Finding suitable pet insurance when your furry friend is getting older is pretty challenging. Un-furr-tunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all pet policy to cover your loyal companion, but you can still find good pet insurance that does not increase with age.
Read on as we are about to run you through the insurance policies suitable for senior dogs.
When is My Pet Considered ‘Senior’?
Having a healthy dog is Dog-send, but no matter how much you hate the fact that they’re nearing their end after 14 years – it’s still something that breaks our hearts. The first sign that your furry pal is getting older is slowing down, and this usually happens around the age of seven, since the middle age for larger breeds comes sooner.
Whether they stop racing like mad in the park or no longer skid across the wooden floor the second they hear a postman coming closer – it means that your pet is becoming older. Due to this, some pet insurance premiums can become more complex and more expensive.
Why Does Pet Insurance Increase With Age?
Just like people – pets get older – and the risks of developing dental and other health problems increase, resulting in the need of constant medical care. The most common health conditions in older pets include:
- Dementia
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Kidney Diseases
- Gum disease
- Blindness
- Cancer
These health conditions make pet owners purchase pet insurance, even though they need to pay higher premiums since their pets are old.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Increase Each Year?
Pet insurance companies provide different pricing plans. For dogs, the average monthly cost is $48.78, whereas for cats, the price is $29.16 on average for accidents and conditions. To be more precise, if you own a dog, you will probably pay between $25 and $70 per month and between $10 and $40 if you have a cat.
When it comes to the pet insurance premium increase process, you should know that it starts once your pet turns 3 years. While different companies come with different prices – the third birthday will probably increase the price by about 26%. The prices rise as years go by, and while the 10th birthday may bring a 231% raise, the 13th can spike up to 413% of the initial price.
Which Pet Insurance Does Not Increase With Age?
While most pet insurance premiums increase for older pets, after thorough research, we came across two pet insurance companies that offer the same price as pets get older. These brands are Healthy Paws and Trupanion.
Yes, Trupanion and Healthy Paws offer unique pet insurance because they will ask for your pet’s age at registration to calculate your insurance policy’s price. Still confused?
Let us explain.
If you buy a Trupanion or Healthy Paws policy, your pet will always remain the “same age” in the company’s eyes. For instance, if you enroll your pet when it’s 10 weeks old – the company will charge you the same price for the remainder of its life.
We’re not saying that you will never have to pay a higher amount, but that isn’t related to your pet’s age but to the basic costs of all pet categories. Additionally, these two companies offer repayment based on your vet bills, which is very practical.
By using Trupanion and Healthy Paws plans, your pet is covered for lab tests, prescribed medications, generic conditions, continued treatment, specialist treatments, alternative/holistic care, and medical boarding. Unlike Healthy Paws, Trupanion also covers dental treatment, behavioral treatments, and cremation.
Final Thoughts
Whether to purchase pet insurance is much more than a financial decision – it’s also an emotional one. People buy pet insurance to ensure their pets will be able to get the finest medical coverage in case they get injured or sick.
You can never be sure whether your pet will face severe or moderate medical problems. Still, it’s always a good idea to get pet insurance to help you cover the potentially expensive procedures and exams.
