Pet insurance for dogs - All About Dogs!

Dog Insurance For Your Pet

by Julie-Ann Amos

How much would you spend on health care for your dog? If your pet gets sick or injured, are you prepared to pay sky high veterinary bills? Most of us have heard at least one heartbreaking story of a sick dog euthanised because the owner simply couldn’t afford the cost of treatment.

In the UK many dog owners are now purchasing UK pet insurance as a way to offset the potential impact of unexpected veterinary bills. Some pet insurance policies cover more than just veterinary bills and the cost of premiums varies so it’s important to do some research to find a solution that works for you. I recommend AFI asa reasonably pricied provider of UK pet insurance, one of the best (lifetime cover, no stopped claims after a couple of years) AND best of all, a percentage of premiums is donated to dog charities. I use them for my own dog insurance policies, and friends have been unable to get comparable premiums elsewhere. (They also do cats!)

Here are examples of some items that may be covered by a good pet health insurance (subject to deductibles and limitations):

Costs associated with veterinary treatment for injury, accident, illness or disease
Pre-existing conditions
Kennel fees if your dog’s condition requires hospitalization
Third party liability if your pet injures someone else or causes damage to their property
Travel expenses if your veterinarian refers you to another practitioner or veterinary hospital
Costs associated with advertising and a reward if your dog is lost or stolen
Reimburse non-recoverable expenses if you must cancel a holiday due to a dog’s emergency surgery
Accidental damage done to your own property by your pet
Travel insurance that maintains coverage if you take your pet abroad

Finding a pet insurance company that provides dog insurance or dog medical policies is relatively easy. A simple internet search produces numerous hits and many web site even offer online quotes. Just as with other types of insurance, though, you need to think carefully before you buy. Compare pet insurance carefully - all policies are not created equal!

Talk to other dog owners who purchase pet medical insurance and ask them for insights or recommendations. Look for books or articles on the subject, and take notes on any tips they offer. Another good source of information is your veterinarian what dog insurance company he recommends. He or she probably has experience treating insured dogs and may have recommendations about dog insurance companies and coverage.

Now you’re ready to get quotes from several different companies. Have an idea in mind ahead of time about what coverage you think you want and how much you think you can afford to spend. Keep in mind that each quote will probably be slightly different in coverage, terms, limitations, deductibles, or other important features. Many even vary in cost based on your age as well as your dog’s age. Compare specifics carefully and absolutely, positively read all of the fine print.

One common issue is that the more cheap dog insurance policies tend to NOT provide "lifetime cover" This is something to watch out for when you compare pet insurance. Lifetime cover means that if, for example, your dog gets cancer, the pet insurance will continue to cover the dog for life. Cheaper policies without this will only pay out for a certain number of years, then will exclude that condition on future dog insurance claims.