We 100% believe in getting pet health insurance for your Chihuahua. But we know you’re here because you want to find out why. Is pet insurance worth it? And what is pet insurance anyway? Well, we’re here to answer all your questions!
What is pet insurance?
Just like with human health insurance, specifics vary depending on the provider and the plan. However, the general concept behind pet insurance is that you will be reimbursed a designated amount for your Chihuahua’s veterinary care after a deductible.
As far as we know, to date, pet insurance companies do not cover any pre-existing conditions. Some will recover routine or preventative care (depending on the policy or add-ons). But, regardless of either of those things, a pet insurance policy can be a huge money-saver if an emergency or illness strikes!
Knowing that you’ll have most expenses reimbursed if, say, your Chihuahua develops a luxating patella (which is super common in Chihuahuas, by the way, along with some other rather expensive health issues) reduces any anxiety and makes paying the monthly premiums worth it. Some of the biggest, and most unexpected, costs for caring for our Chihuahuas include drugs and medical procedures, especially as pets live longer. In fact, in a report published by the Animal Health Industry, it is estimated that owners spend $9,000 to more than $13,000 for medical treatments over their pets’ lifetimes.
But is it worth it for a Chihuahua, specifically? Read on to see why we think it is worth it (and which insurance company we recommend and use).
Reasons why your Chihuahua needs pet insurance
Your Chihuahua can live up to twenty years. During these twenty years, there are plenty of routine visits, but there can also be a variety of unanticipated health concerns that health insurance may (again, check with the provider you choose) cover including: cancer diagnosis and treatments, surgeries, broken bones, eye care, and so on!
Like all breeds, Chihuahuas have some health conditions that are known to regularly occur in the breed (and some insurance companies cover these hereditary conditions providing they were not preexisting at the time of signing up for the policy). As we mentioned above, some of these conditions include: patellar luxation (which may require surgical treatment), hypoglycemia, tracheal collapse, and more.
Not to mention, Chihuahuas are a fragile, tiny dog and can be easily injured.
Our top four reasons for investing in pet insurance for your Chihuahua!
Money will no longer be your deciding factor on if you get emergency treatment for your Chihuahua.
We’ve all been there…and it’s scary…that moment when you’re being presented with the estimate from the veterinarian and you’re wondering how much you can afford. Now, add the emotional stress of knowing that the decision to go ahead with the suggested procedures or not could make the difference on if your Chihuahua lives…
Terrible thought, right? That is our number one reason to get health insurance for your Chihuahua. Knowing that 50% to 100% of the estimate (depending on your policy) will be reimbursed to you from your Chihuahua’s health insurance is huge in a time of emergency.
Cost of veterinary care is continuing to rise.
Did you know, According to Purdue University Veterinary Price Index, since 2015 the costs of veterinary services have risen over 10 percent for medical treatments and 5 percent for regular checkups?
As cost of living continues to rise, it makes sense that the cost of veterinary care would also continue to climb. While you can’t do anything to slow that trend, you can make it easier to afford by getting a pet insurance policy.
Dogs are at higher risk for emergencies than other types of pets.
Let’s face it…generally dogs are outside more than other types of pets, we take them more places, they meet more people and other dogs. All of those scenarios lead to the increased chances of an emergency situation. Not to mention, many dogs will at some point acquire an internal or external parasite from day-to-day living (and, yes, some policies will cover treatment for those things as well)!
More and more pet owners would tell you that pet insurance is worth it…and something they, themselves use and budget for.
According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, the number of pets with health insurance is continuing to rise. This is despite the fact that insurance cost varies depending on breed, age, and even location. So, yes, the amount we pay to insure our Chihuahuas in Arizona may be very different from someone who is insuring the same breed in say, New York.
This means that more and more people are ditching savings accounts for their pets’ emergencies and instead choosing to put that money into an insurance policy!
Which pet insurance we recommend
So, what DOES pet insurance cover? This varies depending on the provider and plan, but a major reason we use and recommend Figo is that vet visit fees are covered! This is huge, because in the event that you have a health issue arise that requires multiple vet visits, you no longer have to worry about the consultation fee. Not to mention, with Figo, any vet visit fee related to sickness or injury counts towards your deductible and is covered after you reach it.
Lastly, Figo pet insurance is relatively affordable, especially since you can choose your deductible and co-insurance (the amount they reimburse) to help it fit your budget. Now, health insurance is not cheap. Our policies vary from $25 a month to $55 a month (depending on the dog and the coverage). However, budgeting an extra $55 a month is much easier and less stressful than being hit with a massive vet bill all at once.
Another bonus feature we love about Figo….Pet Cloud! Figo customers can take advantage of their Pet Cloud dashboard to keep track of vet records, claims, and vaccine reminders as well as search for nearby dog parks, pet stores, and more. If your pet goes missing, anyone who finds him or her can look up your information using the number on your Figo Tag. Not to mention, all of these amazing features are available on an app!
Oh, one more thing, we almost forgot to mention, but Figo gives all of our amazing readers a 5% discount if you sign up via our link! You MUST click our link to get the discount.
Buying pet insurance can be a confusing and expensive task, and we hope we can help make it a little easier by providing our opinion on Figo and why pet insurance is worth getting for your Chihuahuas.
However, we care about your Chihuahuas above and beyond our recommendation of Figo, so take the time to research a few different companies to find the one that is the best fit for your needs and budget (pro tip: some companies offer pet health insurance options the same as they offer employee health insurance…so be sure to check with the company you work to find out if that is an option for you)!
Click here to get started with Figo!
Do you have pet insurance? Are you thinking about buying it? Do you think you’ll use the Figo Pet Insurance discount? Let us know in the comments!