10 Reasons All Animal Owners Should Get Pet Insurance

Pets are not mere animals, when you take them into your home, they become family members. Pet insurance is a must-have if you care for your pet as if it were a member of your family. Pet insurance works just like health insurance for people. It allows you to get reimbursed for eligible medical expenses when you visit the veterinary. Learn more about this type of insurance and why pet owners should get one.

1. Insurance Covers Your Pet in Case of Accidents and Illnesses
If you take out pet insurance, you are covered in case of accidents and illness. The insurer will reimburse you for the eligible costs you pay at the veterinary if your cat or dog falls ill or is injured. Pet insurance is useful at any age because unfortunate events such as car accidents can affect any pets, especially those that also spend time outdoors. If your pet gets hit by a car or suffers injuries due to other types of accidents, the consequences can be severe and they might require surgery and long-term treatment. CT scans and X-rays alone can cost hundreds of dollars, while surgery can easily reach thousands of dollars.

Treatment for chronic diseases such as heart or thyroid conditions can also prove expensive. These require continuous medication that can cost hundreds of dollars per year. Pet insurance can help you reduce the amount you need to pay based on your coverage limit.

2. It Helps Extend Your Pet's Lifespan
Regular veterinary visits are recommended for dogs, cats, and other common pets. The minimum frequency is a visit per year. During these regular checkups, the vet will examine your pet and let you know whether they need any special diet or treatment.

These checkups are essential to catch early signs of disease and start applying preventive care treatment. On these occasions, the vet can also administer the necessary annual vaccinations and deworming treatment. Essentially, these vet visits can extend your pet’s life and ensure they stay healthy and happy for as long as possible.

Pet insurance can help you cover some of the costs associated with routine health care, especially if you choose a wellness plan. This type of insurance covers grooming, annual checkups, and several other costs. Some of the services included in pet wellness plans are:

- Deworming treatment 
- Heartworm tests 
- Vaccines 
- Annual vet visits 
- Spaying and neutering 
- Blood work 
- Fecal exams 
- Behavioral therapy 
- Grooming 
- Acupuncture 
- Massage therapy 
- Dental care 
- Microchipping 

Pet wellness plans can be added to a basic insurance plan. One aspect to keep in mind is the reimbursement limits. Some plans have per-item limitations meaning that they cover specific expenses up to a certain limit. For example, you might get a cap on dental cleaning services or vaccination. Compare different plans and choose the one you think will benefit your pet and your finances the most. 

3. Pet Insurance Helps You Be Prepared for the Unexpected 
You never know when your beloved pet falls ill, even if you’re diligent about their care and always on the lookout for symptoms. Moreover, you cannot prevent or predict accidents that might cause your pet injuries that require immediate medical attention. The cost of treatment and rehabilitation can be overwhelming. Just like getting health insurance for yourself and your family, pet insurance helps you be prepared for unexpected medical bills that can take a great share of your savings if you don't have any coverage. 

4. Pet Health Care Costs Are Rising 
Prices are constantly increasing in all industries and pet health care is no exception. The average American pet owner spends around $500 on their pet per year. This is another reason to get pet insurance sooner rather than later so you avoid spending more money further down the line if your pet gets sick or suffers an accident.

Only routine vet visits cost more than $240 per year for dogs and almost $180 for cats according to the 2021-2022 American Pet Products Association National Pet Owners Survey. If you want to add other services as part of your pet's routine care, you can pay thousands of dollars per year. For example, dental cleaning for dogs costs between $500-$1000. Dog grooming costs up to $75 depending on the dog's size. All these costs easily add up at the end of the year and pet insurance can ease this financial burden. 

5. Pet Insurance Is Flexible
Another advantage of pet insurance is that you can customize your plan depending on your pet's age, health, and of course, your finances. If you have a dog with long hair, for example, you might want to get a wellness plan that can cover the grooming costs. These pet insurance plans also include other routine care expenses and can even cover diet foods or supplements. So, if your cat has kidney problems or a skin allergy and needs a special type of food, you can get a wellness plan that covers this expense.

You can add different riders to a basic insurance policy to get coverage for different veterinary costs. Moreover, you can customize your coverage limit and take out insurance for several pets, which can also give you some discounts. 

6. Pet Insurance Is Easy to Use 
Pet insurance is not hard to use. After comparing different plans and choosing the one you find most suitable for your pet, you have to pay for the insurance coverage monthly. The insurance company will calculate the value of your monthly premiums based on your pet's age, breed, and your zip code. When you go to the vet, you'll pay for their services regularly and then submit a claim to the insurance company with the proof of payment and wait for the reimbursement. 

7. You Can Choose Any Veterinary
Pet insurance is also flexible in terms of vet choices. No matter what plan you opt for, you are not forced to choose a certain veterinarian. You can go to any vet’s office, pay for their service, and then submit your reimbursement claim to the insurance company.

Being able to choose any vet allows you to offer your pet the best care. You can take your dog for grooming to a certain vet and for regular checkups, deworming and vaccination to another one, it’s entirely up to you. 

Some insurers have a network of veterinarians. If you choose one of their vets, you can walk out of their office without paying a dime as the company will pay the vet directly for the eligible services up to your coverage amount. 

8. You Don’t Have to Tap Into Your Savings Account
If your pet suffers injuries in an accident or develops a severe condition, you might have to pay thousands of dollars to get them diagnosed and treated. Without an insurance plan, you have to pay these costly expenses all by yourself. This might mean tapping into your savings account, which is something you might not want to do if you are saving money for a house down payment, college, or another goal. Pet insurance eliminates the unpleasant situation when you have to choose between your pet and your wallet. 

9. Insurance Is Important for Older Pets
Pets have a different life expectancy depending on their overall health, genetic factors, and their breed. However, the older they get, the more likely they are to start developing different conditions.

For example, dogs, especially large breeds, are more at risk of ligament problems as they get older. 
Cats are not devoid of age-related health problems either. Many of these pets start having kidney issues and urinary tract infections as they age and the kidneys stop functioning properly. Heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer are just some of the serious conditions both dogs and cats can get diagnosed with as they get older.

Treating these conditions or at least keeping them under control can require thousands of dollars in medical bills. Pet insurance helps you be prepared for any pet health problems and related medical care costs. 

10. You Gain Peace of Mind
Having a cat or a dog is great, but it comes at a cost. When pets become family members, you have the responsibility to take care of them. This implies a lot of different aspects from training them to giving them healthy food and taking them to the vet for routine checkups. Pet insurance can help you with all these expenses by providing you coverage for a wide range of services from behavioral therapy to diet food and supplements and other vet expenses.

Besides helping you minimize the toll pet health care can take on your finances, an insurance plan also provides peace of mind. Knowing your pet is insured in case of any medical emergency can be a comforting thought, especially if it’s old or its breed makes it more prone to developing certain conditions.

Conclusion 

Pet insurance has got your furry friend covered in case of illness or accidents. Moreover, there are also wellness pet insurance plans that cover a wide range of vet expenses including behavioral therapy, grooming, vaccinations, blood work, and plenty more. Pet insurance is flexible and can offer you peace of mind. With this insurance, your pet is well taken care of in case of emergency while your finances remain intact.

Everything You Need to Know About Poodle Pet Insurance

Poodles are some of the most common pets due to their intelligence, loving nature, and appealing looks. These dogs are loveable and not only for their long and curly hair, which is their distinguishable mark. Poodles are known for their social and mental abilities. They love spending time surrounded by humans, are great at learning and performing various tricks, and unlike other dog breeds, they are not very hard to train. Poodles can live happily inside large or small homes, houses, or apartments, surrounded by a family or with a single person. They love to receive attention and their adorable long faces urge you to grant them everything they want. Learn more about this breed, its characteristics, personality, common health issues, and why you should get pet insurance to prevent and overcome them.

Poodle Characteristics

If you see a poodle once, you’ll immediately remember its characteristics the next time you encounter a specimen from this breed. Poodles are notorious for their long and curly hair. This needs constant care and regular grooming if you want your dog to be in tip-top shape all the time. Pet insurance can help you with this. Many insurance companies offer what is known as wellness plans. These are additional plans you can purchase alongside basic accident and illness coverage. Having a wellness plan can help you cover your poodle’s grooming costs up to a certain reimbursement limit. Plus, the same plan can cover a wide range of preventive care expenses, but we will come back to this later on.

Poodles are also easy to recognize thanks to their floppy ears and long noses. The average weight is around 55-60 pounds for males and 45-50 pounds for females. Poodles come in different sizes, which is great if you’re looking for small dogs you can easily keep in an apartment. The standard size can grow 15 inches tall or higher. However, there are also miniature poodles that typically measure around 11 inches tall. If you are looking for something even smaller, the toy variety is a great choice. It grows up to 10 inches maximum and weighs between five and seven pounds.

A poodle’s coat can have different colors, white being one of the most common options. However, black Poodles are no rare sight either and you can find anything in between, including gray, silver, or different nuances of brown. These dogs can have long and wavy tails.

The Breed’s Origins

Poodle’s origins can be traced to the 19^th century. The breed seems to have developed in Germany where ‘pudel’ means splash. Initially, these dogs were used for hunting and excelled at it thanks to their intelligence. Later on, people discovered their playful nature and so they began to use them to perform at the circus. The French aristocracy, which accounts for poodles’ popularity today, loved this breed they often kept as companion dogs. Since then, the poodle remained a devoted companion.

Poodle Temperament and Personality

Poodles are incredibly lively and charismatic. They thrive in social environments where they get attention and admiration. They like to learn and perform tricks and don’t mind making full of themselves as long as they receive attention. Poodles learn quickly, so you’re making a good choice with these dogs if you want a breed that’s easy to train.

As you might expect from a breed that loves to be at the center of attention, poodles are also attached to the people around them, especially their masters. In fact, they can even become protective of their master. These dogs need early socialization to learn to accept other people as puppies might sometimes display arrogant or aggressive behavior toward strangers.

These dogs have a moderate tendency to bark. So, with proper training, you can ensure your dog is well-behaved and quiet enough not to disturb your neighbors very often. Other good news is that this breed doesn’t snore or drool very often and it is not a very avid digger either.

Some Personality Flaws

Some of the most common problems poodles cause are due to their energetic and inquisitive nature. These dogs are not made to stay in their master’s lap and snore all day. Their high alertness makes them prone to break things if you live them for long periods unattended as they can easily get bored. If this happens, they often bark just to grasp someone’s attention.

Moreover, these dogs are incredible jumpers. If you keep them in the backyard, make sure you build a high enough fence so they don’t get out.

Poodles need a lot of exercise and training otherwise they tend to become overweight, which is something you want to prevent to avoid health issues.

Poodles also tend to be dominant if they don’t receive proper obedience training when they are little.

Tips for Keeping Your Poodle Happy and Healthy

The most important thing to remember about poodles is that they are attention seekers. These dogs beg for love and affection and they are ready to do anything to get them. This is also why it’s easy to train them. In fact, training is one of the best ways to keep a poodle busy, happy, and entertained. Poodles have a lot of energy, so taking them out for their daily walk is a must. They require around 40 minutes of exercise per day.

Poodles have high grooming requirements. Many poodle owners have to groom their pets almost daily. Not surprisingly, you can often see these dogs boasting creative clips. The vet will know what clipping is right for your poodle. Generally, the chest and the joints are the areas that need to remain covered by fur, especially in the cold season. Some Poodle owners prefer to give their pets a short ‘haircut’ and only leave pompons on the tail and head. Because this dog’s coat tends to form mats, you need to regularly brush it as the mats can cause pain.

Poodles’ eyes are sensitive and weepy. So, you should wipe this dog’s face daily to keep it clean. 

What Are Common Poodle Health Issues?

Poodles can suffer from a variety of health problems, which is why you shouldn’t skip annual vet visits. Bloat is one of the stomach issues that often affect poodles and is potentially life-threatening. This disease means that the dog’s stomach gets twisted.

Hip dysplasia is also common in this breed and is caused by hip joints that no longer function properly. Mitral valve disease is caused by high blood pressure and can affect poodles as well. These dogs can also suffer from thyroid problems such as hypothyroidism, which requires lifelong therapy.

Epilepsy, Addison’s disease, which is caused by the adrenal glands, progressive retinal atrophy, which can lead to cataracts, luxating patella, which is a knee dislocation, inflammatory skin diseases, or hypoglycemia are other common conditions poodles are diagnosed with.

Is Pet Insurance Worth It for a Poodle?

Since poodles can suffer from a large array of diseases, some of which can be fatal, it’s essential to get pet insurance for these dogs. This way, if your poodle gets diagnosed with one of the diseases above or any other condition, you won’t have to pay the full price of the medical costs required for their treatment.

With the cost of dog surgery easily reaching thousands of dollars, for example up to $3,000 for cruciate ligament surgery, getting pet insurance is worth it. Other therapies for serious diseases such as cancer can also amount to thousands of dollars. There are also routine vet visits and tests you should consider annually if you want to maintain your poodle’s health.

Pet insurance can help you pay the costs related to illnesses and accidents if you purchase a standard insurance policy. You get coverage up to a specific annual limit for a large array of diseases your pet might get diagnosed with after you enroll them for insurance. The percentage you will be able to reimburse for eligible vet expenses is customizable, and so is the annual limit.

The maximum annual coverage for pet insurance usually starts at $5,000 and can exceed $10,000 or be unlimited. The reimbursement options usually range from 70% to 90%. You can get coverage worth thousands of dollars if your pet gets sick and only pay a few dollars per month in premiums.

Moreover, pet insurance wellness plans include all the necessary routine care services that are not available with standard insurance options. By paying extra each month to have access to a wellness plan in addition to basic insurance, you can cover all your poodle’s routine medical needs, such as vaccinations, deworming, yearly checkups, blood tests, flea and tick treatment, grooming, and more.

Poodle Pet Insurance Prices

Pet insurance prices for poodles are not standard. Insurance companies set their prices depending on what each policy covers. Besides that, the price is determined based on each pet’s age and zip code. You can expect to pay around $40 - $50 per month for an adult poodle aged four or five. The older the dog, the pricier the insurance plan, so you might have to pay double that amount for a poodle aged ten.