[nagdu] pet insurance

[Mark J. Cadigan]

I don't have pet insurance for my guide dog, and I don't plan to get it. Pet 
insurance is a property and casualty product underwritten similar to a 
warrantee on an appliance. They are often full of exclusions, and as the dog 
ages, the premium increases exponentially.



Pet insurance does not operate like human health insurance. You don't just 
go to the vet and only pay a co pay. Instead, you pay out of pocket, and 
submit a claim for reimbursement. Often, they will only pay a portion of the 
true cost based off some sort of pricing list for services they have.



What I would do is either have a credit card set aside exclusively for vet 
bills, or work with a vet that has a credit program. If you don't want to go 
this route, you could set aside $40 a month in an escrow account for vet 
bills, or if SSI is an issue with asset caps, you could save money in cash 
or a cash equivalent.



Regarding insurance, I believe it's essential for every dog guide user to 
carry personal liability insurance of some kind. No one wants to think that 
there dog could ever hurt someone but, people sometimes do stupid things, 
and either antagonize your dog, or frighten it. If your dog bights someone 
you are liable.



Liability coverage can be in the form of a renter's policy or a home owners 
or condo owner's policy. All of these package policies include some form of 
personal liability. Also whatever insurance you get, read the policy closely 
to make certain it does not exclude dog bight liability nor have breed 
restrictions against the type of dog you have.