They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But you can have it insured so it can cherish being adored by you and your family for as long as possible. However, insuring older dogs has its tricks and challenges. Ready? Sit, read, enjoy.
In a way, pet insurance is like wine: the older the dog is, the more expensive it gets. The reason is, just like with us, humans, older dogs are more likely to develop illnesses and get injured. Among the conditions old dogs are prone to develop, there are cancer, renal failure, cataracts, diabetes, blindness, and many more.
This happens because, as they age, the furry companions’ immune systems gets weaker and they tend to become overweight. This makes them more vulnerable to developing these illnesses that, needless to say, are sometimes extremely expensive to treat.
Most insurance companies offer coverage for these conditions, provided that they are non-preexisting. There are, though, a few firms that do cover preexisting conditions, if they are curable.
The distinction is very subtle, meaning that if your dog has a certain condition and is cured from it, the insurance company will provide coverage for that condition after a certain period of time.
Three of the insurance companies that offer coverage for older dogs are Embrace, PetFirst, and Pets Best. Below is a sample coverage for a 14-year old French Bulldog named Rocky from these three companies for their most popular plans.
As you can see, all three companies that cover older pets have certain advantages and disadvantages. It is, therefore, very important that you analyze your and your dog’s needs in depth, focusing on your financial situation or the conditions your dog’s specific breed is prone to in order to choose the most appropriate one.
Even though the monthly premium for an older dog is more expensive than that of a younger one, it is still worth the price if you take into account the costs involving the treatments that these pets are prone to once they get old.
If you almost played ‘dead’ like Rocky does when you heard these numbers, you’re most definitely going to be close to having a panic attack when you see the vet bills for your senior dog’s treatments.
Which will, sooner or later, pile up. It’s just a matter of time until your older dog gets seriously ill or injured, although it’s obvious that it’s not something anyone is looking forward to.
To prepare for this, it is recommendable to insure your pet with an appropriate pet insurance provider as young as possible. Mind you, even in these instances, the premiums will increase with most of these companies as your dog ages.
Still, even so, it is best to have your senior, furry companion insured so that he or she can have a happy ever after alongside an owner who finds peace of mind knowing that his or her dog is backed in case a bad scenario happens.
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