is covered by health insurance, you could avoid hard decisions like these.
2. By spending anywhere from $10 to $50 a month in premiums, a large amount of these expenses will be covered by dog health insurance.
3. Veterinary care keeps getting more expensive. A good policy will help you cover some of the costs.
4. Most policies will cover recovery costs if your pet gets lost.
What are the cons of dog health insurance?
1. Very often, pre-existing conditions are not covered. The best thing is to get insurance when your dog is young.
2. Premiums usually increase as your dog gets old. Some insurers will drop you when your dog gets to a certain age, while others will insure your dog for life, so always read the fine print.
3. Policies may have spending limits. For example, some policies will have annual limits, and others will set limits per incident.
Since not all companies offer the same value, doing a little research before jumping into a plan is advisable.
Some companies will give you a 30 money-back guarantee if you don’t put any claims in the 30 days.
In the long run, dog insurance will give you peace of mind. And remember: you get what you pay for. Cheap dog insurance may end up being expensive. Do not jump into just any policy because it is cheap. Do your homework and get the insurance you can afford that will cover your pet care needs.
Visit SmartPetInsurance.com for more information on pet insurance. Compare plans, get quotes, or download the complementary Pet Insurance Buyers Guide.
Alice Flowers is a freelance writer and has a love for animals. Visit her website at: http://www.smartpetinsurance.com/.