Pet insurance is a healthcare policy for your pet that helps to lessen the overall costs of expensive veterinary bills. Having a pet insurance plan can be a lifesaver as it helps to cover the risk of paying high medical care fees. Below are a few firms that offer the best pet insurance for dogs.

Best Pet Insurance for Dogs

1. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Healthy Paws offer dogs and cats insurance. It stands out because it has no annual maximum benefits paid. The average premium is $35/month for dogs and $25/month for cats. It can be used for pets as young as 8 weeks old and as old as 14 years. You can submit claims via emails, fax, online, or using the Healthy Paw’s mobile app.

Important features of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance:

• Easy-to-use app
• No annual maximum
• Quick claims processing
• Can choose deductible and coverage
• Annual deductible
• Covers pets from 8 weeks to 14 years old

2. Embrace Pet Insurance

Embrace also covers health insurance plans for cats and dogs, including the puppies and kittens. The lower premium cost is $10/month for cats and $16/month for dogs, making it one of the best values on the market. Embrace Pet Insurance also covers vaccines and regular veterinarian visits. 

They also offer what they refer to as Catastrophic Pet Insurance Plan. This means it covers accidents, illnesses, breed-specific, genetic conditions, cancer, and dental illnesses. In addition, it covers chronic conditions, like arthritis, diabetes, and allergies, with no per condition limitations.

Claims are addressed quickly and efficiently and the customer care service and care are top-notch. Also when a customer’s pet passes away, they receive a handwritten note of condolences from the Embrace Pet Insurance staff.

Important features of Embrace Pet Insurance

• Offers office visits and alternative treatments
• Covers cats and dogs 6 weeks to 14 years old
• Claims are addressed quickly and efficiently
• No lifetime limits 
• Diminishing deductible
• Optional wellness plan

3. Trupanion Pet Insurance 

Trupanion has been offering pet insurance since 2000 and covers both the cats and dogs 24/7, regardless of the animals’ breed, age, or gender. This company can cover hip dysplasia and other hereditary conditions like diabetes, thyroid disease, and upper respiratory infections after the determining waiting periods are up. 

Important features of Trupanion Pet Insurance

• 24/7 customer service
• Customized deductible 
• Cover 90% of services after the deductibles are met
• No payout layers 

4. Pet Assure Pet Insurance

Pet Assure is pet insurance that offers help for pets with pre-existing conditions. It wouldn’t pay your vet nor reimburse you for services. Instead, it allows you a 25% discount on services only when your vet is a PetAssure participant.

 It allows the owner to take a discount from all types of pets: dogs, cats, monkeys, kangaroos, rabbits, hamsters, goats, iguanas, parakeets. The price of the coverage does not depend on your pet’s health status or age. Instead, you will pay one set monthly fee depending on the number of pets you have. 

Important features of Pet Assure Pet Insurance

• Covers pre-existing conditions 
• You must use a vet who is a participant in the program
• No age limitations
• Pay one set monthly fee and covers all pets in the house
• No forms to fill out
• No deductibles

5. PetFirst Pet Insurance

This insurance is budget-friendly. PetFirst pet insurance has low-cost plans. The company offers plans for as low as $6/month for cats and $12/month for dogs. You can choose between high or low deductibles. One feature that makes it stand out as a less expensive plan is the annual maximum.

Important features of PetFirst Pet Insurance

• Lots of different  options for deductibles and annual maximums
• No maximum age limit
• Short timing periods
• No vet exam required to start coverage
• Two-week claim turnaround 

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Important Facts About Pet Insurance Plans

Here are some of the most important facts about pet insurance plans.

1. Reimbursements Percentage

Pet insurance does not necessarily pay your vet directly. Instead, you would pay for all the visits, charges, and then finally file for a reimbursement. The standard reimbursement percentage for pet insurance policies is 90% of a covered expense. So consider the 10% as your remaining unpaid copayment.

2. Deductible

The higher the deductible (the money you must pay before your insurance policy kicks up) the lower the premium. The standard deductible for most policies is $250.

3. Age of the pet

With some insurance policies, premiums increase as your pet gets older. Always make sure to buy a policy before your pet reaches an advanced age. If you wait for your pet to reach the advanced age, your choices of getting a new coverage will diminish significantly.

4. Pre-existing conditions

Most pet insurance companies will not reimburse you for conditions your pet already had before you bought the pet insurance policy. But the Pet Assure Pet Insurance company offers help to those pets with pre-existing conditions. You may want to consider that if your pet is suffering from hereditary conditions.

5. Coverage exclusions

Always consider that Pet insurance policies may exclude specific conditions in the policy’s language.Most importantly be sure to read your policy before purchasing it to know how your pet insurance works.

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Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

When choosing whether or not to purchase a pet insurance plan, ask yourself if you can handle all the medical bills of your pet. There are cases where you can get an emergency of your pet getting into an accident or require surgery or its suffering from a chronic disease. Well, ask yourself if you can handle all the expenses by yourself. 

If you are not financially stable then you shouldn’t wait for your financial constraints to decide for you the fate of your pet. You may want to consider getting pet insurance. Nonetheless, consider the following before buying an insurance plan:

• Premium costs
• Waiting periods
• Deductibles and co-payments
• Reimbursement percentages
• Maximum benefit amounts

What most policies cover

• Surgeries
• Treatment
• Medications
• Diagnostic tests

What most policies don’t cover

• Pre-existing or hereditary conditions
• Dental care
• Preventive care visits or wellness check-ups

 So, is pet insurance worth it? The answer to this will depend on your needs, your financial status, and your pet’s health care needs.

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Conclusion

The type of pet insurance you purchase will depend on your pet’s specific needs and your financial ability. Carefully consider the pricing, coverage services, and the percentage each plan will pay towards services rendered to your pet.

Alternatively, you can compare pet insurance plans to find the policy that suits your budget, desired level of coverage, and your pet’s health care needs. You should also make sure to read the insurance policy plan, and where you are unsure you should ask the company for clarification.