Is pet insurance worth it for an Australian Terrier?
Medical treatment for your Australian Terrier can become very expensive, especially if they encounter a more serious issue that requires invasive treatment. Medical bills for treating a sick Australian Terrier can quickly add up, costing up to a few thousand dollars. In these situations, you don’t want to be in the middle of a crisis and have to choose between your beloved dog and the affordability of their medical treatment.
To prepare for these unexpected circumstances, consider investing in pet insurance. It can help you afford your dog’s medical treatments and procedures while focusing on your dog’s recovery.
Pet insurance can also provide peace of mind that your dog can be covered for the necessary treatments when it has an accident, injury, or illness. This includes (but is not limited to) broken bones, cancer treatment, harm caused by another animal, and prescriptions for chronic conditions. Therefore, pet insurance can be important and beneficial for your pet.
Common health conditions for an Australian Terrier
Typically, an Australian Terrier has a longer lifespan than the average dog. You can expect your dog to live somewhere between 12 to 15 years. However, like all dog breeds, there are certain medical conditions that your dog could develop, such as:
- Patellar luxation: This common knee problem occurs when the kneecap slips out of place. It can be painful and cause lameness in the affected leg. If severe or becomes troublesome for your dog, patellar luxation can be repaired surgically.
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: The hip joint socket doesn’t form properly, so the head of the upper thighbone crumbles, causing hip pain and lameness. The condition is treated with surgery to remove the damaged bone ends and stabilize the hip joint.
- Epilepsy: Seizures occur because of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy can be treated with anticonvulsant anti-seizure medications.
- Portosystemic shunt (PSS): This occurs due to abnormal blood flow between the portal vein and systemic blood circulation. The blood bypasses the liver, which means that toxins are not removed from the body by the liver.
- Hip dysplasia: This is a common problem among many breeds of dogs and involves a malformation of the hips, resulting in arthritis later in life. Dogs with hip dysplasia may show a mild limp or some reluctance to move after rest periods.
What does pet insurance cover for an Australian Terrier?
Pet insurance covers a range of diagnostics, treatments, and procedures for your dog. Depending on the pet insurance plan you get, you may be covered for injury-only, illness-only, or combination. Based on your plan, you are eligible for the following coverage:
- Diagnostic and blood tests: Vets can carry out a range of tests to diagnose the problem with your pet. These include tests for heartworm, tick-borne diseases, and diabetes, among others, and most insurers will cater to these costs.
- Hereditary and genetic conditions: Some pet insurance companies cover hereditary and genetic disorders, including hip dysplasia, congenital heart disease, cataracts, and elbow dysplasia.
- X-rays and surgeries: Many policies cover your pet having routine X-rays and other procedures as part of the examination process. In some cases, these may be considered medically necessary and therefore covered.
- Medication and hospital stay: If your pet is recovering from surgery or illness, they may need to stay in the vet’s hospital for a few days. You can also claim your pet’s medications from some insurers.
Pet insurance covers a range of treatments, but it does not cover preventative or wellness care. Regular check-ups with the veterinarian will not be covered under most pet insurance plans. You will need to take advantage of a different wellness plan for this type of coverage or see if the provider has any add-ons for wellness visits. Most providers usually do have it as an add-on.
Moreover, most insurance providers will not cover pre-existing conditions established before you registered your pet for coverage. Review everything your potential pet insurance plan covers and what types of pre-existing conditions they exclude to ensure your pet will be eligible for coverage.
How much does pet insurance cost for an Australian Terrier?
Pet insurance is affordable for most dog breeds, and the Australian Terriers is no different. The average cost of monthly pet insurance for an Australian Terrier is $41 per month, which is $493 yearly. However, many factors will change your rate.
How are pet insurance premiums determined for an Australian Terrier?
Many factors will determine the monthly premium rate for your Australian Terrier (included but not limited to):
- Age: Younger dogs will pay less in premium than older dogs because younger dogs generally need fewer vet visits, while older dogs may be more susceptible to illness and injury. Older dogs are more prone to diseases compared to young pets.
- Location: Where you live can affect your premium rate because the cost of healthcare varies from region to region. In parts of the country with higher medical costs, premiums will be higher.
- Medical history: Pets who’ve had major medical problems that required treatment are likely to see higher premiums than those who haven’t needed any significant medical care in the past year or two. They’re more expensive to insure because insurers anticipate paying out more in claims for them.
- Deductible: The amount you choose to pay out-of-pocket before your insurance coverage starts. Typically, the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
- Coverage amount: This is how much money your policy will cover for each incident you file a claim for, regardless of how many fees are involved. The higher the coverage amount, the higher the premium. The coverage amount is usually $5,000 to unlimited.
- Reimbursement Percentage: The percentage of your veterinary bills your policy will reimburse, typically 70% to 90%. Generally, the higher the reimbursement percentage, the higher the premium.
- Gender: Female pets tend to be less expensive to insure than male pets because male pets are prone to certain conditions that females don’t have. Also, male pets involve themselves in various fights, so they can easily get involved in accidents.
How to choose the best pet insurance plan for an Australian Terrier
There are many pet insurance options available for an Australian Terrier, so how do you choose the best one? Here are some key factors to keep in mind as you are deciding on the right plan:
- Budget: You can find pet insurance plans at many different price points, ranging from fairly inexpensive to fairly expensive. If you have a limited budget, you might benefit from an inexpensive plan that covers only major conditions like cancer or heart disease. But if your pet has any pre-existing conditions, such as allergies or thyroid problems, be sure to look at more comprehensive plans that include those conditions in their coverage. You’ll have to determine what’s best for your budget.
- Customer feedback: Ask for references from other veterinarians and friends with pets.
- Coverage amounts: You may want to consider a higher coverage amount, so you won’t be responsible for paying as much out-of-pocket when your pet receives treatment. You can save money by purchasing a lower policy limit, but if your dog ever has a severe accident or illness and the costs go beyond the limit, there won’t be much help from the insurer.
- Reimbursement rate: The reimbursement percentage tells you how much of the vet bill you will receive after meeting your deductible. Choosing a plan with 80% to 90% coverage will give you some cushion in case the costs come high from the vet.
- Conditions covered: If your Australian Terrier has any pre-existing conditions, try to see if those can get covered. Usually, most companies won’t cover it. Also, some companies will cover hereditary conditions if diagnosed after you’ve had coverage for a certain period (usually between 6 months and a year).
- Deductible: Higher deductibles save money on premiums, but they also mean that more of your veterinary bills will come out of pocket before the policy kicks in. Choose a deductible that makes sense for your budget and usage.