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Insurance for dogs has been in existence for close to twenty year. Its surprising then that many dog owners have never heard of dog insurance before. We normally associate insurance with people and not animals.

If you've used your money to pay for dog surgery or if you've ever put your dog to rest because your couldn't afford the medical fees, then you need to appreciate the importance of dog health insurance.

The costs associated with taking care of dogs are going up by the day. To make matters worse, if you have more than one dog then your finances are more constrained. To find out if you need dog insurance, ask yourself these questions:-

- Do you consider your dog to be a member of the family?
- Will you be able to comfortably clear the bills should your dog develop cancer or needs long-term care.
- Will it break you if you are to euthanize your dog cause you did not plan ahead for a crisis?

If you say yes to these questions, then please consider taking insurance for your dog before its too late.

Dog Health Insurance Types

There are many dog insurance products out there in the market. The higher the premiums you pay, the more benefits your dog receives. The average dog insurance plan starts at about $20 to $40 per month and comes with no annual benefit limit or if a limit exists then its approximately $15,000 - $20,000.

Most plans give you discounts for coverage of multiple dogs. Your deductible will be primarily be determined by the plan you choose, but the average is about $100 per year.

Since most of the expenses generated by dogs will be related to routine procedures, its a wise idea to get a dog health insurance plan that covers neutering, vaccinations, annual check-ups & dental. These seemingly lower budget procedures can put a huge dent in your wallet in the long run.

What barriers might come up when looking for dog insurance? For starters, if your dog is over a certain age limit, he might be denied cover. Even if you are to get the insurance for older dog, you will find restrictions in the plan. Also, most insurance policies will not cover for existing medical conditions or birth defects. If your dog has cancer it might not be covered.

In the process of comparing different dog insurance products, find out if there are any waiting periods on your dog policy. The waiting period determines when the dog's coverage will begin ' Its not impossible to have waiting periods of up to 6 months. Once your plan goes through, you will have to choose a vet from their list of approved providers.

Are there any alternatives to dog insurance?

What happens if your dog does not qualify for dog insurance or if you decide not to buy a policy? Are there other options to go with?

There is a dog health care discount program called Pet Assure. When you enroll in this program, you are eligible to receive a discount on your animal's medical care so long as you patronize participating veterinarians. Other benefits you will get include getting discounts to prescriptions & also getting access to product coupons.

If you have a dog that is not insured and it needs urgent medical care and you don't have the funds available, ask the vet if their clinic offers any sort of emergency funding. Some vets do set aside funding for dog owners who cannot afford the medical expenses associated with dog care especially if the treatment does not involve long-term care and multiple visits.

Another option for dog owners without dog insurance is to go to the humane society (long shot) or a non-profit dog support group that offers financial aid. You will need to apply to access their money and in reality very few of those who apply actually receive enough cash to offset the medical bills.