Cheap Dog Insurance

When one has a beloved dog, they want to make sure they can provide for all the animals needs. With the growing cost of medical care for pets, this can be hard at times. There are now many companies offering insurance to cover these needs.

While cheap dog insurance may seem to be the answer to this problem, one needs to check out the benefits offered before committing to a policy. Many companies even offer different levels of benefits, for different premium amounts. Knowing the types of illnesses that different breeds can suffer from will help you decide which is best for your dog.

What Type of Coverage Do I Need?

If you have a young dog, you need to think about required vaccinations, as well as certain diseases, such as Parvo, which tend to afflict dogs under the age of one year. Spaying or neutering is also a cost to consider unless you plan on breeding your pet. Many less expensive policies will cover these for an added premium amount of about 2 dollars a month.

If you adopted, or already have, an older dog, you need to consider the aging process when choosing your insurance provider and plan. Many have a set limit for each incident or occurrence, and over that, you are left to pay the rest yourself. Some do not have a set limit but will cover a percentage of the costs up to a set yearly limit.

How Do I Pick Insurance Company?

Comparing monthly rates and what it covers is a good place to start. If you have a pure bred or papered dog, costs may be more based on the breed, so make sure you compare the exact same animal with each company, and get the quote and coverage’s in writing. Full coverage for a miniature schnauzer, a middle of the road breed, can run from $11.00 per month for limited benefits, all the way up to $67.00 per month for the top of the line benefits (from 24petwatch.com). Another option is to talk with your veterinarian, or local animal shelter, to see whom their people use or recommend.

Some add disclaimers advising you that some things, not listed in their web site, may not be covered, and in that case, you will need to call and request everything in writing before deciding (from petinsurance.com ).

How Does Pet Insurance Work?

In the end, pet insurance works very much like human insurance. You need to look through benefits and costs to see what will best suit you and your pets needs. Keep in mind that if well taken care of and watched most animals will not suffer many, if any, injuries or accidents. Pet insurance also will not cover pre-existing conditions, so if your dog is already ill, you will still have to cover the costs yourself.

If your dog does get ill, you usually have to pay the bill out of your pocket first and then submit a claim for reimbursement to the insurance company. Some vet’s will, if they know you have insurance, let you wait to pay until the check comes to you.

How Do I Decide What to Spend?

Is the cost of the premiums more than you usually spend on basic care for your pet? If so, you may need to check with another company, or change your policy benefits. With a possible total cost of $800.00 to $900.00 per year for the ‘Platinum’ plan, you may be spending more than you will get benefit from.

A lower cost plan could cover you for emergencies and you can go on paying for basic or routine care as you have been and still have peace of mind. The age of the animal will also decide your cost, older animals usually cost more to insure, as they are more likely to have health problems. No matter what plan you go with, it helps to have that peace of mind, knowing you will have some help in keeping bills covered.