Pet Insurance for Dogs

What you need to know about Fetch dog insurance

First things first, if you’ve never heard of Fetch pet insurance, let us introduce you. Fetch is a premier pet insurance company in North America. For years, they have been providing American and Canadian pet owners with comprehensive insurance policies for their furry friends (we’re talking about both cats and dogs). Fetch has made a name for itself owing to the comprehensive coverage their pet insurance plans include several risks that many other pet insurance companies refuse to cover, like hereditary conditions related to a dog’s breed. In addition, the entire process of working with Fetch, from enrolling in one of their plans to submitting a claim to receiving payment, couldn’t be easier or faster. So if you are looking for comprehensive insurance coverage for your dog that doesn’t break the bank and is simple to use, Fetch is for you. A few other reasons we recommend purchasing pet insurance through Fetch are as follows:

Fetch Forward™

When you enrol in a Fetch dog insurance plan, you will gain access to the brand’s state-of-the-art Fetch Forward™ technology. This technology uses over a decade’s worth of clinical health findings and over 150 million data points from hundreds of thousands of dogs to identify common health conditions in pets just like yours. From there, you can take a look into the future of your dog’s health, allowing you to take preventative action.

The Dig

Another perk of purchasing a Fetch dog insurance plan is that you can take advantage of The Dig, which is Fetch’s one-stop shop for expert advice relating to your pet. From pet travel tips to tips on how to parent a new puppy to health advice for your furry friend, there is nothing you won’t find on The Dig. Gain access to this all-encompassing resource by enrolling in a pet insurance plan for your dog today.

Pet insurance for dogs defined

Before we go any further, let’s take a quick moment to define dog insurance. Dog insurance is designed to help pet owners pay for expensive vet bills when their dog falls ill or gets injured and requires a visit to the vet. Many pet owners know, unexpected veterinary bills can add up quickly, especially in emergency situations. But pet insurance for dogs can help alleviate the financial burden of getting your pet the medical care it needs. This way, you can relax knowing both your wallet and your dog are taken care of. Depending on the reimbursement rate you choose to include with your Fetch dog insurance plan, you could be compensated for up to 90% of your vet bill each time your pet is sick or injured.

What does Fetch dog insurance cover?

Let’s move on to the good stuff. As a potential policyholder, you want to know exactly what your Fetch dog insurance plan will cover, right? After all, this is what you’re paying for. You will be pleased to discover that Fetch’s pet insurance plans are designed to be as comprehensive as possible. Fetch even fills coverage gaps that other pet insurance companies leave. For example, many pet insurers refuse to cover exam fees, injury and disease in every single one of your pet’s adult teeth, and hereditary conditions caused by a pet’s breed - but Fetch covers all of these and more. The following is what you can expect to be covered by your Fetch dog insurance policy:

• Prescription medications & supplements
• Emergency vet visits
• Virtual, in-home & office visits
• Hospital stays
• Physical therapy
• Allergies
• Surgeries
• X-rays & CT scans
• Ultrasounds
• Blood tests
• Breed-specific issues, including hip dysplasia
• Specialists
• Sick-visit exam fees
• Laboratory tests
• Vomiting & diarrhea
• Hereditary & congenital issues
• Swallowed objects & toxins
• Every tooth covered
• Gum disease
• Diabetes & insulin
• Cancer treatment
• Acupuncture & chiropractic care
• Treatment for aggression & separation anxiety

Contact Fetch today to learn more!

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What does Fetch dog insurance not cover?

All insurance plans have limits, and Fetch’s dog insurance plan is no exception. While theirs is still one of the most comprehensive pet insurance plans available in North America today, there are a few conditions or ailments that will not be covered by your Fetch policy. Please note that all of these conditions are not typically covered by any pet insurance company. The following is a list of conditions and procedures that Fetch pet insurance does not provide coverage for:

Pre-existing conditions

Pre-existing conditions are conditions that your dog has been diagnosed with before enrolling in a Fetch pet insurance plan (or those that arise during the 15-day waiting period - more on that below).

Cosmetic, or elective procedures

Dog cosmetic or elective procedures, are also not covered by your Fetch dog insurance policy.

Prescription food

Please note that Fetch dog insurance does not cover prescription food. However, it may cover supplements recommended by your vet if the supplements are related to the treatment of a condition that is covered by your plan.

Claims filed more than 90 days after your pet received treatment

Lastly, Fetch has a strict 90-day rule about filing claims. The rule is that policyholders have exactly 90 days from the day their pet received the invoice for their dog’s treatment to file a claim with Fetch. If they wait and file a claim after 90 days has passed, Fetch will not reimburse you.

How does dog insurance work?

Knowing how pet insurance works for dogs is important. Thankfully, Fetch’s pet insurance plans are far easier to use and understand than many other types of insurance. When you buy a Fetch dog insurance policy, you can expect a simple, stress-free process from start to finish. The first step is choosing your plan. They offer one main pet insurance plan that provides comprehensive coverage, which means you won’t have to spend hours comparing policies online. All you will need to do is make a few choices, such as the annual coverage amount, deductible, and reimbursement rate you want to include with your policy. After purchasing your plan, which can be done online in a matter of minutes, you will wait out the 15-day waiting period, and voila - your coverage is active! The next time an incident pops up, such as if your dog is unexpectedly injured and needs to go to the vet, you will take them to the vet of your choice Fetch policyholders have the luxury of keeping their current vet or finding a new one if they prefer - visits to specialists or emergency vet clinics are also covered. From there you will pay the bill upfront when your vet’s office invoices you for it. However, right after that, take a photo of your invoice and any relevant vet documents, answer a few questions about your dog’s treatment, and submit your claim through Fetch’s website. Last but not least, a Fetch representative will review your claim and if it is approved, you will be reimbursed at the rate you chose (70%, 80%, or 90%). If you choose direct deposit as your method of payment, you will receive your money in as little as two business days.

The average cost of pet insurance for dogs

The average cost of pet insurance for dogs is roughly $50 per month. However, costs vary according to several factors: For example, if your dog is young, their Fetch insurance policy may cost less than if they are a senior dog.

How pet insurance companies calculate dog insurance costs

Pet insurance companies, including Fetch, use a complex formula to calculate insurance premiums for you and your pet. This formula allows them to assess your pet’s risk level using important factors like its breed, age, and location. Why do these factors matter? First, certain breeds have dispositions toward certain conditions, which means depending on your dog’s breed, they may be more likely than others to develop a specific illness. Second, age impacts how likely your pet is to require medical care, with older pets being more at risk. Lastly, location matters because the cost of licensed veterinarian care varies across North America. For example, in a smaller city, the cost of surgery for your dog might be far less expensive than the cost of that same surgery at a vet clinic in a major city. Therefore, an insurance provider will need to know your home address when calculating your insurance premium. Beyond the breed, age, and location of your dog, there are three other factors that will impact the cost of your dog insurance policy. They are the annual coverage amount, the annual deductible, and the reimbursement you select for your Fetch dog insurance plan. We dive deeper into each of these three variables below:

Annual coverage amount

Every Fetch pet insurance plan has an annual coverage amount. This is the maximum amount that a policyholder will be paid out for on an annual basis. Customers can choose what annual coverage amount they want to include with their policy. At Fetch, the minimum amount is $2,500 and it goes up to unlimited for those pet owners who want added peace of mind. Remember that the higher your annual coverage amount, the costlier your dog insurance plan will be.

Annual deductible

All insurance policies have deductibles, and pet insurance is no different. This means that when you purchase a Fetch pet insurance plan for your dog, you will need to select a deductible between $250 and $700. Since a deductible is the amount of money the pet owner will pay before Fetch steps in to cover the rest, the higher your deductible, the lower your premium is likely to be. Alternatively, if you choose a low deductible, your dog insurance plan will likely cost more because you are requiring Fetch to take on more financial responsibility in the event of a claim.

Reimbursement

Finally, when you buy pet insurance for your dog from Fetch, you will also need to choose a reimbursement rate. Your options are 70%, 80%, or 90%. If you were to choose an 80% reimbursement rate, for example, then Fetch would reimburse you for 80% of your eligible vet bill. This means that you would only have to cover 20% of the bill out-of-pocket. The rest would be taken care of by Fetch. Please note that reimbursements are always listed as a percentage of your remaining vet bill after the deductible has been paid. Plans with 70% reimbursement rates may be cheaper than those with 90% reimbursement rates.

If you aren’t sure which annual coverage amounts, annual deductibles, or reimbursement levels to choose for your dog insurance plan, contact Fetch today. A Fetch insurance agent can explain how each works and provide honest advice on which amounts are right for you and your dog.

A step-by-step guide to buying dog insurance from Fetch

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again - buying pet insurance from Fetch couldn’t be easier. In fact, it can be done in just five simple steps. Follow the step-by-step guide below and you’ll find yourself with the dog insurance coverage you need in no time:

1. Call Fetch and obtain a free pet insurance quote

Get started quickly and easily by calling Fetch or requesting a pet insurance free quote. This can be done in minutes using their free quote tool. All you have to do is answer a few basic questions about yourself (such as your location) and your dog (e.g. their age and breed), and you’ll receive an accurate and competitive estimate. You can also receive a free quote by calling Fetch. This way, a Fetch representative can not only give you a quote but can also answer any questions you may have about their pet insurance plan.

Get a pet insurance quote1-866-381-1946

2. Enrol with a Fetch pet insurance plan of your choice

Review your free Fetch pet insurance quote and decide if it’s right for you. From there, it’s time to enrol! You can enrol in a dog insurance plan on Fetch’s website or over the phone.

3. Schedule a check-up for your dog

After enrolling with Fetch pet insurance, it is strongly recommended that you take your dog to the vet for a routine check-up. A check-up is important as when you submit a claim with Fetch, you will need to provide a wide array of medical records. However, if your pet has never been to the vet or seldom goes, they may not have the necessary paperwork. When you go to the vet, be sure to ask for “SOAP notes,” which is a term that encompasses your pet’s test or lab results and exam notes. With these in hand, filing your first claim with Fetch will be much simpler. Without them, the process will be tedious and lengthy, and Fetch may not even be able to process the claim in the end if such pieces of information are missing.

4. Relax during the 15-day waiting period

Step number four is to sit back and relax during the 15-day waiting period. Other than taking your dog to the vet during this time, there is nothing left to do but wait for the 15-day waiting period to expire. All Fetch pet insurance plans are subject to a 15-day waiting period, after which your coverage becomes active. The waiting period begins on the date you enrol in your policy. You will know when your waiting period has begun because you will receive an email with the subject line, “PLEASE REVIEW: Waiting period in effect.” You will be covered by your Fetch dog insurance plan once 15 days have passed. It is important to note that you cannot file any claims during this 15-day period, which means any vet bills you incur before or during this period, will not be covered by your Fetch plan. In addition, if your dog suffers an injury or the vet diagnoses him with an ailment or condition during the waiting period, it will be considered a pre-existing condition and will also not be covered. However, as soon as the 15-day waiting period is up, your dog will be covered against a wide range of ailments and injuries. One final thing to note is that there is a longer waiting period of six months for hip or knee injuries, meaning these kinds of injuries will only be eligible for coverage after six months’ time.

5. Hooray - your dog is covered!

Step five is our favourite because step five means your dog is covered! Once the waiting period is over, your comprehensive Fetch coverage kicks in. This means that you can rest easy knowing that if your dog comes down with an illness or gets injured, your policy will protect you. A quick reminder that Fetch dog insurance plans provide coverage for physical therapy, allergies, surgeries, X-rays, exam fees, gym diseases, hereditary issues, and much more.

Get in touch with Fetch today to learn more about our pet insurance policies for dogs

What are you waiting for? Starting protecting your dog today by enrolling in one of Fetch’s extensive dog insurance plans. As one of the leading pet insurance companies in North America, partnering with Fetch was a no-brainer for BrokerLink. Through them, we have been able to provide our customers with quality pet insurance coverage (and even offer them a discount of 10% off each month). Learn more by getting in touch with Fetch today or getting a free quote online. Using Fetch’s online quote tool, you can receive a free and accurate dog insurance estimate in minutes.

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FAQs on dog insurance

For related articles, check out our pet travel tips, and how to protect your pet in your car.