Dogs are considered to be man’s best friend. Most dog owners love their pets same as members of the family that they can’t help to spoil them rotten with numerous privileges such as play pen, grooming salons, and dog health insurance. More and more dog owners are now buying health insurance plans for their beloved pet dogs. There is an estimate of 3 % of dogs in America are insured and is growing annually. In fact, several major employers included health insurance policies in the employee benefit package.
Ask yourself the following questions to decide if you should secure a health insurance for your English bulldog:
• What would I do in case of a severe accident or illness that could cost thousands of dollars to treat?
• Would I do everything in my power to save my pet’s life or would I put my dog to sleep?
• Can I afford to pay for expensive diagnostics and treatments?
If you answer no to most of the three questions, it is high time to do some research (this article counts) to determine the pros and cons of having a pet health insurance.
Pet health insurance and what they offer
A dog health insurance pays for the dog’s necessary treatments like surgeries, x-rays, laboratories, and a whole lot of others. Most dog owners count on paying out of their pockets for routine medical care. But you maybe unaware that the older the dog, the greater the chance of a serious and expensive illness. You may want to ensure that your dogs are strong and well at all times, find an insurance policy just right for them.
There are a lot of insurance companies that offer different plans with premiums and deductibles. Other plans are comprehensive that includes vaccinations, preventives, and routine exams. The average dog’s policy could cost within the range of $20 to $30 a month. It is based on the age, species, and breed of pet, lifestyle and where you live, any pre-existing conditions, and the coverage chosen. Some companies will insure dogs 10 years of age or more.
Different Types of Dogs Health Insurance
The types of dog health insurance depend on the coverage of the insurance policy. Weigh your options and balance it out on your monthly or annual income so you have the option to think on which type of health insurance you can afford.
Dog Life Insurance
A dog life insurance normally covers all the veterinary bills incurred at the very moment that your dog fall sick and may eventually die. This type of insurance may also covers the death of the dog due to accidents as well as illnesses including cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive ailments. Some insurers may even include coverage for euthanasia.
Dog Health Insurance
Dog health care insurance provides health maintenance needed by the dog for a lifetime. This includes vaccination, hospitalization, prescription, medication, treatments, and laboratory tests. Some insurers cover the dog’s annual examination and even flea control prescription.
Dog Bite Insurance
The law requires dog owners to use an insurance that provides coverage for all the injuries that can be imposed by their pets. It will protect both the dog owner and the injured party against possible dog attacks.
Dog Accident Insurance
The dog accident insurance is the simplest dog insurance created. Under this policy, dogs are covered against accidents like ingestion of foreign bodies, accidents caused by motor vehicles, bone fractures caused by other things aside from a moving vehicle, ingestion of poison, lacerations, burns allergic reactions, insect bites, and stings.
Comprehensive Dog Insurance
By the word comprehensive alone, the comprehensive dog insurance is the ultimate type of all dog insurances. It covers everything that a dog may need, from health maintenance to accidents, animal bites to life coverage. The recovery cost spent to locate a lost dog is also covered. This type of dog insurance may cost comparatively higher than the others. It is a price to pay due to its extensive coverage of your dog’s health needs. It gets comprehensive enough to afford its owner a complete peace of mid when it is about the welfare of your pet.
Ask your insurance company the following consideration before deciding which company to secure a policy with:
• if the company allows a choice of veterinarians
• the length of the waiting period
• cost of premium including deductibles, co-pays, and caps for your particular pet
• policy conditions and exclusions
• the claim time turn around
• if the company is licensed in their state
The advancements in veterinary medicine offer longer lifespan and better medicine for canines. Gone are the days when diagnosis of a serious illness no longer has to mean euthanasia when procedures such as radiation, open heart surgery, pacemaker implants, dialysis, and kidney transplants are available to animals. All of these procedures are usually out of reach for a majority of pet owners. The sustaining option is to get a pet health insurance. It is most likely that pet insurance premiums will increase more than the claims however insurance is not about economics, it is mainly the peace of mind any pet owners would want.
