Dogs are true members of our families. They occupy an integral place in our homes and our lives. They have specific health needs which often generate expenses on our part that we must assume.
Health-related costs can become particularly high, hence the need to take out dog health insurance. However, this process can only be carried out under certain conditions. Many insurers offer dog health insurance policies and each applies its own policy regarding subscription terms, based on different criteria, including the age, state of health, and even the breed of the dog.
A minimum age and a maximum age
The age conditions for subscription vary depending on the insurance companies and the plans offered. Some insurers set a minimum age and a maximum age to benefit from health coverage.
It is generally best to insure your dog as soon as possible, ideally upon adoption. This allows you to anticipate possible health problems and benefit from coverage before the appearance of certain illnesses or conditions that may be considered pre-existing.
To support owners from their companion's first months, Santévet offers a new Junior range called “First Steps”, intended for animals under one year old. In particular, it provides for a doubled prevention budget during the first year.
Before subscribing, however, remember to check the age conditions applicable to the chosen plan.
Dog identification
In the majority of cases, insurers require dog owners requesting their services to be identified. A measure that seems obvious and logical, for insurers and owners alike.
The pet must wear an identification device which may be an electronic chip (a chip the size of a grain of rice, implanted under the dog's skin and readable using a reader that most veterinarians, shelters, pounds, law enforcement and other organizations have) or a tattoo. Other insurance companies still accept non-chipped and non-tattooed dogs, but they increase their rates accordingly.
The dog's health: up-to-date vaccinations and veterinary examination
Just like identification, the dog's state of health and its vaccinations are verified by insurers.
Some agencies, in fact, ask the owner of the animal to submit it to a medical examination and to provide them with a veterinary certificate attesting to its good health. Here again, this is a condition applied by some insurers and not required by others.
The same goes for the need to update pet vaccines, which is however much more widespread.
Waiting periods to check before subscribing
The waiting periods correspond to the period following subscription during which certain guarantees are not yet activated. They may vary depending on the insurers and the types of care concerned.
At Santévet, deadlines have been reduced:
- Illness: 30 days, compared to 45 days previously.
- Accident: 48 hours, time limit unchanged.
- Surgery: time halved compared to old conditions.
It is therefore important to be aware of these deadlines before signing your contract in order to know from when your dog will be able to benefit from the different guarantees.
Please note: waiting periods do not remove any exclusions linked to pre-existing illnesses or conditions.
Breeds excluded by insurers
There are insurers who exclude certain breeds of dogs from their guarantees. These are essentially the so-called dangerous or risky breeds, such as those classified among the first and second categories.
The terms and conditions for subscribing to dog health insurance therefore vary greatly from one insurer to another, and depending on the specific situations of dogs. It is therefore recommended to collect as much information as possible from the agencies before making your final choice on one of them.