Health Insurance for Your Dog
February 29th, 2008Chances are, purchasing health insurance for your puppy or older dog is less expensive than you think. Especially when you consider the rising cost of veterinary services. They are rising at a rate comparable to our own emergency care.
Canine health insurance has improved immensely over the past few years. Currently, more services are covered than ever before. Many plans include a pet wellness protection rider, as well. In truth, this type of insurance is much like medical insurance carried by you and I.
There are questions you should ask before making a final determination on the provider, who is right for you and your dog.
A good place to start when researching your options is to ask your veterinarian for a recommendation. Most veterinarians will be able to point you in the right direction and give you their unbiased opinion as to the provider that will work best for you.
Once you get an initial recommendation you should be prepared to conduct a bit of additional research, before deciding on anything concrete. With the convenience, of the Internet, it is quite easy to perform this task, right in the comfort of your own home.
Be forewarned, many providers will not cover pre-existing conditions. However, some will cover them as long as they are deemed temporary and have been nonexistent for least six months. Unfortunately, some types of breed specific hereditary conditions are not covered by any currently available policy.
Look for a policy that offers renewals after a specific period of coverage, typically one year. Insurance providers which base their premium increases on the age of your dog instead of the dollar amount of veterinary claims filed, are usually less expensive.
Beware of providers who increase your premiums on a quarterly basis or those who are not equipped to offer you and your dog with the same coverage, from year to year.
Obviously, you want to go with the pet health insurance company who can provide the broadest range of coverage, for your dog. The majority of providers offer more than one level of coverage. It goes without saying that you should purchase the deluxe plan, if at all possible.
Let’s face it, your dog is part of your family. Take the initiative to purchase health insurance for him, from the beginning. Doing so will ensure that he will receive the best of care during an emergency or in the unfortunate event he should be diagnosed with a terminal illness.
