For many individual or families, getting an insurance policy plan is one way to afford those expensive medical expenses, increasing college tuition fees, and other emergency expenses. And for dog owners, their main concern is about their service dog insurance coverage. Here, we will give you information and everything you need to know about this service dog insurance. If you are planning to have your dog a policy plan, then you may consider reading this.
Cost of Service Dog Insurance
Getting an insurance policy for your dog and learning about service dog insurance coverage is based upon the species, breed, or expected problems for that breed. For you to be able to find the right policy plan for your dog, the best way to do is make your own research on a different insurance company and compare their plans. There are many insurance companies that offer different plans that you might consider.
Most of the pet owners invest as high as $3,500 to get a regular dog insured, while a service dog has an insurance value ranging from $20,000 to $40,000. Prior to partnering with a compromised handler, a service dog generally went on to training for 1 up to 2 years. So, getting a dog means a large financial investment of the owner that normally doesn’t stop for years after the dog’s purchase. Having a service dog is a total investment. The coverage of this starts from the fees imposed by training institution between $15,000 to approximately $50,000.
Knowing that it is a service dog you are getting insured, it would not be costly at all. However, some service dogs come from a high risk dog breed, insurance for them is very much costly because of it.
Moreover, one more thing – acquiring service dog insurance is not different from the way you want to insure a family member. Most likely it is all out of love. If you love someone, like your dog, you’ll do everything to give and support its needs. There is nothing else that can help you do that but getting a pet insurance.
Insuring Your Service Dog
Generally, service dogs offer a disabled individual a better life. Further, in some cases, their dog’s main job is to lead their lives like normal. After investing financially in the dog and training, insuring them by investing in insurance is the best thing to do. The service dog is of great help to a disabled owner to go back immediately to their everyday activity.
Another thing is that if your own medical insurance does not cover the cost of obtaining a service dog, once you have one, you can protect your investment with an insurance policy for the dog. The pet insurance institutions have different plans to suit your needs. Benefits from having service dog insurance covers from catering a regular vet consultation, to include laboratory tests, medications and supplements and emergency care programs. Because of this, your service dog can continue to work by your side for as long as possible.
Different Insurance Plans for Service Dog
There are a variety of pet insurance plans and service dog insurance coverage that may be an option for you. All of them work much like the plans you might get for yourself. Like insurance policy plans in humans, they also have policies and premiums. Pet insurance plans also limit how much or what they will cover.
However, there are not any special insurance plans just for service dogs. Thus, there are medical plans giving flexible payment options offered by employers. This usually allow their employees to make use of the non-taxable earnings in payment of the medical bills of the dog. Moreover, the dog’s condition must be supported by documentation. Also, the dog has specific training to do tasks or assist the owner with tasks they cannot do themselves. On the other hand, these flexible spending plans do not cover any type of emotional support dog.
Health Insurance
Unfortunately, not all medical insurance plans cover the cost of obtaining service animals even there are lots of benefits of getting a service dog paired with a disabled person. Knowing the fact that service animals have great value, insurance for service dogs are mostly not included in the list of health insurance company. This is because they are prohibitively expensive for most people to acquire and own.
Why is getting pet insurance for service dogs still pretty low priority for service dog owners after all extensive training that they went through? Mostly because service dog owners are confused or don’t know that they can use a pet insurance policy to help protect their service dog. A service dog is still like regular pets that might acquire sickness, get an injury or even need medical assistance of a vet.
Medical Insurance
There is state and federal medical coverage via Medicare and/or Medicaid that meets many of the ongoing healthcare needs of your service dog. However, none of these programs covers the cost of a service dog insurance coverage. In fact, there is no health insurance, even from private companies, that covers service animal expenses.
Social Security Disability Service Animal Assistance Programs
There are numerous nonprofit institutions that inform, educate and give service animals to individuals with disabilities. Those who pass the qualification are given discount prices or even free of payment. However, it is very crucial to understand that many of these programs have long waiting lists. So, obtaining a service dog or other medical assistance animal will take some time.
If you are looking for nonprofit options for service animals, here are a few organizations that you might consider:
• Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
• Canine Companions for Independence
• International Association of Assistance Dog Partners
Moreover, other smaller organizations also provide service animals at no cost or reduced cost for qualified applicants. However, these institutions often have long lines. The good thing is that they can provide an budget-friendly assistance animals for individual with disability that have a tight budget.
Social Security Disability Payments
Although medical insurance doesn’t cover the costs of obtaining, feeding or providing veterinary care for service animals, disability benefits can help cover these expenses. This is easily affordable for pet owners with ongoing service animal expenses as the monthly benefits provide a consistent income.
Most of the applicants who are disabled also get a meaningful gross payment at the start of benefits. This total is the compensation of “back pay.” Back pay may be calculated due to deferment while verifying your disability privilege. Moreover, they can also accrue because the disability has a lengthy onset before the date when the benefits payments actually begin.
Either way, some applicants see a large total payment when they’re first approved for disability. This total can aid in covering the initial cost of a service animal. A disability attorney can guide you applying for back pay. They can also assist you in understanding your payments in a monthly basis. The attorney can also assist in finding a nonprofit institution. He can even guide in the application in acquiring a more affordable service animal.
Home Insurance
It is important for pet owners to be aware of the service dog homeowners’ insurance policy. Here are some basic facts about dog ownership and homeowner’s insurance:
• The American Veterinary Association data reveals that about 40 percent of American families own a dog.
• That’s over 43 million households, with an average of 1.6 dogs per household. The Humane Society estimates the numbers at over 83 million.
• Based to CDC records, people bitten by dogs annually has an estimate number of about 4.5 million. A serious medication is needed by 1 out 5 bitten individual.
• An insurance value of a dog bite is averaging to greater than $29,000. Insurers can get a total cost value of $470 million per annum.
• Even though the receiving of dog bite insurance decreases, the value of those claims progressively increase.
• Reported dog bite-related claims are mostly located in California and Illinois.
• A lot of insurance institutions deny or cancel the scope of insurance in the event that the homeowner has a specific dog breed due to the “breed profiling” law in some states.
Tips on Finding Homeowners Insurance for Service Dog Owners
Looking for cheap service dog homeowner’s insurance? Fortunately, there are options that can help you in finding one.
1. Take precautions.
Insurance institutions are starting to focus the same objective, which is self protection from any accountability. Most insurance institutions will take extra preventive actions into consideration. Those include obedience program certification, program for dog socialization, and many more.
2. Shop around.
Insurance companies that generally don’t discriminate encourage dog owners to find independent agents and stay away from the smaller insurance companies. This way, you may find service dog home owner’s insurance that might fit for you.
3. Consider more agents for an individualized insurance carrier.
All insurance agents are different from each other. It is advisable to try looking for another agent in case the first agent you talk with regards to insurance isn’t a good fit.
4. Coordinate with the insurance commissioner assigned in your state.
Most states discourage insurers from an insurance plan denial to a homeowner. Having a specific breed of dog is the main reason this happens. The insurance representative can provide you with a list of insurance companies that provides service dog home owner’s insurance in your locality. Request a review of any policy that is denied. The State insurance commissioner is obligated to verify if the insurance company complied with your local regulation guidelines.
5. Buy a different plan for your dog.
While you and your dog may not get the low priced service dog home owner’s insurance you really like, you may be able to take out a separate policy on your dog. This way you can protect yourself from liability and medical damages. The Federation of Insured Dog Owners were brought to life to cater such a service to dog owners.
Homeowners Insurance Dog Breed Restrictions
Like the American Kennel Club, some organizations have spoken out in favor of dogs and home ownership. They claim that dogs can act as a natural deterrent against theft and property damage. Insurance companies can ask homeowners whether they own a certain breed of dog. They can also charge more for a policy or require additional paperwork depending on the answer. Some states outlaw breed profiling, like in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
However, in lots of states, insurance institutions can immediately put policyholders in the list for owning specific dog breed. These breeds are listed as “uninsurable,” especially when they have a record. They potentially leave the owner liable for medical bills or lawsuits if the dog should bite someone.
Lot of times, insurance institutions do not look for a dog or owner’s record. Some companies may look for the reported average bite population for certain breed, as well as breeds with recent high-profile stories in the news. This just means that a dog breed that is “ok” one year may be “threat” the next year. There are some insurance companies that will require behavioral training or other restraints in order to write a policy. Thus, these incur extra financial burdens on dog owners.
The following types of dog are often considered “bad breeds” by most insurance institutions:
• Akita
• Alaskan Malamute
• Chow Chow
• Doberman
• German Shepherd
• Pit Bull
• Rottweiler
• Siberian Husky
• Wolf Hybrid
Preventing Dog Bites and Home Insurance Problems
Most people do not want to be bitten or scratched by dogs. This usually lead to a block in getting home insurance. Information on preventing dog bites is here:
• Take extra caution if kids are around.
Dog bites are most prominent to children ages from 5 up to 9. More of them are boys rather than girls.
• Neutering.
A dog has a lesser chance to bite if neutered or undergo spaying, according to The Humane Society.
• Let the dog mingle with others so he may be familiar with people.
Mingling and monitoring helps diminish dog bites, according to The Humane Society.
Getting your service dog an insurance policy of his own is an investment in your dog. However, it’s your option if you choose to get one. Remember, a responsible pet owner has the accountability to provide his service dog the best treatment he deserves.
