We get caught up in the huge learning curve of training a dog, getting it micro chipped, learning the local council rules of registration and learning generally about how to look after a dog. We don’t think about calling the local pet insurer when we bring our new puppy home for the first time and finding out how to get your dog covered.

So what is Pet insurance?

It usually covers your vet bill when you Dog gets ill or injured in an accident and can also cover you if your dog gets lost or stolen or dies.

Why is this important?

When we get a dog we don’t think about it getting sick or ill. Trips to the vet are usually a common occurrence, especially when they are younger. We take our dogs to the vet usually for there routine check and vaccination and the cost of this is fairly modest. What we usually don’t expect is those accidents which occur during the year and leave us with good size vet bills. Normally we have no issues paying what it takes to get our dog fixed up; however it can leave you slightly bitter. Pet insurance helps to cover these costs with a wide range of plans which cover your pets for difference situations. You can get some of the cost of getting your dog fixed and also vaccinations covered or just have it for accidents. Prices vary according to the plan you choose. The benefit I see with Pet insurance is that it covers you for accidents which can give us peace of mind knowing that you aren’t worrying about the huge vet bill. During the time you have a dog it will most likely at some point get ill and it’s rare not to take your dog to the vet a couple of times a year.

A Few things to think about:

It’s important you do your research and look at various companies to find a plan which suits your situation. Costs vary according to the cover you get – usually the more covered your dog, the more it will cost. Pet insurance will usually cover a dog up until a certain age, once a dog reaches that age they will either refuse to cover them or up their premiums. You need to make sure you get a specific diagnosis of your dog’s illness as they can reject claims if it’s not well documented – usually this isn’t a major issue as you can normally just ring up your vet and they can give you all there notes.

Pet insurance won’t be for everyone however it’s well worth investigating as accidents and vet visits are usually a common occurrence when you own a dog.