Chances are if you own a dog, you will spend more than $5,000 in veterinarian bills over the life of the animal. With that fact in mind, it is really up to you whether you need dog insurance or not. Some people like to “save for a rainy day” and cover unexpected expenses in that manner. Most people will need the help of a good dog insurance plan to carry them through.
Will Dog Insurance Cover Everything?
Like human health insurance, dog insurance coverage varies according to the plan you decide to purchase. Plans that cover general issues cost more and most plans have pre-existing condition clauses. That means if you dog has an ongoing illness such as cancer, the insurance will exclude that from coverage. Even with pre-existing conditions excluded, most dog insurance plans cover the major medical expenses of your dog including hospitalization. Generally, they pay about 80% of the costs. You can get plans that cover only accidents and illnesses, or you can expand those plans to ones that also cover routine visits, teeth cleaning, spaying or neutering, and vaccinations. Don’t forget the diagnostics. You may want a plan that covers X-rays, MRI’s, laboratory studies, and Cat Scans too.
Will I have To Change Vets with Dog Insurance?
Again, this answer depends on the plan you purchase. There are very good general dog insurance programs available that are accepted by nearly all veterinarians. There are also plans that pay you directly when you submit your dog’s vet bill to them. With either of these programs, you would not have to change your dog’s vet. Other programs are like a cooperative of veterinarians. With these programs, you would need to have a participating vet in order to get coverage.
Do a good online search of various dog insurance plans available and understand what each of them covers. Then select the one that best fits your and your dog’s needs.