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Recent Blog:
Here’s the scenario. You’ve got/have/are daydreaming of a new puppy and you’re wondering what’s the best age to get dog insurance. If you compare pet insurance quotes for a puppy vs dog insurance, the answer is pretty straightforward.
Puppy insurance wins you lots of perks.
It’s like this. Getting your fur kid insurance while they’re still young wins them and you several benefits across cost and cover. Then again, if you adopt an older dog, getting insurance as soon as you can is still a better option than none at all.
Either way the cookie crumbles, when it comes to signing up for puppy and dog insurance, sooner is better. Here’s why:
In this article
- #1 Zoom through waiting periods
- #2 Downward dog your premiums
- #3 Cover for the unexpected and expected
- #4 Beat pre-existing conditions to the start line
- #5 Compare pet insurance quotes in dog years
- #6 Beat the recession, technically
- #7 Benefit from third party (puppy) liability
- What is the best age to get dog insurance?
- How to compare pet insurance quotes
- Compare pet insurance quotes for award winning cover
#1 Zoom through waiting periods
When you compare pet insurance quotes, check out the waiting periods too. Like most types of insurance, puppy and dog insurance plans usually have waiting periods before they cover certain conditions.
Waiting for the kettle to boil or the bus to arrive always seems to make them take longer. So too with waiting periods, especially when you’re working with a mischievous bundle of energy. If you insure your puppy as early as possible, you can start the clock on these waiting periods sooner and with fewer potential health worries.
Waiting periods might vary between insurance providers and can also vary for different health conditions. For example, the waiting period for illness might be X number of days compared to Y number of days for the pet dental insurance part of the cover to kick in.
#2 Downward dog your premiums
Age before beauty they say, and there’s a reason for that. As your average dog (or human) ages they’re typically more at risk of getting injured and ill so more care is needed.
In reverse, puppies are typically healthier and less prone to medical issues – not necessarily accidents, though! – compared to older pets. They’re also more likely to recover easier. This means they pose a lower risk for insurance providers and will probably get a lower premium.
Insurance providers base premiums on the likelihood of a pet needing medical care. This allows them to carry the risk of all the pets they insure in their customer pool and quickly pay out claims to help cover costs of vet care. Just another reason why it’s worth it to compare pet insurance quotes for your puppy while they’re little and secure them that safeguard of dog insurance.
#3 Cover for the unexpected and expected
They say prevention is better than cure and boy oh boy are they right. A lot of preventative care happens early on when your dog is a puppy, like with human kids. Providing puppies with pet vaccinations, flea treatments, healthy puppy food, etc, puts them in a good place to stay healthier as they mature and grow.
This means you’re providing your fur kid with preventative care to stave off those expected dangers – but how will you cover them for unexpected dangers?
When you compare pet insurance quotes and get a pet plan you’ll cover your puppy (and your back pocket) for all kinds of emergency vet visits and non-routine visits than you simply can’t anticipate. Illness and injury doesn’t discriminate, unfortunately! In other words, you’ll be giving them protection on all fronts.
Setting up your puppy with a good quality of life from day one means they’re more likely to age gracefully due to good health. That’s why it’s worth the time it takes to compare pet insurance for your puppy, now.
#4 Beat pre-existing conditions to the start line
Like us humans, dogs tend to get all sorts of aches and pains as they age. Lots of little niggly concerns that seem to wash over puppies like water off a duck’s back can have greater health implications for adult dogs.
From gingivitis and arthritis in dogs to hip dysplasia and other hereditary conditions, the list goes on. Recent studies also show that age is a distinct factor for cancer in dogs developing. What this means for your puppy and your pocket is simple. Compare pet insurance quotes and get a plan while your puppy is young.
Why? Like human health insurance, pet insurance only covers conditions that happen after you buy your policy. In other words, pre-existing conditions aren’t covered by pet insurance.
#5 Compare pet insurance quotes in dog years
You’ve probably heard it said that every human year is seven dog years. While that’s not exactly 100% accurate it’s close to it. Dogs do age much faster than humans. They have a far shorter lifespan than we do and are already considered to be grown ups when they turn one year old.
This means your puppy is only a puppy for that first year of their life. They must fit their entire childhood into those 12 meaningful months, which is just another reason why it’s better to get a pet plan early on.
Let’s put it another way – it’s worth it to compare pet insurance quotes in dog years because these pass by so quickly (hence, the sooner the better). Here’s how fast a dog ages according to their size:
#6 Beat the recession, technically
We’ve already covered that puppy insurance is generally cheaper than pet insurance for older pets.
Regardless, seeing as we’re experiencing a technical recession, you might be wondering where you can avoid extra financial baggage. But don’t overlook the overall savings of not waiting for pooch to grow up before you invest in their health plan. Not only might you find yourself with all kinds of injury and illness vet bills you can’t afford before you know it (read some of our customer stories here, here and here) but down the line your now-grown puppy is more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions that will be excluded from coverage.
Not only could you potentially lose out on wider cover from having pet insurance cover earlier on, but you could end up paying big vet bills without any assistance. Best to compare pet insurance quotes for your puppy before they grow up (fast)!
#7 Benefit from third party (puppy) liability
Another reason to compare pet insurance quotes for puppy and dog insurance is third party liability. While you might believe your canine companion doesn’t need health cover when they’re young, what about damage they could do?
In addition to cover that helps to pay for vet bills, some pet plans (all PD pet insurance plans) include third party liability cover. This helps to pay the costs you’ll be responsible for if your pooch causes damage to other people or their stuff.
This could be damage to a stranger in the park, a friend or neighbour. It could also be damage to their pet. Further still, it could be damage that your pup does to someone else’s belongings.
Puppies are often rambunctious and not always within the realms of control. They’re growing fast, expending enormous stores of energy and still need to be properly trained. It’s the likeliest time they’re going potentially do something (bite, eat, break, scratch, poop on) they shouldn’t.
What is the best age to get dog insurance?
What is the best age to get dog insurance? We believe that time is now.
To sum it up, insuring a puppy not only often leads to lower initial premiums and a quick start on waiting periods, but it may also offer them more extensive coverage than if they’d already been injured or ill. Getting pet insurance sooner rather than later (no matter their age) can mean fewer restrictions, not to mention a consistent insurance history for their lifetime.
Keep in mind that while puppy insurance is generally cheaper the insurance for older dogs, the specific cost can vary depending on factors such as the breed, health and the level of cover you choose. It’s always essential to get your puppy a dog insurance plan that matches their current and future health and your budget.
Up next are some great articles to help you get there.
How to compare pet insurance quotes well? Read…
Knowledge is power, right? We suggest you do some thorough research on pet insurance. Here are some great articles from our blog to help you make informed decisions:
Compare pet insurance quotes for awarded cover
When you compare pet insurance quotes, you’ll be happy to know PD Insurance is a multi-award winning choice. Choose from our three dog insurance and cat insurance plans for puppies, kittens, cats and dogs.
We aim to give you a competitive price and quality cover because we truly believe every pet deserves to live their best life. With our pet plans you can select cover for a wide range of vet costs for illness, accidents and dental. Not to mention the third party liability cover that all our plans come with.
Don’t wait for that puppy to grow up, or that dog to grow older. Ditto for kittens and cats. Click below and get a pet insurance quote today (we’ll give you one or more months of FREE pet insurance when you buy online).
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