The first thing new dog owners are told is to get insurance for their puppy, in fact, pet insurance is essential. It’s something that all veteran dog owners swear by, but why is it necessary?
When you have just brought home a happy, healthy puppy, it’s hard to imagine why you would ever need pet insurance. And while it’s all too easy not to bother with pet insurance for your dog, we strongly suggest that you do.
Your puppy might be happy and healthy now, but who knows what the future holds. Accidents aren’t uncommon in dogs, all it takes is your pup to cut a paw or run into the road, and you will have a hefty veterinary bill to deal with.
The idea of paying out what seems like an enormous amount, for a service that you never think you will need, may seem wasteful. But if, in the future, your precious pet was to require expensive veterinary care, having insurance in place would be a godsend.
Still not convinced that your dog needs pet insurance? Then make sure to have a read of our three reasons why pet insurance is a must, below:
- You are legally responsible for your dog: You may not realise it, but as a dog owner you are legally responsible for your pet. If your dog escapes and causes a road traffic accident or damages someone else’s property, you are considered liable.Whether your dog causes a car crash or harms livestock, you are responsible. This means that any damage your dog causes, you will need to pay out for. However, if you have pet insurance, that will cover it.
- Vet bills can be high: While pet insurance won’t cover routine treatments, like worming, it will cover care costs for illness and accidents.You might not think that your pet will need expensive treatment, but it’s impossible to see the future. If your pet requires major surgery due to an accident or illness, the cost could be extremely high. If you couldn’t afford it, then you would have no choice but to have your pet put down.
- Your dog could develop a lifelong condition: Your puppy might be young and healthy right now, but they could develop an illness that leads to the need for lifelong medication. The cost of a one-off dose of medication might not be too high, but paying for it for life is expensive.For example, treating diabetes in dogs, a fairly common condition, can be incredibly expensive. With all the medications and vet checks a diabetic dog needs, the cost of yearly vet care can easily run into the thousands. But if you have an insurance policy for your dog, then as long as it’s a lifelong policy, the cost of his medication would be covered for life.
No one wants to think about their dog getting hurt or becoming ill, but as a responsible owner, it’s important to do so.
To determine whether you should get insurance, all you need to ask yourself is whether you could afford to cover the cost of a high vet bill. If the answer is no, then pet insurance is a must.
