How to choose the right dog insurance?
This is a question that we have all asked ourselves! When we are the happy father or mother of a dog, we all ask ourselves the same questions: how to organize my day between work and my dog's outings? How do I educate my puppy to make him a good and sociable dog? How and where should I take my dog on vacation? Which dog insurance should you choose to cover veterinary costs in the event of an accident or illness?
Adopting a dog is happiness in bar, but it is also a budget to plan. When adopting a dog, the question of the budget is essential. You have to be able to cover the costs of your animal no matter what. Food, toys, board or care… and veterinary costs, whether for daily care such as vaccines, anti-parasitic treatments or for costs related to accidents or illnesses. And as much as it is possible to budget for the classic care of your animal, it is almost impossible to anticipate the unpleasant surprises of life. This is where having insurance or mutual insurance for dogs is important! It is in these hard, unexpected blows that this type of device is essential so as not to have to choose between your budget and the health of your animal. We should never have to make choices like that.
When one loves, one does not count as the expression says, but it is not quite just this expression! Because even if we love our animal more than anything, when we find ourselves with a vet bill that we cannot afford, we may love it, it is not our love that will pay the bill!
That being said, let's see together how to choose the best mutual or insurance for your animal!
Compare insurance solutions for your dog
The first good reflex is indeed to compare! Whether your dog is young, in great shape or already senior, opt for dog insurance is a reasonable choice. This will avoid glitches in the event of an accident in life. It works like your own mutual fund. Each month, you pay a mutual package and the day something happens to you, all or part of your health costs are covered by the latter.
There are several mutuals for dogs and they all work on the same principle. Each contract has its "little lines" that must be deciphered to fully understand the veterinary costs that are reimbursed, under what conditions and for what amount.
How do you compare dog insurance? With a comparator of course! The website Konpare.fr helps you find the best dog insurance, and even cats. In a few clicks, you can analyze the proposals of the different insurances for these animals.
What does dog insurance cover?
That's a good question ! Dog health insurance reimburses your pet's veterinary costs, but which ones? I do not have a standard answer to give you, because each insurance and especially each formula has its specificities.
You will therefore have to choose insurance and a formula according to your needs, your animal, its health concerns, your budget… and focus on the future.
A “small” formula which will only cover the main care related to an accident.
A more expensive formula that will cover the main care for illness and accident.
Or the best formula that will cover almost all your dog's veterinary costs, such as what the mutual insurance company calls "preventive acts", that is to say your dog's daily costs such as vaccines, anti-parasitic treatments, sterilization, a tailor-made diet linked to a pathology, etc.
Know that each formula is often associated with an annual reimbursement ceiling which evolves according to the price of the formula. If your dog has a “dirty” year and has a series of problems, you will not be reimbursed for the veterinary expenses incurred if they exceed the annual ceiling. And every mutual is different. Here is another good reason to use a comparator to see things more clearly!
Remember to check the annual reimbursement thresholds, any deductibles, the number of reimbursements or the maximum amount and any deficiencies linked, for example, to the pathology, the age of your dog, etc.
How much does dog insurance cost?
Dog insurance must be paid monthly. The basic formulas offer coverage in the event of an accident and the amount of their subscription starts from €10 on average. There are “all-inclusive” formulas where 100% of veterinary costs are covered. Some dog or cat insurance policies also include certain so-called preventive acts in each of their formulas. Hey, yes, why not reimburse vaccines and other parasites if it prevents the animal from developing a more serious pathology?? It seems logical.
The price depends on your dog's breed, age, state of health and the options you are going to choose.
Does it depend on his age? Hey yes, a puppy does a lot of stupid things and we therefore potentially have more accidents in life such as a fall, the ingestion of a toy... a senior dog is more likely to have health problems due to his age… So the price of your dog's insurance will depend on this factor.
Of his race? Yes, there are breeds known to be sicker than others and these breeds will therefore, according to the insurance companies, be overtaxed.
The same is true for dogs that are already sick. Some insurers will not want to cover their health care and others will agree to take care of your animal, but with a potential additional cost. Be aware that there is also a waiting period. When you subscribe pet insurance, if your dog needs veterinary care before the end of the waiting period, you will not be reimbursed for this veterinary care.
In short, to see more clearly, the dog insurance comparator will once again be the ideal tool.
What are the benefits of dog insurance?
The benefits of dog insurance are simple: security and peace of mind! If your dog has an accident or an illness, you will not ask yourself whether you are able to financially assume the care he needs or not. Your health insurance will take over.
Your dog will therefore be able to benefit from the best care without your budget melting like snow in the sun. When you know what veterinary care can cost, you quickly do the math…
By the way, how does it work? It's simple. If your animal is suffering and needs care, you make an appointment with your veterinarian and you do your consultation as usual. At the end of the consultation, you have your veterinarian complete the care sheet (often available for printing from your personal space on your mutual insurance company's website). You pay the veterinary fees and you send this care sheet and the vet's invoice to your mutual insurance company, which will reimburse you in a few days.
You see, it's simple, right?
How to file a claim with your insurance company?
Most dog and cat health insurance companies have a 24-hour web portal. From your customer area, you can report a problem either via chat or via a complaint request form.
Most mutuals have telephone support: practical for seeking advice or asking questions.
You can also find answers to your questions in the FAQ. Pet owners usually ask themselves the same questions!
What are the exclusions and limitations of dog insurance?
As I told you previously, as for most insurance contracts, there are small lines to look closely, even very closely, because they concern exclusions, that is to say the cases where your insurance will not cover your pet's veterinary costs. And it is precisely these small lines that must be studied with a magnifying glass and which make the differences between insurance contracts.
Age and race are exclusion criteria. When an insurer supports your animal, his objective is not to expose himself to too high expenses. Some insurance companies therefore exclude so-called senior dogs or those whose breed has recognized chronic pathologies.
Category 1 and 2 dogs, known as “at risk”, are also more difficult to insure.
Each company has its own rules; : here again the online comparator will help you see more clearly… but there are common exclusion criteria, such as the fact that your dog has his vaccines up to date or that he is suffering from a hereditary disease or congenital.
Is your dog excluded from any insurance? No, some insurers offer to insure your pet, regardless of its age, breed, or health problems, but your premium will be higher and so will the deductible in the event of an accident.
I hope I have enlightened you on the subject of dog insurance. In any case, holidays are often synonymous with accidents. A pad cut on a piece of glass, the ingestion of a jellyfish or snow in the mountains which is worth a good stomach ache, sunstroke, an insect bite... It's a moment of relaxation where attention can slack off and that's usually where the little sores happen. But who says sore, says veto and says vet costs and budget that takes water… Except for insured dogs!