Does my dog need insurance?

   Posted: January 10, 2009 | Comments: 0 | Views: 245 | Rating: Not Rated

Pet insurance is all the rage these days. Does your dog really need its very own insurance policy? There are some pros and cons to these insurance plans that cover all kinds of accidents and injuries your dog could encounter.

Paying the costly insurance premiums may not be easy for many dog owners. If you sign up for an average pet insurance policy, you will spend between 2000 and 5000 dollars on insurance during your pet’s lifetime. In most cases, you would never use that amount of money of health care for your pet.

However, there are some exceptions. If you are the kind of person who would give your right arm to save your pet, then dog insurance might be right up your alley. You can also benefit from pet insurance if your dog has a lot of health problems, requiring frequent veterinary visits.

While science has made great strides in health care for canines, out pocket books sometimes can’t keep up with the technology. Organ transplants and cancer treatments were once reserved for human sufferers, but that has changed. Now dogs can survive a growing number of illnesses with the assistance of modern medical interventions.

While many dog owners would opt to put their pets to sleep in the face of a horrible diagnosis, some choose to pursue treatment. Pet insurance can help cover the costs of the many expensive treatment options.

Americans actually spend around 11 billion dollars every year on medical care for their animals. When keeping that fact in mind, pet insurance doesn’t seem like such a bad idea.

When you sign up for dog insurance, you will have dozens of options. Policies are customized according to animal needs and premium preferences. Some policies cover accidents and injuries. Other policies cover the cost of your dog in case he gets lost or runs away. Many dog breeders choose to get these policies to protect the thousands of dollars they spend on dogs.

If you get a pet insurance policy, you will basically just pay for veterinary care upfront and then submit your receipts to the insurance company. After you meet the determined deductible, the insurance will reimburse you for all of your dog’s medical expenses.

The insurance companies provide claim forms that you fax or mail back to the insurance company with all receipts from the veterinarian. Then the insurance company evaluates the claims and sends the dog owner a check.

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