Dog Insurance: Be careful which dog you
choose
If you are thinking of getting a dog, you
probably already know how important dog
insurance is. So one thing you need to guard
against is getting a breed of dog that is hard
to insure.
There are some breeds of dog that some
dog
insurance providers refuse to insure
altogether. These are mainly dogs that are
listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Some of
these of course are illegal in any case. Even
if you did find an insurer who would cover such
a dog, third party liability insurance would be
extremely expensive.
As well as dogs that are virtually
uninsurable, there are some breeds for which dog
insurance is harder or more expensive to obtain.
- Some pedigree breeds
cost more to insure because they are more
likely to be stolen. Also some breeds such
as lurchers are frequently stolen for
dog-fighting purposes.
- Some breeds incur
higher premiums because their health care
costs more. These include bulldogs,
deerhounds, Great Danes, Irish wolfhounds,
mastiffs, Old English sheepdogs, Rottweilers
and St Bernards. But check the policy – dog
insurance providers have different policies
towards different breeds.
- Some breeds are more
prone to certain conditions. For these
breeds be very careful as that condition
could be excluded from the
dog insurance
policy.
o
Boxer dogs have a high incidence of
tumours.
o
Alsatians and Golden Retrievers can be
more prone to arthritis and hip dysplasia.
o
Golden Retrievers and Labradors have a
tendency to develop progressive retinal atrophy.
o
Spaniels are extra susceptible to heart
problems.
- Some insurers won’t
insure dogs over 8 years old – in fact some
exclude them as early as 5 years old.
- Very few dog insurance
providers will cover a bitch for breeding –
there are so many things that can go wrong.
- A number of
dog
insurance providers won’t insure racing
greyhounds or any dogs used for trade or
business, such as security guard dogs.
Before signing up to a dog insurance policy,
check it out extremely carefully. It’s
important to ensure your dog insurance covers
everything you need. Otherwise you could be in
for a lot of expense. Owning a dog should be an
enjoyable and rewarding experience – don’t let
it be a time of worry and stress.
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