Affordable Dog Insurance – How to Get the Best Coverage Without Breaking the Bank

Ten years ago pet insurance was hardly heard of, but now as many people are considering their pets more than merely just a pet, they are part of the family, and these families are searching for ways to help extend their lifespan, mostly through expensive health care options. Today medical care for animals has become more extensive, more along the lines of what is available for humans. Does your dog have diabetes, thyroid issues? Your veterinarian can now offer solutions instead of watching your dog die a slow death. However, you will want to do your research to make sure you are finding the best coverage out there, without spending more than you have to.

What to Consider

Finances: The first thing to consider when looking at pet insurance options is what are your financial needs when it comes to caring for your dog? Are you able to cover your dog’s typical veterinarian visits? What about the occasional emergency pet clinic visit? If so, you may want to look at the coverage types out there and cover the major medical issues. While some may not let you pick and choose what coverage you do and do not receive, you can choose a higher deductible so your monthly costs aren’t as high, leaving you to cover more of the initial expense occurred from minor incidents. You would be using the insurance plan as a just-in-case something major were to happen, like God forbid, your dog develops cancer. However, if you’d rather pay more monthly than an up-front deductible you may want to consider a lower deductible – but you will be paying out more yearly, for a just-in-case ease of mind.

Medical Issues: Make sure you know what medical issues are typically associated with your breed of dog. Do you have a breed that will have joint problems in the future? Or is your breed of dog known for developing more serious terminal issues, like cancer? Knowing what could happen in the future to your beloved pet will help you have an idea on what kind of coverage you may need in the future. Other conditions to take into consideration is the size of your dog, since bigger dogs require more costly medication, and the age of your dog. Keeping this information at hand will help you decide what the best medical coverage will be for your pet, at the best price. For example, some providers charge more money for older animals with the thinking they will have more issues. However there are some providers out there that charge the same for puppies as they do the older dogs.

Policies: The key is to shop around and see what different providers offer for their policies. An important issue to look into is to find out if the insurance policy covers hereditary conditions. Some policies have written out pre-existing issues and those that are commonly considered hereditary to breeds – and these may very well be the reason why you are getting insurance in the first place. If this is an important part of the coverage, ensure you find a provider that will actually cover these areas for you.  Other pieces of the policy to consider are the costs associated with co-pays, and caps per medical issue, per year or your pet’s lifetime.

Other Precautionary Steps

You can also keep your pet’s health care costs down by adding some simple steps to your routine. Find a low-cost clinic for your dog’s shots, if your veterinarian doesn’t offer one try calling the humane society to see if they offer it or know of another organization that does. If your pet is required to take medication, ask your veterinarian for samples and then search online for cheaper retailers of that specific drug. Most importantly ensure your dog is receiving the adequate amount of vitamins and nutrients needed. This means you will need to pay more for dog food, but a healthy diet goes a long way in keeping your pet in tip-top shape. And most importantly, if your dog goes outside take the proper safety measures to ensure your dog is safe. If you can’t be with your dog for every outside play, think about investing in an invisible fence – this is a great way to keep your dog safe while playing outdoors.

Dr. Susan Wright is the staff expert on invisible fence alternatives for Dog Fence DIY. Susan has authored many articles on proper pet care and pet health. Dr. Wright has over ten years experience as a practicing veterinarian.

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