With vet fees exceeding the inflation rate by 6-7 times in recent years, it’s no surprise the dog insurance is also on the rise. There are reasons (and blame) for that all over the place, but those are beside the point. The question we ask here is simply – is dog insurance worth it?
To answer that, let’s see what dog and pet insurances actually are.
To explain them simply, they are just as human insurances, only for pets. They generally cover health and accidents and can vary from basic and cheap to being very expensive. The general types of dog insurance can be summed up as such:
· Accidents only. This is the most basic type of dog insurance. It’s usually cheap and it stays in the 2-digit numbers, and cover various different types of accidents. Since some diseases can be caused by accidents they can be covered by such an insurance as well, but read the fine print to be sure.
· Time limited. These insurances cover illnesses in addition to accidents and are also generally cheap. They do come with several conditions, however – 1) they are time-limited (usually ~12 months) and won’t cover your expenses beyond that limit, 2) they have a “costs ceiling” and won’t go beyond that either.
· Maximum benefit. Similar to the above option, this insurance is not time limited. This means that if your dog has diabetes, the insurance won’t stop paying you for the meds and treatments after 12 months, but will keep going as long as you renew it. It still has a funds limit, however.
· Lifelong dog insurance. This is the most expensive, but also the most flexible and secure dog insurance. This insurance doesn’t care about time at all and covers almost all non-pre-existing conditions. Of course, as always, you should read the entire contract before signing anything.
How much a dog insurance costs depends on a lot of different factors.
Things such as the dog’s age, breed, gender, any pre-existing or genetic conditions and circumstances, contribute to the price. Also, previous health problems, whether he/she has been neutered or spayed, the country you’re in, and more.
Overall, dog insurance can be pricey, and considering all the other costs of owning a dog – it can feel too much for some dog owners.
And other times – dog insurance may be 100% unnecessary.
Because with the rise of vet prices, the competence of vets has also increased. Yet, in many other situations, a good dog insurance can save you a 4- or 5-digit sum of money. There’s a large amount of chance in this, but if you can afford it – it’s usually better to be safe than sorry.
