Dog Insurance: Pet Insurance Will Save You Money
Dog Insurance
Hello, I'm Jerry. If you are thinking about buying dog insurance it is no easy task. There are several different pet insurance companies that have a large number of plans. Believe me when I say you will have to do your homework!
That's why we've created this special page within the site to advise you on how to investigate the different pet insurance companies and guide you with the right questions to ask and show you why you need complete understanding of what you are buying.
Whether you are looking at dog insurance for that new puppy or an older dog you should follow this guide as a minimum BEFORE YOU BUY.
A. When comparing companies, find out how long they have been in business. Check with the BBB. Older companies may not be better than some of the newer ones out there. This information may not seem important, but by the time you finish this guide, it will help draw a complete picture of the companies you are checking out.
B. Don't be bashful when talking to the various businesses. Ask them about their employees. Do they have licensed professionals? Do they certify their service staff? Ask them why you should choose them. Look, you need to feel good about the people you will be dealing with and they should have the staff to back all of their promises.
C. TALK TO YOUR VET! A lot of veterinarians will recommend an insurance company. Your vet will have heard a lot of horror stories as well as the positive. You can find even more information at your vet by asking questions to other staff members in the office.
D. Pet insurance is different from your health insurance! Be sure to understand everything about the monthly premiums. Understand what causes premium increases. These companies all have their own policies that cover when, how, and why premiums increase. You need this info for your comparison.
E. You need to completely understand PRE-EXISTING conditions. This includes when you renew your policy. For example, your dog is treated for some condition during your first term. Upon renewal, that condition may be considered pre-existing and therefore not covered! Do your homework.
F. Reimbursement; Ask for benefit schedules that list reimbursements. If a company is using "reasonable and customary fees" to base it's reimbersments, be careful and and ask lots of questions. The first question I would ask is "why do you guys use reasonable and customary fees instead of a set rate schedule?
G. Find out whether or not the insurance has a lifetime maximum. Be careful of potential extra coverage that may be required.
H. Compare your choices for preventative care that provides reimbursements for common things including vaccinations, wellness exams, heartworm protection, and spay/neuter for example.
I. Determine the different choices and options each provider has. Are you limited to a veterinary network, are there pre-care approvals required, or can you use the veterinarian of your choice.
As you can tell from the above list, dog insurance is as complicated as our own health insurance. The companies that provide coverage for your pets are all different in the benefits they offer. With that said, I believe all pet owners should have their pets insured. If you choose not to get pet insurance, I can guarantee (from experience) that there will be at least one event where you will say "I sure wish I had that insurance".
Thinking about obtaining dog insurance for that 4-legged friend that you already have or for that puppy you have been wanting. Oh, don't forget about rescuing that perfect companion. There are thousands to choose from and there are rescue organizations that specialize in specific breeds. OK back to insurance. Dog health insurance is a relatively young industry and as you can imagine every insurance company you research will have significant differences in their policies. As you do your research keep the following thoughts in mind and be sure to write the answers to your question down for later comparisons before deciding on the coverage that makes sense for your circumstances.
What are your financial resources? Having a canine buddy comes with a responsibility to care for and keep your friend healthy. When times are good and your pet is healthy there is only good food and annual fitness checks and shots to pay for. (several policies will cover these annual fees) However, how are you going to cover a sickness or accident that can easily run up a vet bill into the thousands? We have had at least two dogs at any given time in the house for 35 years and trust me when I say that every one of them had at least one event that cost us thousands of dollars to treat. There were many times when we said "man I wish we had pet insurance". Keep in mind that most pet policies require you to pay the bill and then submit a reimbursement. This is one of the many details that one needs to understand before purchasing a policy.
Similar to our own insurance a huge contributor to the cost of your pet's insurance policy is AGE. Just like us humans, our dog's health will require more attention as he/she ages. This means that premiums will increase with age. When talking to insurance companies it is important that you completely understand their definition of "pre-existing conditions". Make sure that something treated in the first year of coverage is not considered as pre-existing when you renew!!!!
Many pure bred dogs are known for certain diseases or genetic conditions that put them at a higher risk to insurers. There are many policies that will not cover breed-specific genetic conditions. Again, you must read the exclusions of any policy very carefully before buying.
If you do rescue you need to be aware that your pet has potentially been abused. Sadly, this sometimes has a major affect on a dog's health. Obviously, malnourished or abused pets have a higher risk of health problems in the future. If your pet has been or may have been subject to prior abuse you may want to carry a best coverage policy for at least the first couple of years.
Before you buy a policy, talk to friends that have pet insurance, talk to your veterinarian, and shop the different providers. Their policies are all different and you need to know exactly what you are buying so there will be no surprises. Knowledge is power!
Providing for a dog is a huge responsibility that goes way beyond food and shelter. Basically, you need to know what is good and what is bad for your dog's health. Our dogs can suffer from all the ailments we humans suffer from; everything from ear infections, skin problems, joint issues and more serious things such as heart problems and cancer.
OK folks, this is not rocket science! To prevent many potential problems we need to provide a healthy diet for our pets. Feeding your dog a healthy balanced diet is a must do. Please do not go out and buy the cheapest stuff you can find. At the very least, buy a well known companies food. A good place to start is to ask your vet what they recommend.
Water is extremely important. Your pet should have a constant supply of clean water to drink. You should be giving your dog the same water that you drink. We always add water to our dog's meals, just a sneaky way of getting wore water in them. Folks, this is important. The more water they drink, the better they will feel.
EXERCISE YOUR PET! Get out there and do DAILY walks. Play fetch or other games in the back yard. Go to your local pet supply and get a few games that causes your dog to solve puzzles. These are things that will relieve stress, strengthen the body, and get that metabolic rate up. These are things that improve the overall dog's health. Oh, by the way, they help you in the same way!
Grooming is for maintaining good health. Bathe your dog! Be sure to clean the ears on a regular basis. Brush your dog's teeth. Clip your dog's nails. You also need to brush your dog's hair at least twice a week. According to the experts, exposure to harmful chemicals is a main cause of canine health problems. Limit the use of pesticides, herbicides and weed killers and store them properly. Second hand smoke is harmful to your dog's health too.
A large part of your pet's health is not just physical health. It also needs to be mentally healthy. This is easy by simply keeping you dog happy. Do this by loving him. Again, not rocket science here. Pay attention to your dog's needs. Reward good behavior. Pamper him. One of the best things we have done with all of our dogs is taking basic obedience classes. The basic commands learned gives your dog an understanding of you and creates an unbreakable bond between you and him. Pet insurance is a cost saver and will contribute to the health of your dog.
All of us pet owners will tell you that our dogs health problems should get the same attention that we give to our own health problems. This is only common sense because our dogs face many of the same illnesses that we do, such as arthritis, diabetes, kidney and other infections or disease, hepatitis, heart problems, cancer and the list goes on. Now you have to add the health problems unique to your dog such as heartworm. Also, there could be problems with tics and fleas. As you can see, owning a pet comes with a lot of responsibility.
Obviously, your dog can't tell you what is wrong if he has a health issue. Although they can't talk to us, they may give us signs in their behavior. We can also tell a lot just by our pets' appearance. Early detection of any problem is important because early treatment is always less expensive, simpler and more successful. Regular wellness check-ups at your vets office is a good idea. Pay attention to your dog and if you notice something different in his actions you should try to get to the reason because it could be something serious. Another thing to keep in mind here is that most animals will hide pain instinctively (they are very good at this) because it is a sign of weakness to them.
This is not rocket science people so follow these general guidelines; your dogs health requires these things. As previously mentioned you should watch for behavioral changes like appetite or loss of energy. Although your dog's nose should be moist and cool most of the time, a dry and maybe warm nose does not always mean a fever. Routinely examine you dog's eyes and they should be bright and clear. You should feel your dogs body and understand any lumps and sores. When cleaning up after your dog you should pay attention that his poop is well formed. Also pay attention to your pets' urine, it should be clear.
Ear infection is common and is a good example of how your dog can communicate to you what's wrong through his behavior. If your dog starts shaking his head or holding it to one side or maybe rubbing against furniture or the carpet you can bet there is an ear problem. As you check the ears they may be red and tender. Any discharge is not good. Infected ears will generally smell bad. Ear problems can become very serious if not taken care of quickly. Take your dog to a vet!!!
Your dogs health should be taken seriously. Be aware of behavioral changes. A phone call to your vet when you think your pet is not feeling right is free and you will receive some great ideas. Give your dog a good diet, keep him properly groomed and give him lots of love and attention. We would highly recommend that you investigate buying pet insurance. Having pet insurance does lead to healthier dogs.