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.