Rich People’s Problems: Am I barking mad to pay for pet insurance?
Dog insurance is expensive. I’ve just received the renewal quote for the older of my two dogs, Barnaby. It’s an eye-watering, dog-howling £328.42 a month. That’s nearly £4,000 a year.
Perhaps an old dog with multiple ailments should be dispatched to the doggy equivalent of Dignitas. That would save a fortune. But hang on. Yes, he struggles to get up and down stairs and a slow potter to the post box is about as much as he can manage but he seems happy enough. He’ll greet you with a tail wag and a woof. I’d prefer it if he didn’t woof at me.
His breath is abominable. But you become incredibly attached to your furry friends. If they have a decent quality of life, surely as an owner you have an obligation to keep them happy, healthy and alive — whatever the cost?
Speak to any dog owner and they’ll tell you tales of swallowed balls, splintered sticks, snake bites, fevers, unexplained bleeding, cuts, scrapes, back trouble and sickness — all requiring expensive treatments or surgery.
Dog ownership is not for the faint-hearted or indeed a challenged budget. And if you have a dog, you’ll want the very best care for them no matter what the cost might be. For all the unconditional love and laughter they bring, they must have the best. And that, I’ve concluded, means insuring them for any and every eventuality. Household savings will have to come from elsewhere.
James Max is a broadcaster on TV and radio and a property expert. The views expressed are personal. Twitter: @thejamesmax
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:James Max
