Thinking about skipping dog insurance? Think again!

If you have recently become the owner of a dog, you will already have begun to realise how expensive owning a dog can be.  The cost of feeding him alone can almost double your weekly household budget.

Once this has dawned on you, you may well begin to look around for ways in which you can economise.  Perhaps you are feeling that because your pet is young and healthy, dog insurance is something you can manage without. Think again!

First of all, remember that the more healthy and energetic he is, the more likely he is to get into a scrape or have an accident.  Secondly, you simply never know when illness may strike.  And if you are faced with the cost of a vet’s bill, you may be in for a shock.   The RSPCA has estimated that the AVERAGE spend on vet’s fees over the lifetime of a dog is £7,000.

Here are some examples of what vet treatment for a dog can cost:

• Torn ligament: £1,500.
• Surgery for swallowing a foreign object: £700.
• Arthritis: £3,000.
• Cataract: £1,500
• Serious tumour: £3,000
• Hip replacement: £5,000
• Broken leg: at least £1,000; serious break can cost £4,000.

If you live in the south-east of England, these costs are likely to be even higher.

If you are considering doing without dog insurance, consider what you would do if your pet met with an accident and you were faced with treatment costing several thousand pounds.  Would you have it in the bank – maybe funds you were saving for a holiday?  Or would you need to borrow – perhaps taking out a loan against your house? 

Or worst of all, would you be forced to say that you simply could not find the money – so your pet would have to be put down?