Most health insurance plans do not cover service dogs. This includes the cost of buying, training, and taking care of a service dog.
However, owing to the fact that service dogs are invaluable animals that provide assistance to individuals living with disabilities, there are several alternatives that can protect them in the event of an illness or harm inflicted on others.
Individuals who own service dogs should consider getting a pet health insurance policy or liability insurance to protect from unforeseen healthcare expenses that your dog may require.
How Much Does It Cost to Maintain a Service Dog?
There are several variables that add to the cost of maintaining a service. Year in, year out, owners tend to experience additional expenditures in the process of taking care of and maintaining their service dogs.
The cost of maintaining a service dog encompasses the amount spent on food, medications, supplies, and veterinary care. In the event of an accident or illness, you will need to take your service dogs for routine checkups and medical care.
There are also supplies or dog accessories that are important when maintaining service dogs, such as leashes, vests, collars, toys, or beds.
Once you are able to factor in all of these factors, you should have an estimate of how much it costs to maintain your service cost. That being said, it is advisable to budget about $500 to $10,000 per year to cater for your service dog.
Types of Service Dog Insurance Coverage
Since health insurance will not cover the expenses associated with the care of your service dogs, there are other alternatives that could work out for you.
There are certain types of coverage and policies for service dogs that can cover the cost of taking care of and maintaining them. Most policies for service dogs typically cost the same as those for other types of regular dogs.
For your service dogs, you should consider purchasing liability, pet, health, or life insurance to protect them.
• Liability insurance
Liability insurance for service dogs is a must-have for owners of service dogs and other types of animals. Regardless of the fact that service dogs are trained to help those living with disabilities, they are still in the category of animals and could behave otherwise.
This type of insurance provides financial protection and security if your service dog inflicts injury to someone or damages another person’s property.
In a situation where your service dogs cause harm to others, you may be sued and deemed responsible for the medical expenses involved. So, purchasing service dog liability insurance is worth it.
• Pet health insurance
Pet health insurance for service dogs is a pivotal type of insurance that helps assist owners in taking care of their dogs.
This type of insurance includes three types of policies, namely, accident-only coverage, accident-and-illness (also known as comprehensive coverage), and wellness coverage. Each of these policies covers different types of services and treatments for service dogs.
Before purchasing any of these policies, it is advisable to carefully read the terms of the policy in order to understand what it includes and what it does not.
However, let’s say health insurance offers coverage for medications, routine checkups, and surgeries for service dogs.
• Life insurance
Compared to regular pet insurance, life insurance for service dogs provides more coverage for this breed of dog.
Every service dog owner should consider purchasing service dog life insurance, as it is known for the wide range of services it offers for service dogs.
Service dog life insurance covers veterinary bills and other medical expenses. If a policyholder loses his/her service dog, this insurance will provide financial assistance that helps to cover the expenses of training a replacement or getting a new service dog.
Please note that your service dog has to be in good health as of the time the policy is written in order to be eligible for the coverage under life insurance.
There are also restrictions on the types of breeds that can be insured; you can check if your service dogs are eligible for this coverage from your insurance provider.
Programs to Help with the Costs of Maintaining a Service Dog
Taking care of service dogs can be pretty overwhelming and money-consuming. Here’s the good news: there are certain programs that can help to reduce some of the cost associated with owning and training a service dog, such as:
- Government and State Assistance: For those who reside in California, the Department of Social Services offers $50 per month to qualified individuals who use a service dog for needs linked to a disability. Also, there are government assistance programs that cover the cost of necessary service dog veterinarian care for dog owners who meet the requirements.
- Non-profits: Dog food, veterinary care, and other dog supplies can be found or paid for by qualifying persons with the assistance of Pets, People Emergency Relief, Pet Help Finder, and numerous other non-profit organizations.
- Crowdfunding: Websites for crowdsourcing can assist pet owners in covering the cost of expensive veterinarian care. Some can even help with the cost of purchasing the dog itself if you haven’t gotten one yet.
FAQS
Can I train my own service dog?
Of course, you can personally train your own service dog. Basically, the law permits you to train your own service dogs’ whichever way you want.
If the process of training is not overwhelming for you, you don’t necessarily have to take your service dog to a professional trainer. It is neutrally possible to take care of your service dog on your own.
Can insurance companies deny service dogs?
Well, most pet insurance companies will not deny coverage for service dogs because they’re considered to be a regular type of dog, just like some dog breeds.
However, it is important to note that certain breeds of dogs may be charged lower or higher premiums, depending on the insurance company.
Does home insurance cover dogs?
Not entirely! The majority of home insurance policies will help pay for the damage or injuries your dog inflicts on others. But it does not cover medical expenses or replacement costs for service dogs.
In the process of applying for or updating your home insurance policy, ensure your insurer is aware of your service dog and any other pets you have.
Once you’ve confirmed them, they can offer advice on how to have proper coverage for your service dogs. You can then decide if the coverage is enough for your service dog or if you need to purchase additional insurance.
