Is pet insurance worth it for a Maltese?
We all want our pets to stay healthy and safe, but accidents and illnesses can happen without warning. It can be a stressful and emotional experience and without the right support, your dog may have difficulty recovering.
In addition, as a pure breed, the Maltese dog can be prone to genetic health issues that come up throughout its life. Serious health issues may require visits to the vet that can quickly become a financial burden. As a pet parent, it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected.
Pet insurance can help alleviate the emotional and financial burden of having a sick or injured dog. It’s times like these, where having a financial safety net can help you focus on your dog’s recovery.
Common health conditions for a Maltese
Here are some common health issues your Maltese dog can experience:
- Progressive retinal atrophy: A slow degenerative eye disorder that can result in blindness, it may be a good idea to do a yearly check-up with a veterinary ophthalmologist.
- Hypoglycemia: Caused by low blood sugar, your vet can help you with prevention and treatment options.
- Tracheal collapse: This occurs when the windpipe collapses, making it difficult for the dog to breathe. It is one of the most common respiratory ailments in small dogs and is often treated with medications that reduce inflammation and help support the trachea.
- Luxating patellas: The kneecaps of some Maltese dogs slip out of place, which can cause lameness in the leg or an abnormal gait. This is especially common among smaller dogs, including Maltese, and may require fixing surgery.
- Canine distemper: It is a highly contagious viral disease that affects dogs’ respiratory and nervous systems. It is often fatal, especially if not treated early. Early symptoms include runny eyes and nose, coughing, lethargy, fever, and lack of appetite. Early vaccination will help prevent it. Dogs with canine distemper should be kept away from other dogs until they have been vaccinated.
- Canine hepatitis: It is a virus that affects dogs’ liver, kidneys, and eyes. It spreads through contact with infected urine or feces. It can cause acute liver failure in young dogs and chronic liver problems in older dogs. If your dog has hepatitis, its eyes may become inflamed or cloudy. It may also develop jaundice (yellowing of the skin).
What does pet insurance cover for a Maltese?
Pet insurance covers a range of diagnostics, procedures, and treatments for your Maltese dog. Based on your plan, you are eligible for the following coverage:
- Tests and diagnostics: Pet insurance can provide coverage for treatments and diagnostics such as x-rays, ultrasounds, MRI scans, blood tests, CT scans, and urinalysis. This can help determine the course of treatment for your dog.
- Accidents and illness: Sickness and injuries happen. Your policy can help cover unexpected costs if your dog needs medical attention and reimburse you for the cost of treatment.
- Alternative treatments: Depending on your coverage, many insurance providers include alternative therapies that can help your dog recover from a health issue. Some of these can include acupuncture, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, and chiropractic treatments.
- Surgery and hospitalization: If your dog requires surgery or needs to stay overnight at a hospital, pet insurance can help cover these costs.
While pet insurance can cover you for a range of different treatments and medical issues, many policies will have exclusions. Some exclusions can include cosmetic treatment, pre-existing medical conditions, pregnancy or birth, grooming services, and death.
How are pet insurance premiums determined for a Maltese?
Many different factors determine the cost of your pet insurance coverage. Some of these factors include:
- Location: The average cost of pet insurance varies by location. If you live in an area where veterinary treatment is expensive, your premium will be higher than a similar policy in a place where veterinary care is cheaper.
- Deductible: This is the amount you pay out of pocket before your pet insurance plan covers a claim. The higher the deductible, the lower your monthly premium will be.
- Coverage: Your coverage will differ depending on the type of policy you take out. Policy types include accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness coverage. As accident-only typically has more restricted coverage, this will be reflected in cheaper insurance premiums.
- Breed: As a purebred, the Maltese dog will be prone to genetic health conditions that get passed down from the parents. This can increase the cost of the premium.
- Age: This is a significant factor in determining your insurance premium. As your dog gets older, it will be more likely to develop health conditions and potentially have longer recovery periods. This can increase your premium and some insurers may refuse to insure your dog.
- Gender: Female Maltese are often cheaper to insure than male ones. This is because males are more likely to be involved in fights, accidents, and other incidents that may lead to insurance claims.
- Pre-existing conditions: If your dog has a pre-existing condition, this is likely to increase your policy premium. In some cases, the insurers may not provide coverage.
- Policy payment: Choosing to pay annually instead of monthly can reduce your policy premium.
In addition, many insurers have policy add-ons for dental coverage, behavioral therapy, and routine check-ups. These can help cover additional medical expenses for your dog.
How to choose the best pet insurance plan for a Maltese
Here are some of the key factors to keep in mind as you search for a plan:
- Consider the health of your dog: As the Maltese dog is purebred, it’s best to be mindful of breed-specific conditions that can arise and search for policies that provide adequate and affordable coverage.
- Waiting period: The majority of pet insurance policies have waiting periods where the effective date of the policy is a specified number for days after the start date of the policy. During this period, if you submit a claim, you are unlikely to be covered for your veterinary costs. Be mindful to read the small print before you take out a policy to avoid any surprises later on.
- Consider enrolling your dog while they are young: Younger dogs are likely to have lower and more affordable monthly premiums. As dogs get older it can become challenging to change providers as many insurers will not cover pre-existing medical conditions. To avoid changing insurers later on which can cause premiums to rise significantly, think about enrolling your dog into an insurance plan for the long-term while they are still young.
- Consider your budget: Make sure you can afford the premium each month. It’s especially important to make sure you can afford your premium if you choose a plan with a higher deductible. That way, if an emergency arises, you won’t be scrambling for cash to pay your bill.
- Check out the company’s reputation: It may be more critical now than ever before to check out a company’s reputation. With so many new pet insurance companies popping up all over the place, it’s critical to do your research before purchasing a policy.
- Consider pre-existing conditions: When choosing a plan, be aware that pet insurance providers may not cover pre-existing conditions. What constitutes a pre-existing condition can vary from provider to provider and policy to policy.
- Define your needs: Think about the type of coverage you would need for your pet. Also, look into whether the insurance company has a cap on annual payouts, as some do. That limit could change how much you receive each year if your pet is diagnosed with a chronic condition such as diabetes.