According to a recent survey, 80 percent of upland hunters own at least one hunting dog. Add in the waterfowlers’ comparably high percentage of retrievers, and the stats on canine hunting companions climb pretty high. While most of us aren’t training, breeding or guiding professionally, it is probable that our gun dogs are some of our most valuable possessions.
Think about it. We insure our homes and our health. Our cars, gun collections and heirlooms. We even buy trip insurance. But we don’t insure our dogs.
Less than one percent of the 112 million dogs and cats in the United States are insured. Anyone who owns a hunting dog knows that visits to the veterinarian – not just for annual shots – are an inevitable part of a bird dog’s existence. So why don’t we cover some of those inevitable costs with pet health insurance? What about the $2,500+ some invest in the purchase of a finished dog – why aren’t those "investments" insured?
First, there aren’t many pet care insurance companies. Second, many of them don’t write policies in all 50 states. Third, the marketing of pet insurance products has been very limited; most people don’t know they exist.
The Hartville Group, PetCare and Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) are three leading pet health insurance companies. Prime Insurance Syndicate is one of very few that provides pet mortality insurance. A few of the companies we contacted that provide mortality insurance for police dogs or search and rescue dogs do not offer similar coverage for hunting dogs.
Among the health care programs offered, choices are varied. PetCare, for example, offers "QuickCare" for an unlimited number of selected accidents. With a fixed $50 deductible, foreign body ingestion surgery is covered up to $2,000, motor vehicle accident injury treatment also has $2,000 coverage, poison ingestion treatment is covered up to $1,500 and so on. Different programs cover a variety of illnesses. "Accidental death" coverage may be available when a dog dies from injuries as a result of an untreated accident. Boarding costs and lost-dog recovery costs are other options.
VPI’s Superior Plan adds prescription medicine, MRI, CAT Scans and X-Rays to basic menu. Add Routine Care Coverage, and things like vaccinations, heartworm protection and neutering are included. VPI’s Brian D. Iannessa reports that the majority of the dogs they cover are household pets, but they also insure "a modest share" of hunting guide dogs, police dogs and search and rescue canines.
In general, monthly premiums begin under $10, with a typical range from $19 to $29. Criteria determining premiums usually include age, coverage program and state of residence. Some have an increased premium for "select" breeds. Many will not cover elective procedures, treatment of behavioral problems or congenital defects. In short, it can be just about as complicated – and comprehensive – as the insurance we two-footed beasts require.
Mortality insurance offered by Prime Insurance Syndicate starts at a minimum annual premium of $350. According to Rick J. Lindsey of Prime, they are "more comfortable" with hunting dogs than police dogs, so the premiums are lower than police dogs but higher than show dogs. At this point, Prime covers more law enforcement canines although they do insure a couple of hunting dogs.
Jeff Williams, president of Marketplace Insurance Center in Essex Junction, Vt., has been in the insurance business for 38 years and has owned hunting dogs for nearly as long. He feels there is a narrow niche for insuring gun dogs, but having the option is important. Williams adds, "It’s up to the individual. For those who own dogs of high value and concern, the product does what it says it will do, and is worth the investment."
