Veterinary fees can cost a fortune. This is much so if your French Bulldog got diagnosed with a serious health problem like hip dysplasia, heart issues, diabetes, and the likes. Instead of suffering and wondering where to get the money, you should invest in the best pet insurance for French Bulldogs early on.
You’ll never know when your dog can get sick. Much like human health insurance, pet insurance will be your safety net should your dog require expensive veterinary care.
In this post, I’ll discuss a quick background about insurance coverage together with seven pet insurance providers that you should consider.
What pet insurance does and doesn’t cover
One of the wrong connotations is that pet insurance is the panacea for all vet bills. But like human health insurance, pet insurance has limitations. Each pet insurance policy indicates specific health coverage for various conditions.
Generally, pet insurance policies cover accidents, cancer, surgery, and several life-threatening illnesses. A few companies will also cover congenital conditions, but often with a higher premium.
Take note that coverage varies widely, depending on the insurance company you’re dealing with. It’s important to read the policy to know what your French Bulldogs will enjoy once it gets hospitalized.
Remember that pet insurance isn’t a health card. It doesn’t cover non-emergency veterinary services like annual check-ups, vaccinations, teeth cleaning, preventive care, and neutering/spaying.
Moreover, there are many types of pet insurance policies, which will impact its coverage. For example, an Accident-Only pet insurance policy is the cheapest option, but it only covers accidents like poisoning, traffic-related accidents, and so on.
There are also time-limited policies that set a condition about the duration of coverage. After the time limit has been reached, no further payouts will be granted even if the Frenchie gets sick.
If you want the best coverage for your French Bulldog, you should consider lifetime or maximum benefit policies. The coverage of these policies is more exhaustive, although it will surely reflect on the premium amount.
Best Pet Insurance for French Bulldogs
1. Pets Best
If you’re looking for the best pet insurance for French Bulldogs, nothing beats Pets Best. They cover up to 90% of veterinary costs on their flexible plans.
Also, Pets Best offers one of the lowest premiums among its competitors. They provide coverage for illness and accidents, including cancer, congenital conditions, chronic conditions, and hereditary conditions.
The best thing is that Pets Best also provides coverage for wellness procedures like vaccinations, dental cleanings, regular vet visits, and fixing. So far, this is one of the best policies in the market that doesn’t break the bank.
You can also choose reimbursement percentages on any eligible procedures. Take note that Pets Best doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, parasites, elective/preventive procedures, and herbal/experimental treatments. Also, they don’t cover non-vet fees spent on food, vitamins, and special diets.
Premium costs for the BestBenefit plan of Pets Best can be as much as $59 a month, depending on the inclusions you added. But if you’re on a budget, you can avail of their Accident-Only policy for just $9 a month.
2. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Like Pets Best, the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance also offers low-cost insurance policies for pet owners. They also have one of the most exhaustive plans called the Complete Coverage. It covers accidents, illnesses, behavioral issues, and hereditary conditions.
For those on a budget, ASPCA also offers Accident-Only coverage. You can also choose your annual deductible option as well as reimbursement percentages.
For their accident and illness policy, pet owners can choose from $100, $250, and $500 deductibles. Unfortunately, there’s no zero deductible available and the reimbursement period is much longer.
The consolation, though, is that ASPCA covers prescription medications and prescription pet food on their policies. They also reimburse alternative therapies like acupuncture and hydrotherapy if used as part of treating a covered illness or accident.
You can also avail their wellness rider with an annual limit of $250 for the basic plan and $450 for the premium plan.
Also, ASPCA is an institution when it comes to animal welfare. The organization has been around since 1866, and they started offering pet insurance back in 2005.
3. Embrace Pet Insurance
The best thing about Embrace Pet Insurance is they don’t have networks so that you can visit any vet. They also have one of the most comprehensive coverages on their Nose-to-Tail plan. It covers alternative therapies as well as behavioral therapy, congenital conditions, and diagnostic testing that aren’t typically covered on standard pet insurance policies.
You can also add a Wellness Rewards rider to include non-emergency procedures like neutering/spaying, grooming, vaccination, and more. This suits French Bulldogs of all ages, especially puppies that are yet to receive their shots.
Embrace Pet Insurance allows you to customize your Frenchie’s policy with a vanishing deductible. They also have special plans based on the dog’s age, so your French Bulldog will receive the best coverage as it grows older.
Take note that Embrace has a six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions. This is why I highly suggest you get your dog insured as early as possible.
Like most pet insurance companies, Embrace has an Accident-Only plan but only for dogs age 14 and up. If your dog is covered by their critical illness plan, it will be automatically switched to Accident-Only once your senior Frenchie turns 14.
4. Petplan
If you’re looking for pet insurance with an unlimited annual limit, Petplan might be the best pick for your Frenchie. This insurance company has a comprehensive plan that even includes non-routine dental treatments, holistic therapies, behavioral disorders, annual wellness visits, and more. The list just goes on and on!
Take note that for wellness care to be covered, you need to add a rider. This will increase the premium cost.
Although Petplan markets their insurance as ‘basic’, it’s far from being a simple policy. So far, this is one of the most inclusive policies I’ve seen, which is in the running as the best pet insurance for French Bulldogs.
However, the coverage for senior dogs will be limited. This is quite understandable as older dogs are prone to various health problems.
But overall, Petplan covers up to 90% of your dog’s vet costs for eligible conditions. They also cover other conditions that many pet insurance companies don’t offer. One of these is nutraceuticals and herbal medicines.
5. Healthy Paws Insurance
If you want a more straightforward and basic insurance plan for your Frenchie, you should consider what Healthy Paws has to offer. They cover illnesses, accidents, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, and chronic conditions. The best part is they offer this for a very low price.
For their pet insurance, they offer up to 90% reimbursement percentages and deductibles of $100, $250, and $500.
The best thing about Healthy Paws is they cover dogs age 6 and up with a full accident and illness policy. Coverage is unlimited, and the reimbursement percentage is slated at 70%.
I also like their intuitive and functional app that easily allows you to monitor claims and reimbursements.
However, Healthy Paws isn’t the most comprehensive in terms of expanded coverage. They don’t offer riders for wellness care, examination fees, dental care, and other non-urgent treatments. Nevertheless, this is understandable because the insurance plan is very cheap.
6. AKC Pet Healthcare
Yes, the American Kennel Club also offers its own pet insurance policy! There are no vet records or health exams needed to get your French Bulldog a policy.
So far, AKC is offering accident and illness coverage that covers a long list of health problems. They also reimburse lab tests, ultrasound & X-ray, physical therapy, and more. You can ask for a quote and the possibility to customize the plan to suit your French Bulldog well.
Take note that the availability of AKC’s insurance plans depends on the state you’re in. Aside from the accident & illness plan, you can also purchase add-ons. These are ExamPlus, Defender, HereditaryPlus, and Support Plus.
Also, AKC offers a 5% multi-pet discount and another 5% for canines that passed their AKC Canine Good Citizen program. And if your Frenchie came from breeders that participated in specific AKC programs, you’ll receive a 10% discount.
The claims process is fairly easy and fast. Most claims are reimbursed within 3 to 7 days, which is already quick for a pet insurance company.
7. Trupanion
Trupanion is a popular pet insurance provider with very flexible premium options. They have one simple policy for dogs, which already covers congenital issues, hereditary conditions, and unidentified issues.
And for all qualified medical illnesses, Trupanion also reimburses lab tests, vet stays, supplements, herbal therapy, and more. Take note that it will only be reimbursed as long as it’s part of the eligible condition’s treatment.
For deductibles, Trupanion will let you choose anything from $0 to $1,000. It’s one of the most flexible plans I’ve seen, which suits French Bulldog owners who want to explore better options. The best part is that there’s no payout limit in Trupanion. Whether it’s a couple hundred or thousands of dollars, they will grant it as long as the expenses qualify.
Another thing that really makes Trupanion the best pet insurance for French Bulldogs is its rates that don’t increase with age. It’s easy on the pockets of dog owners without compromising the coverage.
Tips in choosing pet insurance
It’s not easy to find the right pet insurance, but the following tips should help you choose what suits your French Bulldog:
🐶Consider your dog’s susceptibility
When checking for the covered illnesses, make sure that the likes of hip dysplasia, cherry eye, entropion, and brachycephalic respiratory syndrome are included. Frenchies are prone to these conditions. Having these conditions covered will give you added peace of mind.
🐶Shop around
Don’t settle on the first pet insurance company you’re going to talk to. Ask for proposals from different companies and compare their coverage. This will let you choose the policy that gives the best bang for your buck.
🐶Read the policy thoroughly
Before you sign up for a policy, make sure that you’ve read everything in it. Pet insurance policies can be very tricky, especially with the clauses that may strip your dog of coverage under certain circumstances.
🐶Consider the deductible
Deductibles refer to the amount you shoulder before the insurance policy kicks in. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and your Frenchie underwent a $1,000 procedure, the insurance company will pay for the other $500. Basically, deductibles are out-of-pocket amounts that you have to pay before the insurance company takes over the expense.
A high deductible equates to lower premiums. Still, you should check the policy’s overall value to ensure that the high deductible is truly worth it.
🐶Start young!
The moment you get your French Bulldog puppy, you must get it insured. The cost would be much lower, and your dog won’t be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
Final words
Finding the best pet insurance for French Bulldogs takes a lot of comparing and research. We hope that the seven providers we reviewed here will seal the deal for your pet’s needs. Just make sure that you read the policy thoroughly to ensure that you’re getting the best offer.
Is your dog insured? What provider did you choose? Let us know below!
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