Have you taken your dog to the vet recently? Did you balk at the cost
of a regular check up or the price tag of your dog’s medicine? In a
more extreme example, your dog may have eaten something that didn’t
agree with them and they are convulsing and coughing up blood. This
frightens you and you rush them to the emergency vet hospital. The vet
has trouble ascertaining the cause of their distress and runs several
tests and pumps a plethora of medicines in your dog’s body.
Of course you love your dog and will do anything to save him. However,
after the fright of the situation wears off you realize that your dog
has racked up quite a vet bill. In fact, the bill may be over $1,000.
Wow! There is no question that you should save your dog’s life by any
means possible, but if this type of situation happens more than once
your bank account might dwindle to nothing. Therefore, you need to
purchase pet insurance for your dog.
Pet insurance for your dog you ask? Yes,
you can purchase pet insurance for your canine companion. It is a
great idea to purchase pet insurance for many reasons. Was your dog
born with birth defects and other chronic problems? For example, some
dogs are born with misplaced knee caps, “trick knees”, and will need
costly surgery in the future. Another reason to buy pet insurance for
your pet is that if they are getting on in years. Many times dogs will
hit a certain age and it seems as if they are struck with several
health problems at once.
Pet insurance is also a good option if you have an overly active or
working dog. Does your dog tend to run around the country side and
come home with scrapes and bruises? Do they bring home disease
infested rodents for your viewing pleasure? Do they feel compelled to
eat trash that is filled with bacteria even when they know they aren’t
supposed to? Do you have more than one dog and fear the spread of a
dog illnesses or infections? Pet insurance is something to consider in
any of these cases.
How does pet insurance work? Pet insurance is very similar to your own
health insurance plan. There are several different pet insurance plans
to choose from that range in the amount of services and cost. Many pet
insurance plans offer coverage regarding annual checkups, lab tests,
vaccinations, drugs/medications, spaying/neutering and emergency
visits. Often you will visit the vet, pay for the service and then
submit your claim to the pet insurance company.
The range of coverage varies as does the deductible and
reimbursement percentage. Some pet insurance plans will pay up to
80% of your vet bill after you have reached the $100 deductible.
Pet insurance is an especially thankful gift when your dog has an
emergency and racks up the medical costs.
In addition, pet insurance plans also allow you to choose the
veterinarian you would like your dog to see. You do not have to
worry about veterinarians “in your network” like you commonly do
with your own health insurance plan.
When choosing a pet insurance plan you have a host of pet insurane
companies available. Many of these companies have websites that
can provide you an instant pet insurance quote. You type your
contact information, the breed of your dog, and your dog’s age.
You can find the costs for pet insurance plans that are basic to
comprehensive and whether you want to pay the pet insurance
premium monthly or once a year.
It depends on the age and breed of your dog, but you can find pet
insurance premiums as low as $10-$15 per month. As your dog gets
older, the cost will increase slightly due to the fact that older
canines are prone to more illnesses and veterinarian visits. This
rise in cost can be offset greatly by the amount of money you will
save by purchasing a pet insurance plan.
Think pet insurance is too high or unnecessary? Consider the fact
that if you don’t purchase pet insurance, you will have to pay the
full amount for every vet service out of your pocket. This can
soon add up to over thousands of dollars during your dog’s
lifetime.
If your dog is susceptible to illness or you find yourself at the
vet’s office often then check out pet insurance plans. You can
peruse the Internet for instant quotes or contact your vet for
possible pet insurance options. Finding pet insurance is as easy
as signing up on the Internet. If you don’t feel comfortable with
the Internet, then seek out the guidance of your vet. They may
know well respected pet insurance companies that offer affordable
pet insurance plans. Your pooch and your pocket book will thank
you.
