Dog Insurance - Is it a Good Idea?
A lot of people aren't aware that dog insurance is possible. Like health insurance for people, it's designed to help cover the cost of medical bills that could end up costing quite a bit of money. A lot of people are starting to do this, though there are still plenty that do not. If you can't afford another expense, you might want to pass on dog insurance
Just like with insurance for people, you can get quotes and compare rates of dog insurance plan providers. One of the most popular providers is VPI Pet Insurance. They are a subsidiary of Nationwide. They offer insurance for all different types of pets, and they have two main plans.
The lower end VPI Medical dog insurance plan covers accidents, illnesses, surgeries, lab tests, prescriptions, hospitalization, cancer, and carries a maximum annual benefit of up to $7,000. This plan will have lower rates than the higher end Major Medical plan.
VPI's Major Medical Plan has the best illness and injury benefits, as well as the option to choose deductibles of $100, $250, $500, and $1000. The maximum term benefit for this dog insurance is $14,000.
Other pet insurance providers will have similar options, and they'll give you the ability to add on additional coverage for things like heartworm, vaccinations, spaying and neutering, dental, flea control, and urinalysis.
Deciding whether or not to get dog insurance is a big decision!
As of right now, most pet owners do not get their animals insured. They consider it an unnecessary expense and don't feel like they can afford the extra bills. For the most part, you can insure the health of your dog by giving them obedience training in order to keep them safe an out of trouble and making sure to only feed them healthy dog food.
Yes, accidents can happen.
If you are worried about any kind of accident, then dog insurance is a great option for you. I am personally not terribly concerned because out of all five dogs I've raised in my life, none have need expensive surgery or care. They do have expensive veterinary visits every now and again due to illnesses or needing medication but to me it's easier to pay once then worry about handling another bill.
That's my own personal opinion about dog insurance. It's really a decision that you need to make on your own.
If you do want to know more about getting your dog insured, here are some of the biggest companies to check out. Keep in mind that www.DogTrainingAvenue.com is not affiliated with any of these pet insurance companies in any way, nor do we recommend one particular brand over the other. Treat it as though you were buying your own health insurance and go by what you can afford and what coverage you need.
Here are some of the larger companies:
www.PetInsurance.com
www.PurinaCare.com
www.HealthyPawsPetInsurance.com
www.PetsBest.com
www.PetCareInsurance.com
www.24PetWatch.com
www.PetAssure.com
www.TruPanion.com
www.ShelterCare.com
There are quite a bit of sites that do reviews so you can check those out if you want, though you'll find that it's essentially like comparing health or auto insurance. You have to get quotes from different companies until you find the best rate, and then you have to use them to see if you like them or not. If they come through in the end and you don't have any problems with them, then you're good to go.
You might hear good things about one company and then have bad personal experience with them, so take each review with a grain of salt. You'll eventually find the best choice for your dog.
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