Budget Direct pet insurance | Compare the Market (2024)

FAQs

Which dog insurance is the best? ›

The annual limit you need will depend on your pet and your financial situation, but the MarketWatch Guides team recommends a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000 to cover an unexpected pet emergency or accident. Bradford Cuthrell is a meticulous researcher and writer specializing in pet and home finance topics.

Typical deductibles range from $0 to $1000, but averages are typically closer to $100, $250, or $500. For example, if your plan has a $200 deductible, you will have to pay the first $200 out of pocket before the insurance company will start reimbursing you for vet bills.

New research has revealed the 10 most expensive dog breeds to insure, with the English Bulldog taking the top spot. An insurance specialist has analysed data to discover the average monthly cost of pet insurance for different breeds in the UK to determine the ranking.

Most pet insurance carriers account for factors such as your pet's breed, health, and especially their age when calculating a price. As those risk factors increase, you can expect your premiums to increase too.

While some pet insurance companies may occasionally claim to not increase with a pet's age, you'll still find that those premiums increase over time. These policies may attribute these increases to other factors like rising veterinary costs or inflation, but they'll still go up over time.

Diagnostic tests

MetLife Pet Insurance can provide coverage for X-rays, ultrasounds, bloodwork, CT scans, MRIs, and more. This way, you could afford to get some of the most comprehensive testing possible.

How good is lemonade pet insurance? ›

Lemonade earned 4 stars out of 5 for overall performance. The company sells pet insurance online through its user-friendly website and app. It offers accident and illness coverage, plus wellness plans that help cover the costs of routine vet visits and vaccinations.

Lifetime policies

These policies cover your pet for their entire life, taking care of expenses for both illnesses and injuries. Although they are the most expensive option, they offer the highest level of protection, with coverage limits that reset annually upon policy renewal.

The good news is there are various discounts and saving options that can help pet owners find cheap pet medical insurance. This post looks at some of the most common pet health insurance discounts and other saving strategies that can help you reduce your policy premium.

Choose a higher deductible.

Before your pet insurance coverage kicks in, you'll have to meet your plan's deductible, “just like with other insurance policies,” said Colin Lalley, an insurance expert at Policygenius, an insurance marketplace. Generally, a higher deductible equals a lower premium.

"Insurance helps cover the unanticipated costs of pet ownership and can be a huge relief for owners as they typically cover 80-90% of the costs, depending on the plan," says Dr. Sarah Gorman, managing veterinarian at Small Door Veterinary in New York.

Pet insurance companies typically divide their products into 3 main categories: accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness coverages. Each level offers specific services that are covered and excluded and will vary by price. Insurance policies are usually broken down by the type of pet being insured.

It costs less to insure a young pet

That cutoff age is typically between seven and 14 years. It's also more expensive to insure an older dog. That's why many experts typically recommend that you start insuring your pet when they're still a puppy or a kitten.