Should I Get Pet Insurance for My Puppy? 7 Reasons to Consider It

Getting a new puppy can be exciting. However, while they are adorable and sweet, puppies can cost a lot of money. This is where MetLife Pet insurance can come in. But should you get pet insurance for your puppy? After all, aren’t puppies pretty healthy?

According to the ASPCA, puppy parents will need to spend about $600 on their pup’s healthcare in the first year alone.³ There’s the cost of vaccinations, spaying or neutering, and other preventative care, but that’s not all. At some point, your new puppy is probably going to eat something they shouldn’t or become infected with something like kennel cough. And puppy insurance can help cover those costs.

Still not sure? Here are eight reasons you should consider pet insurance for your puppy – that way, every single one of your puppy’s healthcare decisions can be based solely on their health, not on the price tag.

1. Your Pet Insurance Premiums Could Be Lower

Younger pets may be less expensive to insure than older ones. Naturally, older dogs may need more healthcare than pups. Health insurance providers know this, and monthly premiums tend to increase as your pet ages. Puppy owners can get lower quotes since puppies tend to be healthier. MetLife Pet Insurance¹ policies start as low as $15 for dogs⁴, and can vary based on age, breed, gender, location, and type of coverage.

2. You Could Save on Dog Health Care in the Long Run

Preventative care can be more valuable than accident or illness care because it can help you seek care for your pet that may help identify certain issues before they become larger issues.

Let’s look at the cost difference between canine parvovirus (CPV) prevention and treatment. Pet care and treatment for a parvo diagnosis can easily exceed $2,100. Plus, recovering from parvo can be scary and traumatic for your pup. Meanwhile, the parvo vaccine is part of any puppy’s core vaccinations, and costs between $30 and $50. By protecting your pet early, you can save thousands of dollars and a lot of heartache.

3. Your Dog Could Live a Longer and Healthier Life

The other key with preventative care and early detection is that it can help give your puppy a chance of recovering from sickness or injury. Protecting your pet against common illnesses and taking them to regular vet checkups can help keep them healthier. Similar to humans, dogs with healthier immune systems can fight viruses better than ones with compromised or weak bodies.⁵

4. You Can be Covered for Future Conditions

Pet insurance typically doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions⁶, so it can be beneficial to consider coverage before your puppy shows any symptoms or is diagnosed with an illness or issue. This coverage is beneficial for two reasons. First, most pet insurance can help cover diagnostic tests like blood tests, MRIs, X-rays, or ultrasounds. And second, pet insurance may help cover any subsequent treatments, hospitalizations, prescription medications, and surgeries to care for your pet’s newly diagnosed condition.⁷

Take for example, a dog who’s diagnosed with diabetes. Insulin for dogs ranges from $60 to $180 for a 1 – 2 month supply.⁸ But with pet insurance, insulin and related medical expenses may be covered, depending on the terms of the policy.

Finally, insurance can help cover your puppy before they develop any conditions known to plague their breed type.

5. Your Puppy May Eat Things They Shouldn’t

From your missing sock to a holiday poinsettia, puppies want to chew on and eat everything in reach. Foreign body surgeries and poisoning treatments may be expensive. Unfortunately, both are common in puppies. Your mischievous pup’s latest adventure could land them a lengthy stay in the animal hospital.

Puppy proofing isn’t always enough. If your new dog accidentally ingests human food that’s toxic to dogs, medicines, or even a houseplant, they may need to be treated for toxicity.

Further, puppies also love to eat chokeables and could consume anything from a lamp cord to an action figure’s head. If a foreign object becomes lodged in their intestines or stomach, it could block the blood supply to these vital organs.

6. Your Puppy May Be TOO Adventurous

New puppies tend to be bundles of energy and love to explore. However, whenever you’re exploring the great outdoors, there’s always a risk of injuries. Puppies are at risk for broken bones or ligaments, fractures, tick bites, snakebites, and more.

These injuries can lead to costly vet visits and extensive recoveries. Take, for example, an ACL injury. If your puppy tears their ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) on one of your adventures, the ACL surgery cost could be nearly $5,000. Plus, there may be the additional expense of physical therapy during recovery.

7. You Can Get Coverage for Puppy-Related Expenses

While you may pay a higher monthly premium, adding routine care coverage to your pet insurance policy can help with things that your puppy may require.² Core vaccinations, spaying and neutering, heartworm prevention, and other preventative care can be covered with MetLife Pet’s add-ons.

Spaying or neutering alone without puppy insurance can cost new pet parents up to $500. However, this is one puppy expense you don’t want to skip. Spaying or neutering your pup can give them a longer and healthier life by helping to prevent certain cancers and tumors, not to mention help control the pet population.⁹

Consider a MetLife Insurance Policy for Puppies

Wondering what pet insurance you should get for your puppy? It may be time to invest in a MetLife Pet insurance policy, which can cover dogs of all ages and help you protect both your puppy and your wallet. Puppy insurance is the best way to keep your pup happy and healthy and give you peace of mind. Fetch your quote today!