Dog Health Insurance will get tails wagging but before you go signing on the dotted line, you may want to be aware of a few things!
Pet insurance is increasingly becoming a household essential and for good reason, too. Your dog isn’t just a pet, they are a member of your family which means ensuring that they get the same level of care and coverage as the rest of the humans in your house do!
Your canine companion deserves the best when it comes to their health insurance, and we vow to help you find the best! However, that means doing your research. Thankfully you don’t have to panic search anything because we already have all that information locked and loaded for you.
So, bookmark this page, and let’s protect your fur baby!
Important insurance lingo to learn
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Deductibles
Now, if you have human insurance, you might already be familiar with this insurance term. But don’t panic if you don’t, because we’re more than happy to explain it. Your deductible is the amount that you will pay out-of-pocket before your dog health insurance kicks in!
Keep in mind that the higher your deductible, the lower your monthly payments will be and vice versa!
You want to make sure that you are signing a policy that has a deductible that you can actually afford. Look through your finances and see what is doable for you.
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Pre-existing conditions
As the name kind of suggests, a pre-existing condition is when your dog has already been diagnosed with a health issue before you took out the pet policy. This essentially means that this illness existed prior to you taking out pet insurance.
The most important part to remember when it comes to pre-existing conditions is that if your dog has one, they may NOT be covered for that condition by your insurer. This is a general rule of thumb across the globe for pet insurers. Thankfully, Oneplan Pet Insurance does things a little differently, check it out here: Oneplan: Pet Insurance That Covers Pre Existing Conditions
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Veterinarian options
You know how with human health insurance, you are often only allowed to go to network physicians? Well, the same applies to most pet insurance companies. Your dog will only be able to receive treatment from one of their affiliated veterinarians.
However, the people over at Oneplan are we prefer to make their own rules, and they let you choose your own veterinarian. This way you have the power to choose who you trust to protect and care for your dog.
Discover: Vet Visit Tips: From Scheduling the Appointment to the Day-Of
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Policy limitations
Look we get it, when you see this heading the first thing that comes to mind is “terms and conditions”. The truth is that no one really likes to read that section of any contract, but you have to. It could quite literally save your dog’s life…especially when it comes to the policy limitations.
Your policy limitations are basically all of the things that will NOT be covered for your dog. This could range from the number of claims you can send, or elements that will impact whether or not your pup is still eligible for dog health insurance.
Things to keep in mind when looking for dog health insurance
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Get comfy reading
Whether you are an avid reader or not, you owe it to your dog to read through the entire policy. Don’t just click on the very first insurance company that pops up. Make sure that you are comfortable with them since they will essentially be helping you take care of your dog.
Start comparing different policies, look at the premiums and check out their customer service. While you are already doing that, you might as well also assess what their claims process is like too. These are the essentials, so write these down so you don’t forget!
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What are the exclusions?
When it comes to the important things that you need to keep in mind, make sure that ‘exclusions’ makes the top of your list. There are many exclusions that are linked to certain dog breeds as they can be prone to certain hereditary conditions – that will not be covered.
Make sure to read over your pet insurance policy carefully to make sure that should your dog have certain issues, it will still be covered. Not only could this help save your dog, but it will also help save your finances if you know what you need to pay for out-of-pocket in the future.
Remember that you are essentially the pack leader when it comes to the health and wellbeing of your dog. Lead them well and lead them to safety with the help of a dog health insurance that will always have your back!
Yours In Not-So-Average Pet Advice,
The Petinsurance.co.za Team
#NotYourAveragePetAdvice