Many people are buying medical insurance for dogs these days.

Many dog owners believe that medical insurance for dogs is just like medical insurance for humans. It is not. It's actually a form of property insurance and works just like your homeowners insurance. If your dog has a problem, or an emergency. You will need to get him to the vet and have the vet generate a claim and then the insurance provider will pay you. not the vet.

Medical insurance for dogs varies widely. When purchasing your policy you need to pay attention to what exactly the policy is going to do for you. Almost all providers of medical insurance for dogs are very careful about pre existing conditions. If your dog has any kind of current health problems it's almost guaranteed that these will not be covered.

When selecting a medical insurance for dogs provider there are several tips that you need to keep in mind.

First, you should check to see whether your chosen provider excludes or charges a much higher premium for your dogs breed. Some breeds have a higher tendency to get certain diseases such as hip dysplasia.

Check also to see if your provider has age limits for coverage. Some providers will only cover younger healthy dogs. It's really a good idea to insure your dog as soon as you can when he's a puppy. your premium will be much lower.

When buying medical insurance for dogs, again, it's very important to make sure you know what your policy will do and not do. Some policies only cover accidents, others also cover illness, still others will offer comprehensive coverage.

Also the deductibles, co-pays and caps on coverage will vary widely. Most providers will pay up to 80% some will pay up to 100% on some covered illnesses. You need to be very clear about what you want the insurance to do for you and shop accordingly.

Medical insurance for dogs seems to have a much higher incidence of exclusions for different kinds of genetic and hereditary conditions than human insurance does. You need to pay close attention to the fine print and make sure that the expensive policy you just bought doesn't exclude your dog.

Review any optional coverage that may be available. Some providers will cover preventive care, drugs and even dental care at no additional charge, while others will make you pay extra for these items.

So if you are careful and shop intelligently, I'm confident that you can purchase a very good medical insurance for dogs policy that will serve both you and your dog well for years to come.