Pet Insurance for Golden Retrievers: Is It Worth It? | LendEDU (2024)

Golden retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds for Americans. These friendly dogs are good with children and other animals, easy to train, and typically live around ten to 12 years.

While generally a healthy breed, golden retrievers can be at risk of serious and expensive health issues. Their inquisitive nature means foreign body ingestion is a common complaint necessitating a trip to the vet that could cost around $1,500 on average in vet bills, according to data from Trupanion.

Long soft ears could also lead to ear infections, at an average cost of $200 per vet visit, while lameness and limping, vomiting and diarrhea, and masses are also top reasons for vet visits and run an average of $900, $600, and $1,100 respectively.

You want to make sure your animal companion has the best care possible, so buying pet insurance for yourgolden retriever may well be worth it given that their common health problems can be so costly.

Best pet insurance for Golden Retrievers

When it comes to pet insurance for golden retrievers, there are a number of providers to choose from. Check out our list below for a few of our top pet insurance options for golden retrievers.

Spot

  • Deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000
  • Reimbursem*nt: 70%, 80%, or 90%
  • Benefit limit: $2,500, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or unlimited

Spot Pet Insurance focuses on providing golden retriever owners with the tools to keep their dogs healthy and happy. Spot Pet Insurance policies cover accidents, medications, diagnostics, exams for covered conditions, and treatments including alternative therapies. Spot also provides preventative plans for things like dental cleanings and vaccinations.

  • Age limit: At least 8 weeks old
  • Medical exam: Not required to enroll
  • Discounts: 10% for each additional pet
  • Waiting period: 14 days for both accidents and illnesses
  • Policy options: Accident and illness, accident-only, and optional wellness coverage
  • Benefits: Microchip implementation is covered, 30-day money-back guarantee, exam fees for covered conditions are reimbursed, distinguishes between incurable and curable pre-existing conditions

ASPCA

Pet Insurance for Golden Retrievers: Is It Worth It? | LendEDU (2)

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  • Deductible: $100, $250, or $500
  • Reimbursem*nt: 70%, 80%, or 90%
  • Benefit limit: $3,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, or unlimited

ASPCA covers the exam fees and costs of diagnostics and treatment for any accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions, or behavioral issues your golden retriever may have. After you pay your vet bill, just submit a claim, and ASPCA will send cash back your way. Another benefit of ASPCA is that it’s easy to manage your account.

  • Age limit: At least 8 weeks old
  • Medical exam: Not required to enroll
  • Discounts: 10% for each additional pet
  • Waiting period: 14 days for accidents and illnesses
  • Policy options: Accident and illness, accident-only, and optional wellness coverage
  • Benefits: 30-day money-back guarantee and distinguishes between incurable and curable pre-existing conditions

ManyPets

  • Deductible: $0, $100, $250, $500, or $750
  • Reimbursem*nt: 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%
  • Benefit limit: Unlimited

Note:ManyPets isn’t available in Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, or Vermont.

ManyPets offers flexibility in choosing your deductible and reimbursem*nt rate so you can customize your coverage to better meet your golden retriever’s needs. All policies come without a cap on how much you can be reimbursed each year.

Additional policy details:

  • Age limit: 8 weeks – 14 years (only for new enrollments)
  • Medical exam: Not required
  • Discounts: None
  • Waiting period: 14 days for illnesses and accidents
  • Policy options: Accident and illness
  • Benefits: Will cover curable pre-existing conditions, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and 24/7 access to virtual vet consultations

How much does pet insurance cost for golden retrievers?

Costs of pet insurance can vary based on when you buy coverage for your animal.

Premiums also differ from one insurer to another, and the type of policy you buy will also impact your costs. To help you estimate premiums, here’s what Trupanion charges per month to insure a golden retriever, depending upon the dog’s age when you purchase coverage and the deductible on your policy:

Age You Buy Coverage$0 Deductible$200 Deductible$700 Deductible
8 Weeks – 12 MonthsMale Pet:
$120.46
Female Pet:
$122.75
Male Pet:
$71.71
Female Pet:
$73.01
Male Pet:
$41.44
Female Pet:
$42.14
4 Years OldMale Pet:
$153.23
Female Pet:
$156.18
Male Pet:
$90.40
Female Pet:
$92.08
Male Pet:
$51.39
Female Pet:
$52.29
10 Years OldMale Pet:
$259.24
Female Pet:
$264.33
Male Pet:
$150.87
Female Pet:
$153.77
Male Pet:
$83.59
Female Pet:
$85.14

As you can see, premiums can go down dramatically with higher deductibles. But remember, you will have to pay this amount up front each year before the insurance kicks in and provides coverage for your pet. You may prefer to pay higher premiums to avoid having to come up with a lot of money at once.

It’s also important to remember that insurers have different rules for deductibles and coverage limits. When comparing policy premiums, be sure to consider not just the monthly cost but also the total amount you’d have to pay out of pocket and the maximum amount of care the policy would pay for. You can learn a lot about deductibles, coverage limits and other details by reading pet insurance reviews.

>> Read More: Is Pet Insurance Worth the Cost?

What does pet insurancecover?

Petinsurancepolicies not only vary in premiums and deductibles, but the specifics of what your policy covers will also vary from one carrier to the next. Most insurance will cover both accidents and illnesses, although you can sometimes buy accident-only policies for less.

Policies that pay for illnesses usually cover a wide array of conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. However, your pet will not be able to have any pre-existing conditions covered. This means it’s important to buy a policy before yourgolden retriever gets sick to make sure your dog can get the necessary care.

An accident or illness policy pays only when something goes wrong and your pet needs treatment, such as lab testing, chemotherapy, or surgery. If you want routine veterinary care, such as annual checkups and dental cleanings covered, you may need to buy additional coverage. And, for add-ons such as chiropractic care, laser therapy, acupuncture, and similar alternative treatments, you may need an additional policy rider.

Some petinsurancepolicies also exclude not only pre-existing conditions but also genetic conditions. Golden retrievers have a genetic tendency toward eye problems, joint problems such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, and certain types of cancer such as osteosarcoma.

Find out if your policy will cover your dog’s genetic conditions and, if so, if there are any limitations on your dog insurance.

Finding the right Golden Retrieverpet insurance

Finding the right pet insurance for yourgolden retriever is important, as providing high-quality veterinary pet health care is part of being a responsible dog owner.

You’ll need to shop around for coverage from pet insurancecompanies to make sure you get a pet health insurance policy that’s affordable and covers your dog’s needs.

Recap of pet insurance for Golden Retrievers

ProviderLendEDU RatingReimbursem*ntBenefit Limit
ManyPets4.7/570% – 100%Unlimited
Spot4.5/570%90%$2,500Unlimited
ASPCA4.3/570%90%$5,000Unlimited

>> Read More: Pet insurance rates by breed

Pet Insurance for Golden Retrievers: Is It Worth It? | LendEDU (2024)

FAQs

Should you get pet insurance for Golden Retriever? ›

Getting pet insurance for your Golden Retriever

Pet insurance helps cover the costs of your vet bills. You pay a monthly premium and in exchange, you can provide care for your canine or feline fur fam without stressing as much about the costs.

Is pet insurance worth it for dogs? ›

Even if you believe you have enough money to cover veterinary costs, pet insurance could still save you thousands of dollars if your pet gets sick or injured. Especially if you have multiple pets, your out-of-pocket costs could add up considerably without insurance.

Is pet insurance a good investment for a pet Why or why not? ›

Can you afford to pay that bill? If not, pet insurance might be worth considering. Pet insurance helps cover the cost of medical care for your furry friend. It can reimburse you for expenses like cancer treatment, emergency care, prescription medications and surgery.

How much should you spend on pet insurance dog? ›

We found that, on average, pet insurance costs $66 a month for dogs and $32 a month for cats. However, pet insurance premiums typically range from $15 to $90 a month.

What is the average cost of owning a Golden Retriever? ›

Typically, the lifetime cost of caring for a Golden Retriever can range from $22,000 to $45,000, including food, veterinary care, grooming, and toys. Budgeting for these costs and planning accordingly to ensure that your furry friend receives the care they need throughout their lifetime is essential.

Are Golden Retrievers known for health issues? ›

“Due to unethical breeding, golden retrievers have developed more risks of illnesses and afflictions like hip dysplasia (which leads to mobility issues), skin irritation and allergies, ear infections, hypothyroidism, cataracts (a film that clouds the eye and limits vision) and bloating,” Kong wrote in an email to ...

What are the risks of pet insurance? ›

Cons
  • Pet insurance reimburses you for veterinary expenses, meaning you have to pay them upfront.
  • Pet insurance doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, meaning once your pet is sick, it's too late to sign up.
  • Not all health issues are covered by pet insurance.

Is pet insurance tax deductible? ›

Pet insurance may be tax deductible. For example, pet insurance can be tax deductible if your pet is a service animal or performs in a way that contributes to your annual income.

Does pet insurance go up every year? ›

It's true that you can generally expect your pet's insurance coverage cost to increase each year, along with their ever-increasing age. However, this doesn't mean that there aren't things you could—and sometimes should—consider changing about that coverage as time goes on.

What percentage of dog owners have pet insurance? ›

About half, or 44.6%, of pet owners stated they currently have pet insurance in our survey. On a larger scale, NAPHIA's 2022 State of the Industry Report found that more than 4.41 million pets were insured in North America in 2021, up from 3.45 million in 2020.

Why is pet insurance not important? ›

And in some cases, a pet's history could make insurance ineffective. "Pet insurance is typically not helpful for pets that had a significant medical history of illness, as once a medical condition is documented, most insurance companies will not cover anything related to that body system," says Dr.

Is lifetime pet insurance worth it? ›

Is a lifetime policy worth it? If budget is not an issue, lifetime cover is the most comprehensive pet insurance cover for your pet. Lifetime cover is typically seen as a premium option for pet insurance. As it's the most comprehensive type of insurance policy, it also is the most expensive.

How much of vet bills does pet insurance cover? ›

So, once you've covered your deductible for a condition, your pet insurance will typically reimburse a percentage of any additional cost. That percentage depends on the policy you sign up for. In most cases, you'll be able to choose 70%, 80% or 90% reimbursem*nt coverage.

How much does the average person spend on pet insurance? ›

Average pet insurance costs

Most pet owners can expect to pay between $20 and $50 per month for accident and illness pet insurance. Pet insurance rates can range from as low as $9 per month to more than $100 per month.

How long does it take for pet insurance to kick in? ›

The typical waiting period is 14 days, particularly for illness coverage. Some pet insurance providers have a waiting period of only a few days for accident coverage. Hereditary conditions such as hip dysplasia typically have much longer waiting periods — up to a year.

Is a Golden Retriever a low maintenance dog? ›

In some ways, like grooming, socialising with other dogs, and exercising, Golden Retrievers can be considered high maintenance. However, these pooches are also super adaptable, friendly with other people and dogs, and can be easily trained. They could be considered less high maintenance than a lot of other dog breeds.

Are Golden Retrievers expensive to take care of? ›

Taking the initial, recurring, and one-time costs into consideration, the cost of a Golden Retriever in its lifetime could be between $20,000-$22,000, not including the cost of emergencies or critical surgeries should your pet happen to need them.

Why is Golden Retrievers so expensive? ›

There are fewer Golden Retriever puppies available than there are homes who want them. It is difficult to find one in an animal shelter, or for less than $500 almost anywhere. It's simply down to the market.

Is pet insurance more expensive for purebred dogs? ›

For example, you'll pay more for pet insurance coverage for a purebred dog than for a mixed breed, as the former are prone to hereditary and congenital conditions. To find out more about dog insurance costs by breed, read on. Embrace can help you fetch a great plan and for your four-legged friend.

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