Overview
Wondering how you are going to pay Fido's increasing vet bills? You need to learn about dog health insurance. Dog health insurance has been popular in the United Kingdom and other European nations, but still has low enrollment in the U.S. Figuring out whether you need dog health insurance and whether it is a good value will take a little math and knowledge about what, exactly, dog health insurance will cover.
Types
There are different types of dog health insurance, just as there are different types of health insurance for people. The most basic dog health insurance policy will only cover your dog if he is accidentally injured. Other policies include surgery, dental work, vaccination shots, illness, or yearly visits to your veterinarian.
Cost
The cost of dog health insurance will vary depending upon the extent of the coverage. A policy that covers wellness checks will be far more expensive than one that only covers your dog when he is injured. A purebred dog of a breed that is prone to certain health issues will cost more to insure than a mixed breed, and a puppy will cost less to insure than an elderly dog.
Value
It's difficult to place a value on dog health insurance because it will depend upon whether or not you end up using it. If your pet becomes seriously ill or injured, it can be the difference between whether you can afford to let your pet live. If you never use your dog health insurance, you'll probably feel that it was money wasted. To decide whether dog health insurance is worth it for you, ask yourself if you could medically afford to cover the cost to save your dog's life at any amount and weigh that against the emotional cost of losing a valued member of your family
Considerations
Most dog health insurance policies will exclude known breed-specific problems from their coverage. For example, Labradors are known to develop hip dysplasia, and coverage for that condition might be excluded. Dog health insurance providers will usually not cover preexisting conditions, and many place a dollar limit on how much they will pay out for a specific condition. Be sure to read the entire policy before purchasing dog health insurance so you know exactly what is and is not covered.
History
According to the Hartville Group, a dog health insurance provider, the first dog health insurance policy was issued in Sweden in 1924, and Great Britain is the nation with the most dog health insurance policies. Dog health insurance came to the U.S. in 1982 and became more popular in 2001.
