Pet Insurance Plans for Dogs Everything You Need To Know

Anyone that owns a dog or cat can tell you that their fur child brings out the best in them and their families; and although there are few greater joys in life, one serious con that is always present in animal care is the inconvenience of vet visits and associated costs. Approximately 37%-47% of all households in the United States have a dog; less than half are aware that there are pet insurance plans for dogs available. If you are serious about pet care, which you should be if you own a pet, then insurance plans for your dog are something to look into. Below is an outlined pet insurance process that can help with overall vet costs and general health care for your animals.

Insurance For Pets

There are many national pet insurance plans for dogs if not any local. The U.S. spends $13.59 billion on vet care each year. Pet insurance helps alleviate these costs must like health insurance would work for you. Just like human insurance, pet insurance plans for dogs can vary in cost on a case by case basis. Factors taken into account include your dog’s breed, your relative location: are you in a complex with many neighbors or close to heavy traffic areas, the size of your dog: larger breeds pay more as well as obese pets; last and not least, is your dog a smoker or nonsmoker (just kidding)

After these factors, plans are customizable depending on how much coverage you actually want to apply. Premiums are set and paid and deductibles are applied to any visit through the life of the policy. It’s all pretty standard boiler plate but 46.3 million U.S. households have a dog and they are still unfamiliar with how simple the process works. 76% of veterinarians would like to see more dog owners with pet insurance according to Pet Insurance in North America, 2010 report

Puppies 1st Year

The shots your puppy will need in his first year range from optional to recommend to required by law. Without health insurance, you could be shelling out big bucks to ward off any pet infections. Below is a list of common puppy illnesses and bet costs without the proper pet insurance plans for dogs. All costs are the national average.

Parvo-$1108; Foreign Ingestions-$1060; Vehicular Trauma-$934; Fracture-$711; Pancreatitis-$689; Poisoning-$685; Bite Wound-$491; Soft Palate-$453; Patella Luxation-$410; Laceration-$398; Diarrhea-$203; Distemper-$180

A slew of vaccinations can cover and prevent any of the above at around $75-$100 per vaccination. Insert your newly acquired pet health insurance plan here and dependent on the coverage, you could be reimbursed the full cost of any shots your puppy will need.

Senior Dog Care

As your pet ascends into older age, vet visits become more and more frequent and less about scheduled shots. Pet insurance plans for dogs tend to be more expensive with the higher age dogs tending to be higher risk. Below is another list of common senior dog illnesses and the vet costs associated without pet health insurance. All costs are the national average.

Cancer-$746; Addison’s Disease-$586; Tumors-$548; Vestibular Syndrome-$509; Renal Failure-$485; Periodontal-$417; Cataract-$473; Seizures-$391; Heart Disease-$350; Blindness-$349; Diabetes-$276; Arthritis-$256; Dementia-$219

Caring for your pet in their time of need especially in old age is hard enough as it is and you don’t want to be stuck footing some large vet bills if you don’t have to. Insurance for older pets makes it easier to push through and be strong when the time calls for it.

Have you purchased a pet insurance plan for your dog in the past year. If so, explain the health insurance process in the comments below!