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Which insurance plan is best for your dog? urbanhound's research team studied all the major pet insurance plans.
We compared cost, policies, coverage, and even read the fine print. To simplify things, we calculated the price of insurance for Quigley, our (usually) healthy five-year-old Labrador Retriever who lives in New York City. We asked each firm how he'd be covered if he suffered from bloat, lymphoma, or a broken limb that required surgery. We also asked how they'd cover an operation needed to remove a toy swallowed by Quigley. Finally, we tried to figure out how much of Quigley's basic wellness exam, with dental cleaning, would be paid for by each plan.
An exact comparison of one company's plan to another is almost impossible. The industry's lack of transparency doesn't help. Plus, prices can vary tremendously depending on a dog's breed and age and where you live. Nonetheless, we concluded that pet health insurance is worth the money, as long as you know what you're getting.
In our opinion, health insurance for dogs is best used to help cover unexpected expenses from accidents and injuries. For that reason, we believe that for many dog guardians the best insurance to look for is a simple accidents-only policy with good reimbursement limits. Even then, given the relatively low per-incident reimbursement limits of most plans, pet insurance should be viewed as only one source for covering your dog's health-care costs. A prudent dog guardian should also open a savings account dedicated to unexpected vet bills.
Before you buy insurance, read policies carefully for details about specific conditions and exclusions. Most policies don't cover hereditary or congenital defects. Others cover "pre-existing conditions" only if the dog has not needed treatment in at least six months. Or will only cover a condition for up to a year at most. To get an idea for how confusing this all is, read this entry on Laura Bennett's terrific blog devoted to pet health insurance.
The details of pet health insurance plans change often, so please let us know if anything on these pages needs updating.
– Aaron Baar
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