YOU ASK:

At what age will canine health insurance be issued?

WE ANSWER:

It really depends on the health insurance provider. Canine health insurance can be provided for dogs as young as 6 to 8 weeks. The upper limit may not be that fixed, since the definition of "old" varies from breed to breed, as well as the size of the dog and its life expectancy.

Oftentimes, what is applied is the last 25% of the life expectancy of the dog. So, if the canine's life expectancy is 16 years, "old" would mean 12 years old, while for a dog that has a life expectancy of 10 years, 7 years old is already considered senior.

Most pet insurance companies have health insurance plans that accepts dogs at a certain age (usually from 8 to 10 years), unless that dog has already been insured with the company.

There are also some canine health insurance companies that accept dogs for coverage at any age (meaning, there is no plan limit). Of course, you must remember that the premiums for older dogs are higher to reflect the fact that their age makes them more prone to diseases and injuries.

However, if you are planning to insure your "old" dog, you may have to study it carefully, especially if the dog already has a number of existing conditions. You might end up paying for a considerable portion of the medical expenses, if most of the illnesses your dog experiences falls under the "pre-existing conditions" exclusion. The limits may also be smaller.

There are instances when claims are treated on a "per condition" basis, so that when you reach the limit of that condition, you can no longer claim against that sickness until the next policy year.

That is why while your dog is young, healthy and free of any sickness, you should already have him covered, particularly with lifetime cover, so that any chronic illness that occurs after the policy becomes effective is covered.

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