Sunday, July 1, 2007
How to Get Pet Insurance for Your Dog
Have you taken your dog to the vet recently? Did you balk at the cost of a regular check up or the price tag of your dogs medicine? In a more extreme example, your dog may have eaten something that didnt agree with them and they are convulsing and coughing up blood. This frightens you and you rush them to the emergency vet hospital. The vet has trouble ascertaining the cause of their distress and runs several tests and pumps a plethora of medicines in your dogs body.
Of course you love your dog and will do anything to save him. However, after the fright of the situation wears off you realize that your dog has racked up quite a vet bill. In fact, the bill may be over $1,000. Wow! There is no question that you should save your dogs life by any means possible, but if this type of situation happens more than once your bank account might dwindle to nothing. Therefore, you need to purchase pet insurance for your dog.
Pet insurance for your dog you ask? Yes, you can purchase pet insurance for your canine companion. It is a great idea to purchase pet insurance for many reasons. Was your dog born with birth defects and other chronic problems? For example, some dogs are born with misplaced knee caps, trick knees, and will need costly surgery in the future. Another reason to buy pet insurance for your pet is that if they are getting on in years. Many times dogs will hit a certain age and it seems as if they are struck with several health problems at once.
Pet insurance is also a good option if you have an overly active or working dog. Does your dog tend to run around the country side and come home with scrapes and bruises? Do they bring home disease infested rodents for your viewing pleasure? Do they feel compelled to eat trash that is filled with bacteria even when they know they arent supposed to? Do you have more than one dog and fear the spread of a dog illnesses or infections? Pet insurance is something to consider in any of these cases.
How does pet insurance work? Pet insurance is very similar to your own health insurance plan. There are several different pet insurance plans to choose from that range in the amount of services and cost. Many pet insurance plans offer coverage regarding annual checkups, lab tests, vaccinations, drugs/medications, spaying/neutering and emergency visits. Often you will visit the vet, pay for the service and then submit your claim to the pet insurance company.
The range of coverage varies as does the deductible and reimbursement percentage. Some pet insurance plans will pay up to 80% of your vet bill after you have reached the $100 deductible. Pet insurance is an especially thankful gift when your dog has an emergency and racks up the medical costs.
In addition, pet insurance plans also allow you to choose the veterinarian you would like your dog to see. You do not have to worry about veterinarians in your network like you commonly do with your own health insurance plan.
When choosing a pet insurance plan you have a host of pet insurane companies available. Many of these companies have websites that can provide you an instant pet insurance quote. You type your contact information, the breed of your dog, and your dogs age. You can find the costs for pet insurance plans that are basic to comprehensive and whether you want to pay the pet insurance premium monthly or once a year.
It depends on the age and breed of your dog, but you can find pet insurance premiums as low as $10-$15 per month. As your dog gets older, the cost will increase slightly due to the fact that older canines are prone to more illnesses and veterinarian visits. This rise in cost can be offset greatly by the amount of money you will save by purchasing a pet insurance plan.
Think pet insurance is too high or unnecessary? Consider the fact that if you dont purchase pet insurance, you will have to pay the full amount for every vet service out of your pocket. This can soon add up to over thousands of dollars during your dogs lifetime.
If your dog is susceptible to illness or you find yourself at the vets office often then check out pet insurance plans. You can peruse the Internet for instant quotes or contact your vet for possible pet insurance options. Finding pet insurance is as easy as signing up on the Internet. If you dont feel comfortable with the Internet, then seek out the guidance of your vet. They may know well respected pet insurance companies that offer affordable pet insurance plans. Your pooch and your pocket book will thank you.
