5 Reasons Why You Should Get Puppy Insurance Early

It’s Responsible Pet Owners Month, and it would be irresponsible of us to not talk about puppy insurance. Many pet parents think insurance is only something you consider when your dog is an adult. After all, why would a healthy young pup need medical treatment? The truth is that accidents and emergencies can happen at any age!

There are many benefits in starting your puppy’s health insurance early. Here are 5 reasons to get puppy insurance.

#1 Earlier = no or fewer pre-existing conditions

Getting insurance when your pup is still, well, a puppy means they’re far less likely to have any pre-existing conditions. Illnesses or injuries that occurred before the start of your insurance policy are considered pre-existing conditions. At the time of writing, all NZ pet insurance providers don’t cover pre-existing conditions. 

So, the policy you purchase early can better support your puppy over their lifetime. It extends across more of their possible future needs because potential cover hasn’t been ruled out. All you need to do is to keep paying the premium by the renewal date.

Be sure to check out how to Compare Pet Insurance in Australia Like a Pro to see how we stack up!

#2 Puppy insurance for discount deals

Pet insurance companies may offer free cover or discounted rates for pups under a certain age as they’re less likely to require expensive medical treatments. That’s definitely something you’ll want to take advantage of.

Pet insurance companies also use age and health status to determine premiums, among other factors. You’ll be paying less for the same breadth of cover for a puppy than a dog that’s a teenager, middle aged or even older.

If you’re wondering whether it might not be better to just put aside some savings for your pup instead, check out Pet Insurance vs Savings: Which is Right for You?

#3 There are many puppy hazards

You may think only older dogs get the kind of illnesses and injuries that require insurance. Dental issues, hip dysplasia and joint problems come to mind.

Although these certainly disproportionately affect older dogs, some of the top insurance claims are for issues that can befall dogs at ANY age. This includes infections  (from respiratory tract to bladder to nail bed), allergic reactions, choking and injuries from things like cars or falling.

Also bear in mind that some issues are more dangerous to puppies than to adult dogs. Diarrhoea (and the dehydration it can cause) for instance, can be fatal for a puppy. Because of their weaker immune systems, infectious diseases like parvovirus can be severe in puppies. Puppies are also naturally more curious, so things like choking and swallowing toxic objects is more common.

For all these emergencies, you’ll want pet insurance to give you a soft landing once those vet bills come in.

#4 You’ll speed through puppy insurance waiting periods

Insuring your dog early means you’ll start on any waiting periods as quickly as possible. Some pet parents opt for insurance when their dog is older or sickly, which means not only are premiums higher (and the sickness deemed pre-existing so not covered), but their fur kid will have a waiting period before being eligible to claim for vet bills.

Getting puppy health insurance early means waiting periods for hereditary conditions and other ailments are usually well in the past by the time you need to claim on them. You’ll be setting your dog up for accessible cover when they need it.

PS: Ever wondered What’s the Difference with Hereditary and Congenital Conditions in Dogs?

#5 It’s the ultimate peace of mind

One of the main benefits of puppy insurance is that it can help protect you from unexpected veterinary costs. If your puppy gets sick or injured, the cost of treatment can add up quickly, and many pet parents find themselves facing difficult decisions about how to pay for their pet’s care. Or whether to pay for it all.

With insurance, you can have the peace of mind of knowing that you’ll be able to afford necessary treatments worrying yourself ragged about the cost. Now that sounds like the best Responsible Pet Owners Month gift ever.

Every Schnauzer has his story

Miniature Schnauzer Harvey was a relatively new PD Insurance member when he had three bad experiences in a very short period time.

Situation 1

Harvey was only a few months old when the first incident occurred. He choked on what was a large chew bone that he’d managed to gnaw down to a small piece. Luckily, he vomited up some of what he’d swallowed, although it was hard to say how many small shards may still have been in his stomach.

His family didn’t know if he’d be okay, so they got him medical treatment right away. They could act fast, reassured they had puppy insurance to cover much of the cost.

Situation 2

Harvey emerged from the rawhide chew incident unscathed and recovered well. But a few days later he faced down a new danger, this time a chair. The little guy was innocently doing his thing when a chair fell on his foot and broke it in three places!

Again, his family got him to the vet right away. Harvey needed three sets of x-rays and a splinting that cost well over $1,000.

Situation 3

Possibly the most shocking of all Harvey’s incidents involves a grape. Ever wondered can dogs eat grapes? You may not know this, but that’s a resounding no.

Grapes can be highly toxic to pups and potentially cause them to have kidney failure.

His pet parents rushed him to an after-hours vet where they induced vomiting and he stayed overnight for IV fluids. Not only did Harvey come out okay, but luckily his pet parents had insurance to provide a soft landing on this occasion, as with the others. It just comes to show you how important insurance in those early days can be.

Not convinced? Check out these resources this Responsible Pet Owners Month:

• Why Insured Pet Parents Think Pet Insurance Is Important
• Is PD Insurance Good for Pet Insurance?
• How Expensive Is Pet Insurance?

The best puppy insurance around

The best thing to do this Responsible Pet Owners Month is ensure you fur kid is properly covered for accidents and other emergencies. We’re offering one or more months of free dog insurance, depending on your pup’s age, when you sign up online.

Depending on the type of PD Insurance customer policy you choose, your insurance could provide cover for some non-routine vet visits, treatment after accidents and for illnesses, hospitalisation and much more. Meaning you have financial protection in place for all kinds of puppy medical situations.

Click below to price your puppy plan today.