Puppies are fun and lively, but they can also bring worries if they get sick or hurt. Puppy insurance can ease those concerns. Here’s what you should consider to decide if it’s right for you.
What Is Puppy Insurance?
Pet insurance helps cover some of the medical costs for your puppy, which can ease the stress of paying big vet bills.
With human insurance, you often show your card at the doctor’s office and pay a small fee. But with pet insurance, you pay the full vet bill upfront. Then you can ask the insurance company to reimburse you for the part they cover.
The insurance company reviews your receipt to determine what’s covered. Then, they send you a check, deposit money into your account, or hold funds for you to withdraw later to cover the expenses.
Some pet insurance companies pay the vet directly, so you only have to pay your share of the bill.
Types of Puppy Insurance
Pet insurance works much like human insurance. You pay monthly fees and copays and have a deductible. But there are some differences.
Human insurance usually covers everything from preventive care to accidents to chronic conditions under one policy, with separate plans for things like vision or dental.
But with pet insurance, there are three main types: one for accidents only, one for accidents and illness, and one for preventive care like vaccines and checkups.
Accident and Illness Puppy Insurance
This is the most common type of pet insurance. Accident and illness plan cover unexpected medical needs like surgery, imaging tests (like X-rays and ultrasounds), hospital stays, treatment for infectious diseases, cancer treatment, and emergency care.
This coverage helps with things like:
- Broken bones
- Urinary tract infections
- Bite wounds
- Severe allergic reactions
- Diseases like parvovirus or Bordetella
- Swallowing foreign objects
Accident and illness coverage often includes:
- Exams, tests, and follow-up visits
- Diagnostic tests like X-rays and blood work
- Treatments and surgeries at the hospital
- Staying at the hospital
- Medicines to take home
Accident-Only Puppy Insurance
Accident-only puppy insurance plans are cheaper than ones covering illnesses, too. These plans pay for unexpected treatments and surgeries for accidents like broken bones or swallowing something, but they don’t cover illnesses like infections or cancer.
Accident-only coverage often includes:
- Exams and follow-ups
- Tests like X-rays and blood work
- Treatments and surgeries at the hospital
- Staying at the hospital
- Medicines to take home
Wellness Plans for Puppies
These plans offer yearly checkups tailored to your pet’s age and breed. They usually cover:
- Exams
- Blood and urine tests
- Vaccinations
- Fecal tests
- Tests for heartworm and tick-borne illnesses
- Preventive treatments for parasites
Some wellness plans also cover optional surgeries like spaying and neutering, but there might be rules about your pet’s age and when the surgery can happen. Usually, cosmetic surgeries like tail docking and ear cropping aren’t covered.
Dental Insurance
Most pet insurance plans don’t include dental care, such as checkups, X-rays, cleanings, or removing baby teeth.
However, some companies might cover regular cleanings in a wellness plan. But if your pet has an accident or gets hurt, like breaking a tooth or having an abscess, those treatments might be covered by a regular accident or illness plan.
Why Do Puppies Need Insurance?
Yes, it’s a good idea to get puppy insurance to cover unexpected costs that might come up while your puppy is growing up. It’s best to get a policy right after you bring your new puppy home.
Even though most puppies are healthy when they’re born and usually don’t get sick early in life, there are a few reasons why puppy insurance is a good idea:
- Puppies can have accidents or get sick from eating things they shouldn’t, like toxic items or objects that can block their intestines.
- They can get hurt from falls or other accidents, which might lead to sprains or fractures.
- Puppies are curious and might get bitten by snakes or insects.
- They can also get stomach problems like diarrhea and vomiting.
All these problems need a trip to the vet, which can be expensive. Having insurance can help lower the cost of vet bills.
Getting insurance while your puppy is young and healthy means they won’t have any pre-existing conditions when they’re older, as long as you keep the insurance. If a dog is diagnosed with a chronic condition later on, like hip dysplasia in Labradors or breathing problems in Bulldogs, it’s considered a pre-existing condition. Most insurance companies won’t cover that. But if you had insurance before the diagnosis, the illness might be covered.
