Should You Get Pet Insurance for Your Dog?

You love your pooch and take extra special care of them, but nonetheless, anything can happen. Should you consider pet insurance to help pay for unexpected health issues that come up? It is generally a good idea!

What Exactly Is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance is similar to health insurance for humans. You pay a small premium each month, and in exchange, pet insurance helps to pay for routine and emergency situations that may come up. There are also pet insurance plans that pay out if your dog suddenly dies or gets stolen for those who got an expensive purebred pup with plans for breeding or showing. The main way most pet insurance plans differ from health insurance is that you often have to pay your vet for the full cost of the procedures performed, but then you submit a claim to your pet insurance provider for reimbursement.

Types of Pet Insurance Plans

As with health insurance for humans there are several different types of pet insurance plans. The most affordable option is an accident-only plan. This will cover your vet costs only in the event of an unforeseen accident. Other more comprehensive plans also cover diseases that strike randomly, congenital conditions that your dog was born with and hereditary conditions that may not appear until later in life.

There are also plans that help to cover your routine vet visits, and ones that help you save on premiums through a time limit or maximum benefit paid out. However, the most comprehensive type of pet insurance plan is a lifetime policy and it covers most things that could happen to your pet for their whole life. The latter is the most expensive option but if something difficult happens, it will really help you out.

The Benefits of Pet Insurance

Pet owners have enjoyed having pet insurance primarily because it removes a difficult choice from a bad situation. With pet insurance, you are less likely to have to make the choice between saving your pet's life and spending a bunch of money or putting your pet down because it is too expensive to treat them.

It also helps in situations where you simply wouldn't be able to cover the expenses at all, even if you wanted to. Saving your best friend's life becomes possible with pet insurance. Having pet insurance puts your pooch first and is considered the responsible thing to do by many pet owners.

Pet Insurance Considerations

If your dog has a pre-existing condition, it may be a challenge to find a plan. A pet insurance plan isn't going to cover a pre-existing condition but would cover any new problems that pop up. Similarly, older pets are often a bit more expensive to insure, because just like humans, with old age comes more chronic health problems that are expensive to treat. It's a good idea to get your doggie covered while they are still young to cash in on low premiums.

Before you get your own pet insurance plan, check with your employer! Just like some companies offer health and life insurance benefits to employees, some offer pet insurance too. Otherwise, the best way to get covered is to do research online and get a few different quotes from top companies. Note the differences in prices and coverages, then pick the one that is best for you based on your needs. Adding another monthly expense may not seem like the best idea, but when you consider how much pet insurance could help you save in the long run, it's usually a good idea.