Helping with Dog Care Costs

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     Dogs require visits to vets on a regular basis. Most of the visits are going to check their growth and make sure that they are healthy. They will also provide the vaccinations dogs need to have on a yearly basis. It is important that a qualified person monitors your dog抯 health. However we all see the vet bills and get a little hesitant about taking our dog in. With the rising costs for dog care the need for insurance has risen. There are several companies available online that allows you to purchase a yearly dog insurance plan to help you with your vet bills. You can select from plans that include accidents and illnesses as well as your general visits. Depending on the plan you choose you can have up to 80% coverage on veterinary expenses.

Injuries, illnesses, regular vet visits, lab tests, surgery, and even prescription medicines can be included in your policy. This makes it easier for you to get your dog the health care they need and ensure a longer life. Most companies allow for three days after you have signed up before the policy will start depending on the coverage you have chosen. You will have a packet sent to you in the mail detailing the plan you have chosen. You will want to make sure that you have vet clinic that accepts insurance. As it is a newer item available for dog care you may find some clinics are unwilling to take dog insurance.

If you need to file a claim make sure you have done so within three months of the first occurrence. It is a simple process with filling out the form, making sure the vet signs off, and then sending it to the insurance company. They may ask for the medical records to be sent along with the file, along with receipts. You can only claim things that are covered under the plan you have and you must meet your deductible before you can file a claim for reimbursement of the expenses. Once they have all of the information they need you will be able to get the money in a relatively short amount of time, unlike your regular health care coverage.

A few more things that you will find covered on the policies include: MRI, CAT scans, X-rays, cancer treatments, after- hours emergency visits, specialist vets- ophthalmologists, dermatologists, surgeons, acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, and hospitalization. There will be a few things that are not covered like any other health insurance you have dealt with. Dog insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. In other words, if your dog suffers from an accident, injury, or illness before you purchased the dog insurance it will not be covered. Any condition that is a result of the pre- existing condition will also not be covered. For an example if you dog has a broken leg and then you buy the dog insurance it will not be covered; however if they break their leg a second time after it has healed they will be covered. In other words the first break wasn抰 covered because of the timing, but the second injury had nothing to do with the first and therefore they feel it should be covered.

Dog care costs are continuing to rise and are extremely expensive, even for minor visits. Having dog care insurance can help you pay for the health care they need and see other issues are covered. The policy will have a deductible and you will have monthly payments so you have to weight the amount you save versus the amount you pay out per year to see if this would be something for you and your dog.