Is Dog Insurance Worth It?
From a dog owner who makes frequent vet visits
--
It’s no secret — dog ownership has steadily increased over the years. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has also given rise to another explosion of new dog owners.
However, the number of dogs covered by insurance has not been keeping pace. Why is that? Have dog owners concluded that dog insurance just isn’t worth the cost, or are they just unaware of their insurance options?
This article will do a deep dive on whether dog insurance is worth it and right for you. Will it give you more peace of mind, or just burn a larger hole in your wallet?
I’ll also include a detailed case study of my yellow Lab, Yuna. She was uninsured in her first year and insured by Figo Pet Insurance for the past 2.5 years.
Uncertainties: An Inevitable Part of Having a Dog
Unfortunately, dogs get sick. Sometimes, it’s simply due to their natural curiosity: leave the house for a minute, and next thing you know, your dog has explored and ingested your kitchen trash.
Even if your dog is an absolute angel, they can still fall victim to tummy aches, skin conditions, ear infections, arthritis, you name it.
Uncertainties like this are an inevitable part of having a dog. Even if you’re the best dog owner on the planet, your dog will never be 100% immune to health issues.
Typical Medical Treatment Costs
Let’s try and quantify these “uncertainties.” This is a good first step to figuring out whether dog insurance (or any type of insurance, really) is worth it for you.
In the infographic below, we’ve listed the top 10 reasons why dog owners take their dogs to the vet, according to a 2019 report from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.
We’ve also listed the specific average and maximum costs for the top 5 reasons.
Note that these average figures are ballpark estimates, since they depend a lot on the severity of the issue, as well as…
