Dog Insurance

What is Dog Insurance?

Dog insurance is health insurance for your pup. It covers unexpected veterinary bills due to accidents and illnesses. Some dog health insurance companies also offer optional wellness coverage that helps pay for annual visits and vaccinations.

What Does Dog Insurance Cover?

Standard dog insurance plans cover accidents and illnesses ranging from surgery to remove a swallowed sock to comprehensive cancer treatment. Here is a more detailed breakdown of what a standard plan covers.

Accident and Illness Coverage

✓ Accidents	✓ Illnesses
✓ X-Rays, Blood Tests, etc.	✓ Surgery
✓ Hereditary Conditions	✓ Hospitalization
✓ Congenital Conditions	✓ Prescription Medications
✓ Chronic Conditions	✓ Emergency Care
✓ Cancer	✓ Specialty Care
✓ Diagnostic Treatment	✓ Alternative Treatment
X Pre-Existing Conditions	X Preventative Care

Wellness Care Coverage

And if you’re looking for routine care coverage, you can add a wellness plan to cover things like annual exams and dental cleanings. Here is a detailed breakdown of what the typical wellness plan covers.

✓ Annual Exams	✓ Blood Tests
✓ Vaccinations	✓ Microchip
✓ Health Certificate	✓ Behavioral Exam
✓ Heartworm Tests	✓ Urine Tests
✓ Deworming	✓ Fecal Test
✓ Pre-Existing Conditions	✓ Preventative Care

How Does Dog Insurance Work?

Let’s assume you have an active pup who likes to chase after tennis balls. An unfortunate but common accident is torn knee ligaments, which can require surgery (TPLO). Outcomes for TPLO surgery are great for dogs, but the cost for a single knee surgery is $6,000!

Claim Example:

$6,000 Cost of Surgery
x 90% Reimbursement
$5,400
– $250 Deductible
$5,150 Savings!

Benefits of Dog Insurance

If dog insurance wasn’t worth the cost, then it wouldn’t exist!

There are over 1 million dogs insured in North America, and the #1 reason dog owners purchase pet insurance is “peace of mind.” Here are some other benefits of dog health insurance:

It allows you to make decisions about your dog’s health without worrying about money
You can take your dog to any licensed vet, clinic, or hospital with no restrictions
It allows you to budget each month for unexpected health issues that might pop up

“This year we found out that our pup was going to need TPLO surgery for a torn ACL, a procedure that costs around $6,000 per leg. Healthy Paws was great, their reps were super supportive, and they even followed up with us after the claim was filed and completed.” Read more pet insurance reviews

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Common Dog Health Issues and Vet Costs

And this year alone, pet owners will spend over $16 billion on veterinary care. If Fido can’t resist eating anything he puts his paws on, has an accident, or gets sick, you want to know he can get the best veterinary care without breaking the bank. Just paw through the costs of some conditions that commonly affect canines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is My Dog’s Breed Eligible for Coverage?

Yes! All dogs, all breeds in all states are eligible for pet insurance coverage. The key is to enroll while your dog is young and healthy because pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions and the cost is lower for younger dogs.

Can a Dog of Any Age Enroll in a Plan?

Any dog of any age can enroll in a pet insurance plan. However, most companies require your dog to be at least eight weeks old at the time of enrollment. Some companies also have age limits for specific coverage, so it’s important to compare plans and prices to ensure that your pup is fully covered.

How Much is Pet Insurance for a Dog?

According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, the average policy costs $46/month. Here are five factors that determine how much you will pay.

Type of Pet You Have
Where You Live
Your Pet’s Age
Company You Choose
Coverage You Select

More: FAQs about Pet Insurance

Puppy Insurance

Puppy insurance helps pay for veterinary treatment when your dog gets sick or injured. It reimburses you for treatment of broken bones, swallowed socks, and hereditary conditions. Any unexpected health issues that your puppy might encounter will be covered.

The absolute BEST time to enroll in pet insurance is when your dog is young and healthy.

Here are the top reasons that enrolling in pet insurance while your dog is a puppy makes a whole lot of sense.

Pet insurance costs less the younger your pet is. Sing up early for lower rates!
Pre-existing conditions are not always covered. Enroll while your puppy is healthy.
Puppies are prone to accidents and ingesting items. Insurance provides peace of mind
Emergency veterinary care can cost thousands of dollars. Most dog owners don’t realize how expensive it costs until they’re faced with a bill or decision at a veterinary hospital.

Pet Insurance for Older Dogs

As a dog ages, the need for veterinary care increases. Because your pet is a part of the family, you’ll naturally want to provide for any medical needs that may arise, but senior pet care can be costly.

Fortunately, insurance can help make medical care more affordable; however, pet insurance for senior dogs is complicated and may present challenges that are generally not a concern with younger animals.

Age does not necessarily preclude your pet from getting insured, and at PetInsuranceQuotes.com, you can get quotes and compare plans so that you can find the best pet insurance for older dogs.

As the owner of an elderly dog, however, there are a few things that you should be aware of when considering the purchase of insurance.

While it is generally possible to get insurance for older pets, this may not be the case for dogs of a more advanced age. Buying pet insurance for dogs over nine years of age may prove difficult with some pet insurance companies, as they may have age limits in place.

These dog health insurance companies will not enroll pets that are 10 to 12 years old or older. Ideally, you will want to already have pet insurance for dogs over nine years old and should avoid letting it lapse.

Age is one of the factors that impact how much you will pay for pet insurance. The older the dog is, the higher your costs will be, as the risk of diseases and illnesses increases with age.

Regardless of the age of your pet when it is originally insured, the price of coverage will rise as it gets older by as much as 5 to 10 percent a year. The actual cost of the insurance will depend on which insurance company you’ve chosen.

This is one of the reasons why getting a price quote from PetInsuranceQuotes.com is so important when it comes to picking the best pet insurance for older dogs.

When comparing plans, there are important considerations other than finding the cheapest pet insurance for older dogs. For instance, certain problems may limit the specific coverage that you can obtain.

Pet insurance will not, for example, cover pre-existing conditions. This means if you are attempting to sign up for insurance after your pet has become ill or injured, the insurer will not pay any claims that are associated with that specific ailment.

In some cases, a dog health insurance company may refuse to insure your pet at all. If your elderly dog has a congenital or hereditary condition, however, claims may be covered, depending on the insurance provider.

Although these do not fall under the umbrella of pre-existing conditions, you will want to verify that they are covered by the insurance company that you choose.

One way to determine if your pet has a pre-existing condition is to request a free veterinary review. This rules out any pre-existing conditions that you are unaware of and can help prevent expensive surprises later.

There are many reasons to trust PetInsuranceQuotes.com when you need to buy pet insurance for old dogs. We are highly knowledgeable and the only licensed pet insurance agency in the United States.

Coverage for Small Dogs

Small dogs are versatile. They can sit on your lap while you watch your favorite TV show or chase tennis balls in the backyard. Small dogs are unique. They need to be cared for and looked after differently than bigger dogs. From the food you feed your small dog to the leash you choose small dogs are different than big dogs. In honor of small dogs, we decided to create a dog health insurance guide dedicated to the small dogs of America!

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