Best pet insurance for your dog: Your furry friend is a part of your family. You want to ensure that they are well taken care of.
Vet care can be expensive, especially if a catastrophic accident or illness occurs. When you have unexpected, large vet bills, pet insurance can help ease some of your financial burdens.
There are many pet insurers and plans, so choosing the right pet insurance plan doesn’t have to mean you should go for the most expensive. This is how you can find the best dog insurance.
What coverage should you look for?
First, let’s look at what typical pet insurance covers. There are plans that only cover accidental injuries, such as broken bones, but most policies cover illnesses and accidents.
These plans provide coverage for a wide range of medical conditions, including minor and major ones, as well as injuries or emergencies related to accidents. While insurers may offer different coverage, an accident or illness plan will generally cover you:
Toxic ingestion
Digestive problems
Cancer
Chronic conditions
Fractured bones
Hospitalizations
Allergies
Urinary tract infections
Infections of the ear
Prescription medication
Surgeries
MRIs, CT scans and X-rays
Chiropractic care
As an option, many pet insurance companies offer wellness and routine care coverage. It can be expensive to keep your pet healthy, from annual vaccinations to tick and flea prevention.
Selecting a Maximum Coverage Option
Your pet insurance company will pay out a certain amount each year based on the annual coverage limits. Nationwide, for example, doesn’t have any coverage limitations. You can choose from different plans that offer annual coverage limits. Higher caps will result in higher premiums.
Embrace Pet Insurance, for example, offers an annual coverage limit of $5,000 to $30,000.
You are financially responsible for any vet costs that exceed your coverage limit if you have claims in the past year.
When determining the right coverage limit for your dog’s needs, consider the dog’s age and breed. Is your puppy hyperactive and susceptible to injury? Do you have an older dog who is more susceptible to diseases like arthritis? An assessment of your dog’s risk for injury or illness will help you determine a good annual coverage limit.
Pet Insurance Deductibles
You are probably familiar with the deductibles on your health insurance plan. Similar to pet insurance, you will have a deductible that you must pay in vet bills before you can start getting reimbursed.
Numerous pet insurance companies allow you to choose from a range of deductible options. The ASPCA’s pet insurance plan offers three deductible options. They are $100, $250, and $500. Trupanion, however, has a per-condition policy. Most deductibles are annually.
A per-condition deductible means that you will pay a deductible each time your dog visits the vet to get a new condition. Dogs who have the same condition for a long time will benefit from this deductible. An annual deductible may be better for pets who visit the veterinarian for many reasons.
A higher deductible can help lower your monthly premiums.
Choose from a range of typical reimbursement levels
A third option is the reimbursement percentage that the plan pays for a claim.
Most pet insurers offer a 70%, 80%, or 90% level of reimbursement. A higher percentage of reimbursement means that you will pay less for your dog’s vet bill.
Figo is a pet insurance company that offers a 100% reimbursement option.
You should choose a lower percentage like 70% to ensure that you have enough money in case of an emergency. Higher reimbursement percentages are likely to be more advantageous if you don’t have enough money. You will still have to pay a premium in order to enjoy a higher reimbursement percentage.
Pet Insurance and Dog Breeds
Pet insurance rates will depend on the breed of your dog. In general, insurance for larger dogs and heavier dogs is more expensive.
Pit bulls, Mastiffs Dalmatians, Dobermans, Dobermans, and Bulldogs are the most expensive dog breeds to insure as pet insurance.
Tips for Dog Owners When Purchasing Pet Insurance
Here are some tips to help you choose the right pet insurance policy.
Choose a company that you feel confident in. There are many new brands that offer pet insurance. You want to choose someone you can trust and have a track record. Walter Haugland, spokesperson for Pets Best (a pet insurance company), says that you want to find pet insurance companies that will support you throughout the life of your pet.
Take a look around. Haugland says that it takes only a few minutes for a quote to be provided on your pet.
Consider your dog’s lifestyle.. You may be more likely to get hurt if your dog is very active and often outside. You might consider increasing your annual coverage limit in these cases.
Examine waiting periods. All pet insurance policies have waiting periods before coverage begins. The waiting periods vary from plan to plan. There are often separate waiting periods for coverage for illness and accidents. A company that has shorter waiting periods is a good choice, as you never know when your pet might become sick or injured.
Some insurers may have longer waiting periods for certain conditions, such as hip dysplasia. You should look for an insurer that does not have this extended waiting period.
Companies that offer 24/7 vet assistance should be considered.. Many pet insurance policies include additional benefits like a 24-hour vet helpline. A helpline is invaluable if your dog becomes ill at 2 AM.
Explore discounts.
Look for a plan with multi-pet discounts, such as ASPCA or Embrace.
Consider your budget. It’s not a good idea to buy pet insurance you don’t need.
Think about how much insurance you can afford versus how much. Haugland says that almost all insurance companies offer a variety of deductibles and reimbursement options. Adjusting these can impact the monthly cost of insurance.
A higher deductible and lower reimbursement percentage can help lower your monthly pet insurance bill. If you have to make claims, the tradeoff is higher expenses.
You can find coverage for vet exam fees. While some insurers pay the vet exam fee for medical visits, others only cover the treatment. You should look for insurers such as Nationwide or Pets Best that will cover vet exam fees.
