What are The Reasons for Insuring a Dog?

Select The Best NOT The Cheap Dog Insurance Policy

Did you know that you can purchase health insurance to cover your puppy or dog? It is absolutely true! You can get a health plan for all of your dogs. However, just like shopping for insurance premiums for things like car insurance, rental insurance, etc., shopping for dog insurance takes a little research to find the right company.

Below are a few basic questions that can help you get a better understanding of the type of insurance plan a company can offer for your dog.

1. Find out if the insurance company covers any pre-existing health conditions. This is very important because should your dog become ill or have an injury that stemmed from a previous condition, and the insurance company does not cover pre-existing health problems, you may be paying the expense out of your pocket.

2. Be sure to ask if the company is licensed to offer their services in your state. You generally will not have a problem with this issue, but there is the occasional rogue insurance company that covers pets but is not fully legal to do so. In that case, you may come out on the loosing end of an insurance claim.

3. Ask how many years the company has been in business and how long they have offered insurance plans that cover dogs. A fairly new company may not have the experience or the coverage that an older, more experienced service provider would.

4. Ask what the insurance policy does NOT include, such as checkups, heartworm tests, dental care, worms, etc. Obviously these items are important so you know what to expect to pay if a particular health condition with your dog springs up.

5. Find out if the insurance for your dog will cover bone scans, medications, reconstructive surgery, and CAT scans. If your dog gets seriously injured and is suspected of having a major condition as a result from the injury, he may need the above mentioned procedures and tests. These can be quite expensive if the insurance plan does not include them in the service.

6. And of course, be sure to know what your deductible will be. In addition, ask if there is a cap on any specific type of illness or accidents your dog may possibly be in.

Many people could not contemplate a life without their dog as they see them as more than a family member but as a regular companion that they may not have ever experience in another human being. A dog will get just as much enjoyment from lying on the floor near you if you haven’t the energy for a walk, never complaining. Whatever the weather, your dog would follow you without even a whine but never as for anything other than you love in return.

Other than love, there are few ways we can really show our appreciation for the love and companionship a dog provides except by keeping them in first class health which can be done with a dog insurance plan. These policies provided by various pet insurance companies cover a wide range of services starting from accidents, serious illnesses and even routine health care for the pets. Even the healthiest of dogs can become sick and knowing you have an dog insurance policy that will pay for medical attention means that the cost is never a concern.

Fortunately for us, our pets are now in safer hands than ever before and we have improved medical techniques to thank for this but these treatments are only available if you can afford them. It is not uncommon now to hear about a pet that has undergone an organ transplant procedure or one that has had their hips replaced. Just like people, dogs too can be prone to certain conditions and disease, some of which may be caused by genetic traits.

The unfortunate fact is that many conditions that dogs are prone to suffer from are only visible when the dog reaches a certain point in their life by which time they are a valued family member. A dog insurance policy therefore helps the owner to provide the best treatment in such circumstances without feeling the financial pressure of providing the best health care for the dog. Keeping a dog healthy requires a bit more than just good food and a bath because regular checks by the vet can help remove unwanted and unhealthy parasites that all dogs carry as well as looking after their hearing and teeth.

Most policies will cover these costs as part of the maintenance plan which should make the situation easier financially speaking and the peace of mind knowing that your companion is looked after. Our dog may not fully understand the lengths you are going to for their good health but it does mean they should have a long carefree life with you. If you are not sure where to start in your search for a good plan then ask some of your neighbors who have dogs and see if they can advise you on a dog insurance plan that will cover everything discussed here.

Learn more about dog insurance and much more dog related stuff at DogSearcher.com

How to Get Cheap Dog Insurance: Hunting around looking for cheap dog insurance can be time consuming and presents an ocean of problems for the average dog owner. What dog insurance benefits do I need? Who is the most reputable dog insurance provider? Which dog insurance company is going to try and avoid paying out when I claim?

Let Dog Insurance dot org help!

1) Don’t think that ‘cheap dog insurance’ is the one with the lowest / cheapest premium. That, my friends, is false economy

2) Compare dog insurance policies. Note: this is compare dog insurance policies NOT compare dog insurance premiums. When you buy dog insurance you are purchasing a financial instrument that is designed to SAVE you money as and when you may need to claim on the policy. So having a policy with a razor thin monthly premium might seem cheap – until the day you actually need to claim on it!

3) Look for life long cover. If you purchased a life insurance policy and realised it was invalid when you turned 60, you’d be upset knowing you’d spent so much money on a policy and, at the time you need it the most it becomes completely unusable – well that’s exactly what you’ll get if you but a dog insurance product which doesn’t actually cover the dog when it turns eight years old (or another age – you need the dog insurance to last for life – this is called a whole of life policy)

4) Make sure you shop around for deals. Dog insurance companies often run promotions because they want your business. Make sure you keep an eye out for these deals and offers – especially from the big, well trusted dog insurers – they have large marketing budgets and so can, occasionally offer pet insurance incentives which are really valuable to new customers.

5) It seems obvious but make full use of the Internet. Sites like this one (dog insurance dot org) are constantly on the look out for the best dog insurance deals and discounts so, by keeping an eye on us can put some money in your pocket!

Longterm illness is a nightmare for dog owners.

It can also be a nightmare for a dog insurance provider too.

Let’s be realistic and honest, a dog insurance provider is – like you – hoping your pet remains fit, healthy and well throughout its life and that the policy never has to be claimed on.

If everyone claimed on their dog insurance for major canine illnesses such as cancer, pet insurers would either go bust or their premiums would be through the roof.

This is why not all dog insurance and pet insurance policies are created equal.

If you are looking to make sure that, should the worst happen and your dog did get a longterm illness like cancer, your finances are protected and you can afford to get your dog the best health treatment, you need to very carefully understand the dog insurance policy you choose.

1) You need whole of life cover.

2) You need to check that your dog insurance cover pays out on an ongoing basis for an illness such as cancer.

3) You need to make absolutely sure that your premiums are up to date. It sounds obvious but many dog owners have let their insurance lapse and then their dog gets ill and they try and pick up the dog insurance where they left off – dog insurance providers are not stupid!

4) In the event that you have a breed that is more prone to canine cancer, speak with your vet and ask if they have had experience with a dog being treated for cancer and ask them to advise which pet insurance providers offered the most comprehensive cover.

5) Take out your OWN insurance. Make sure your dog has regular health check ups, a high quality diet, lots of exercise and if you’re actually in the market to acquire a puppy, insist that you get a breed with a low incidence of cancer and who’s parents are both health checked.

Poisoning Incidents Cost Pet Owners Millions Each Year: Pet owners often joke about pets being like vacuum cleaners literally eating anything put in front of them. Unfortunately, that lack of dietary discretion too often results in pets ingesting toxic substances, emergency visits to the veterinarian, and large medical bills. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co (VPI), a US based provider of pet health insurance, has analyzed its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to find the sources behind the hundreds of poisoning claims submitted to VPI every month. Following is a ranking of the nearly 20,000 pet poisoning claims VPI received between 2005 and 2009:

Accidental Ingestion of Medications (pet or human drugs) 5,131
Rodenticide (mouse & rat poison) 4,028
Methylxanthine Toxicity (chocolate, caffeine) 3,661
Plant Poisoning 2,808
Household Chemicals 1,669
Metaldehyde (snail, slug poison) 396
Insecticide 323
Heavy Metal Toxicity (lead, zinc) 288
Toad Poisoning 270
Antifreeze Poisoning 213
Walnut Poisoning 100
Alcohol Toxicity 75
Strychnine 28

VPI policyholders spent more than $6.6 million between 2005 and 2009 treating their pets for poisoning. Accidental ingestion of pet or human medications, the most common type of poisoning, cost policyholders an average of $791 per claim. The most expensive type of poisoning, heavy metal poisoning, cost an average of $952 per claim.

“Not only can a poisoning incident be life-threatening for the pet, it’s traumatic for the pet owner as well,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Depending on what substance the pet has ingested and the amount, the reaction can be sudden with the animal exhibiting alarming symptoms such as staggering, vomiting, drooling, seizures, and even loss of consciousness. We recommend that pet owners be aware of which items around their homes can be harmful to their pets – medications, insect poisons, chocolate, and certain nuts – and keep these items safely out of reach. Also, they shouldn’t assume that their pets will ignore that bottle of bleach in the laundry room or the Philodendron plant by the window. Our data shows this just isn’t so.”

In addition to taking steps to avoid poisoning emergencies, pet owners should be prepared for such an emergency should it arise. For example, owners should keep the phone number of their pets’ regular veterinarian and a phone number for an emergency veterinary hospital handy at all times. For more information about pet poisoning prevention and poisoning first-aid, please visit the Pet Poison Helpline at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.