What 9 Important Things Do You Need to Know Before Buying Pet Insurance?

Should I Buy Pet Insurance or Not?

There are 9 important things that you need to know before buying pet insurance. Things that will help you make the choice whether to purchase coverage or not.

Owning a Cavapoo without pet insurance can be costly. While Cavapoos are beautiful designer dogs, they’re prone to having specific medical problems and, because of their high energy level they can have accidents. And without the proper insurance coverage, you may have to write a big check to your local veterinarian. 

Of course, every Cavapoo owner must make his own decision whether to buy pet insurance or not.

Those who forgo buying insurance coverage for their canine family member may decide to employ alternate ways to provide the necessary veterinarian care for their beloved pets. 

Alternate ways may be saving the cost of premiums for possible vet trips or signing up for care credit options.

Now, on to the list!

A Facebook Survey

I polled Cavapoo Lovers, a Facebook private group, and asked the question, “What percentage of Cavapoo owners have pet insurance?”

The participation was excellent, resulting in 114 responses. 

Here’s the tally: 90 said that they bought pet insurance; 24 stated that they don’t have pet insurance. Therefore, 79% responded that they have insurance coverage for their Cavapoos and 21% stated that they didn’t purchase coverage. 

Additional note: The following companies were mentioned favorably by those who purchased coverage: Nationwide; Trupanion; Pets Best; ManyPets; Lemonade; and MetLife.

Owing a Cavapoo is a Big Investment Needing Protection

We pay insurance premiums for houses, cars, cell phones, jewelry, and other things of high value to protect ourselves against loss. Why not our pets?

Cavapoos are high dollar-dogs, ranging in initial costs from $1,000 to $4,000. Pet insurance shields against unexpected losses incurred primarily because of accidents or sickness. And just as there are deductibles to meet for our health care or for homeowner’s claims for damage, there’s a deductible that we must pay to use pet insurance.

According to Forbes Advisor, deductibles usually fall between $100 and $1,000. While we don’t enjoy paying a deductible, it’s an important part of insurance coverage to guard against rising costs. Abuse of pet insurance causes health costs to soar and those expenses trickle down to the consumer, resulting in higher premiums.

Common Medical Issues with Cavapoos

What are Some Medical Problems Commonly Associated with Cavapoos?

• Hip Dysplasia, a medical problem that happens when the hip joint doesn’t develop correctly, resulting in arthritis, muscle atrophy, and restricted mobility. 
• Patellar Luxation occurs when the kneecap slides out of place, causing pain and arthritis.
• Eye Problems such as cherry eye, dry eye, retinal problems, cataracts, corneal dystrophy, progressive retinal atrophy, and eyelash problems.
• Syringomyelia refers to neck or head pain resulting in a wobbly gait. Your Cavapoo will scratch and paw at his neck and head.
• Dental disease which can lead to organ failure.
• Heart problems such as mitral valve disease can be a common health concern for Cavapoos.
• Allergies-shown by excessive itching and scratching, licking, and biting skin, red inflamed skin, hair loss, ear infections, hot spots, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory issues.
• Tracheal Collapse occurs when the trachea rings lose firmness and strength, making breathing difficult.

What are Some Accidents That Cavapoos May Have?

• Cavapoos can damage knee joints by jumping erratically off couches and chairs when they do “zoomies,” to release the buildup of energy due to a lack of exercise.
• They can be poisoned by consuming bits and pieces of onion dropped on the kitchen floor during meal preparation.
• By their mischievous nature, Cavapoos can get into unattended purses and eat candy that has xylitol, a sugar alcohol used as an artificial sweetener. Xylitol is toxic to dogs.
• Another accident that Cavapoos can have is swallowing socks. My Cavapoo loves to snatch socks out of the laundry room. It wouldn’t be out of the realm of probability for Opie to decide to consume socks.
• There’s always the possibility that while walking your Cavapoo that a larger dog could attack and do serious harm to your Cavapoo.

What Does Pet Insurance Normally Cover?

In short, pet insurance usually doesn’t cover routine costs for teeth cleaning, flea and heartworm prevention, trimming a dog’s nails, vaccinations, grooming, and pre-existing conditions. A rider to the accident and illness part of pet insurance can be purchased for routine care.

So, what does pet insurance cover? A good pet insurance policy protects owners against expenses for medical problems and accidents that their canine friends may have.

Here’s a list of the common items that pet insurance typically insures:

• Broken bones and ligament tears Surgery
• X-rays and diagnostic testing
• Prescription medications
• Cancer treatment
• Hospital stays
• Emergency care
• Hip dysplasia
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Parasites

Does a Cavapoo’s Age Affect the Cost of Pet Insurance?

Age is a factor in obtaining pet insurance for your Cavapoo. 

Many insurance providers will not provide coverage until your pup is 8 months old.

Other companies refuse to offer insurance protection for older dogs due to the probability of increased health concerns. There are some insurance providers that offer plans for senior dogs (dogs older than 8 years of age). However, the cost is almost double than the premium for a younger dog.

Who Benefits From Having Pet Insurance?

Obviously, Cavapoos are the main beneficiaries from pet insurance coverage. The probability is great that our pups will need a vet sometime in their lives because of illness or injury. Having coverage at such a time will be a great blessing to our pups. 

Owners benefit from pet insurance too! Knowing that because we have coverage, we can carry our pups to the vet without hesitation is comforting. 

If our dogs need major veterinarian care, we benefit financially. For example, the average price tag of total hip replacement to correct Dysplasia is a whopping $3500-$7,000 per hip. If both hips need replacement the cost can average between $7,000 to $14000. Pet insurance certainly helps to offset the costs associated with surgery.

The Different Components of Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is composed of three parts: accident-only; accident and illness; and wellness coverage. 

• The accident-only component of pet insurance is self-explanatory. It only covers accidents that a Cavapoo may have. For example, if your pup jumps off the bed and breaks a leg, the accident-only part of pet insurance will apply. 
• The accident and illness part is also referred to as “comprehensive policies,” and covers accidents and illnesses ranging from infection to cancer. Pre-existing illnesses are not covered.
• Wellness policies are usually riders to Accident and Illness Policies, covering regular checkups, vaccinations, and routine dental care. A majority of pet insurance policies in the United States don’t cover wellness or preventative care.

Suggestions for Top Insurance Policies

There are many pet insurance policies on the market. You can afford to be selective because it is a dog eat, dog eat world. Companies are competing against each other to have your business. 

Be selective! 

Here is a list to help you in your choosing the very best pet insurance for your Cavapoo:

• Paw Protect (Best for paying covered vet bills instantly)
• Embrace (Best for superior benefits)
• Spot (Best for annual coverage choices)
• ManyPets (Best cost for unlimited annual coverage)
• Pumpkin (Great for senior cats and dogs)
• Figo (Great for short waiting period for accident coverage)
• Lemonade (Best price for kittens and puppies)
• Pets Best (Great for choices of deductibles)
• Trupanion (Best for lowest out-of-pocket claims cost)

Are Cavapoos a Good Breed to Insure?

Cavapoos are classified as “very low” cost according to an article entitled “20 Most Expensive Dog Breeds to Insure,” appearing in Forbes Advisor dated March 27, 2023. 

That’s great news for Cavapoo owners!

Conclusion

Your Cavapoo deserves the best care you can provide.

It’s reasonable to expect that during your canine friend’s lifetime that certain factors will necessitate trips to see the veterinarian. It may be because of an accident that your pup had, or it could be due to some illness.

It won’t take long to discover that many trips to a vet will make a huge dent in your bank account. And, if your pup needs surgery, an absence of pet insurance coverage can be catastrophic.

That’s why it’s important to consider buying coverage for your Cavapoo, and sooner the better. If you wait till there’s an injury or illness, there’s always the risk of non-protection due to a “pre-existing illness.” 

And the longer you wait the higher the premium (as your pet ages, he will experience more health issues that will cause the premium to escalate).

There are many excellent pet insurance policies available for your consideration. Do your due diligence! Select the coverage you believe fits your situation the best.

And then, sit back and enjoy your Cavapoo, knowing that he and you are protected!

-Howell