Golden retriever pet insurance
Keep your goldie covered for everything from playful mishaps to breed-specific health concerns.
Key takeaways
- Golden retrievers are predisposed to a few illnesses.
- It's wise to look at a pet insurance policy that can help cover the cost of these treatments.
- Treatment can be expensive so a higher annual limit may be helpful.
Do I need pet insurance for my golden retriever?
When it comes to insuring your dog, there are a few things to consider:
Is your dog predisposed to any specific conditions?
Golden retrievers are known to be predisposed to a few conditions. These can be expensive to treat and might influence your decision around pet insurance.
- Hip dysplasia: This occurs when the femur and pelvis grow at uneven rates and can result in arthritis.
- Elbow dysplasia: This is a similar problem, also resulting in arthritis.
- Progressive retinal atrophy: This is hereditary and can lead to blindness.
- Cancers: Golden retrievers are predisposed to a few different cancers;
- Lymphoma: A cancer of the lymphatic system, affecting spleen and bone marrow.
- Osteosarcoma: An aggressive bone cancer.
- Hemangiosarcoma: This one affects the spleen and the heart and can lead to sudden internal bleeding.
- Mast Cell Tumors: These are skin tumors and can appear anywhere on the body with varying seriousness.
- Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS): This is a type of hereditary heart disease that affects golden retrievers. This illness impacts their blood flow and can lead to heart failure.
- Ear infections: These infections can occur because of their floppy ears.
- Food sensitivities: Golden retrievers are known to have a few food sensitivities that can affect their skin health. They may require a special diet.
Could you afford surgery out of pocket?
With these conditions in mind, it's important to consider if you could afford surgery or treatment out of pocket, should your goldy require it.
Here's an idea of how much each surgery can cost. Keep in mind though, these prices are approximate and your actual cost will depend on the severity of your dog's condition and your vet.
| Condition | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Hip dysplasia | Varies hugely. Could be around $3,000-$15,000. |
| Elbow dysplasia | Around $3,000-$5,000 per elbow. |
| Progressive retinal atrophy | Currently, there is no known treatment for this condition. |
| Cancers | This cost varies hugely because it depends if surgery is needed. It's typically a few thousand dollars, at least. |
| Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS) | Detecting this can be costly with xrays and more. If treatment is needed then it's often ongoing and that adds up quickly too. Given it's so varied, we were unable to find approximate costs. |
| Ear infections | This is less costly if treatment is just ear drops but it can add up if it's left untreated and surgery is needed later. |
| Food sensitivities | Treatment varies again. It could be as little as changing their food or it could be more complex for those dogs who have problems with their skin as a result of the food sensitivity. |
What can pet insurance cover for a golden retriever?
What your pet insurance policy covers will come down to what level of cover you choose and the provider specifics. We've broken this down below.
Accidents, illnesses, and injuries – coverage options for golden retrievers
Pet insurance policies for golden retrievers generally come in basic, mid-level, and comprehensive or 'elite' options. Coverage levels typically include:
- Basic coverage: Often called 'essentials' or 'accident-only' cover, basic policies tend to be the most affordable. They provide crucial coverage for accidents like snake bites, falls, or vehicle-related injuries. However, basic plans usually won't cover breed-specific illnesses or common conditions affecting golden retrievers, such as hip dysplasia or skin allergies.
- Mid-level coverage: Providers might label mid-level coverage differently, but it typically covers a broader range of incidents including accidents, illnesses, and injuries common among golden retrievers. Conditions often covered include hip and elbow dysplasia, skin allergies, cancer and ear infections. Annual coverage limits typically range from about $12,000 to $30,000, helping manage costs for pricey veterinary visits related to these common golden retriever health issues.
- Comprehensive or Elite coverage: This represents the highest tier of pet insurance, providing extensive protection that covers accidents, illnesses, and injuries with higher annual limits. Comprehensive policies often include other benefits such as routine care for preventive treatments, including vaccinations, dental cleanings, and general wellness checks. Given golden retrievers' predisposition to certain health issues that can require costly treatments — like joint surgeries for hip dysplasia or cancer treatments — these comprehensive policies can offer particularly valuable financial support.
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How to choose the best pet insurance for your golden retriever
When selecting pet insurance for your golden retriever, consider the below:
- Waiting periods: This refers to the duration between starting your policy and when you can first make a claim. If your golden retriever needs immediate medical attention, insurance usually won't apply until after the waiting period has ended. However, emergency treatments, such as injuries from accidents or snake bites, typically have very short waiting periods, often being covered immediately or within 24 hours.
- Reimbursement options: This outlines how you'll receive payment from your insurer once a claim is approved. At the start of your policy, you'll choose the percentage of veterinary costs the insurer covers—generally ranging from 70% to 100%. Higher reimbursement rates result in higher premiums.
Certain providers offer GapOnly claims, allowing you to only pay the gap—the difference between the total bill and the insurance coverage—at the vet, eliminating the need to wait for reimbursement.
Alternatively, some insurers require upfront full payment at the veterinary clinic, after which you submit a claim and await reimbursement.
- Annual limit: This is the maximum sum your insurer will cover annually. For instance, if your policy has a $25,000 annual limit, claims beyond this amount won't be reimbursed within that policy year. Opting for a lower limit could be problematic if your golden retriever requires extensive surgery or prolonged treatments exceeding this amount.
- Sub-limits: These are specific coverage caps on individual treatments, separate from your overall annual limit. For example, if your policy includes a sub-limit of $3,000 for hip dysplasia treatment (a common condition in golden retrievers), and treatment costs $5,000, you'll pay the remaining $2,000, even if your annual limit hasn't been reached.
What should you ideally look for in a policy?
- High annual limits: Crucial for covering expensive treatments related to breed-specific conditions.
- High or no sub-limits: Provides more comprehensive coverage for common, costly conditions.
- High reimbursement rates: Covers a greater portion of veterinary expenses. However, if affordability is a priority, opting for slightly lower reimbursement rates can balance coverage with budget considerations.
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How much does it cost to desex a female golden retriever?
Hello Natalie,
Thank you for your comment.
As per checking, Desexing female dogs will cost you at around $200 – $220 for small dogs and can go up to $400 or more for large dogs (60kg plus). The typical cost for desexing female dogs weighing 10 – 20 kg is around $250.
Should you wish to have real-time answers to your questions, try our chat box on the lower right corner of our page.
Regards,
Jhezelyn