When My Dog Died, Pet Insurance Made It Easy To Get Him The End-of-life Care He Needed

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Rachel Morgan Cautero

• In 2024, my dog died, but pet insurance made paying for end-of-life care easier.
• My husband's job offered pet insurance as a benefit, so we paid $160 a month for pet insurance.
• French bulldogs are prone to breathing issues, so we paid extra for routine care.

In 2024, my beloved French bulldog died. He was my first "baby," and he was with me through many major life transitions, from moving from the city to the suburbs, having two babies, moving (again!), and even transitioning to having two kids in school. He was honestly my best friend, and losing him was devastating.

Losing a pet is never easy. Our Frenchie was truly a part of our family, so when he got sick, it was incredibly difficult. He was our best friend and had shown us unconditional love for more than a decade.

But we were lucky — because of his breed and age, we had always carried a pretty hefty pet insurance policy for him, which also helped pay for his end-of-life care.

We saved by getting pet insurance through my husband's job

We paid $160 a month for our dog's pet insurance policy, deducted biweekly from my husband's paycheck. His company offered a discount for getting our policy through them.

Our plan was via Nationwide Pet Insurance, and it reimbursed us 70% of costs once we reached our $250 deductible.

Pet insurance premiums vary by breed and age. French bulldogs are brachycephalic dogs, which means they're prone to breathing issues and brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which can translate into higher premiums.

We got a plan that included routine care

Pet insurance differs slightly from insurance for humans since it doesn't necessarily cover routine healthcare for your pet. Rather, it's usually something you keep in place to help defray the costs of an accident or serious illness. But you can opt for an additional rider to include routine care on your coverage.

Our pet insurance policy covered broken bones, sprains, and ingested items, plus illnesses such as ear infections, vomiting, cancer, and diabetes. We had used the policy a number of times to help defray his vet costs, once after a nasty bout with pancreatitis and several other times to help care for recurring tail infections.

We also opted for the plan that included routine care, such as wellness exams and vaccinations, since his breed requires more in-depth veterinary care.

While having pet insurance isn't a given, more and more pet owners are adding that extra layer of coverage for their pets. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, 2023 saw a 17.1% growth in insured pets.

We didn't have to worry about the cost of end-of-life care

End-of-life care for your furry best friend isn't something any pet owner wants to think about. But in some cases, the costs can be substantial. In some areas, the cost of euthanasia and cremation can be upward of $400, plus the cost of treatment for the original ailment. That's why it makes sense to plan financially for it.

Since we'd already reached our $250 deductible for my dog's liver issues, we were only responsible for the remaining 30% of the vet bill, which was around $200. Most pet insurance plans cap your maximum annual benefit. In our case, it was $7,500 annually.

It was such a relief that we didn't have to worry about the cost of his care in addition to dealing with the heartbreak of his diagnosis.

Having pet insurance to help pay for his end-of-life care and make the transition as easy as possible for him was just one small way we could return the favor for the love he showed us.