Many dog owners are now purchasing pet insurance in order to cover any unexpected costs for medical treatment for their dog.  The younger the dog the less the policy will cost, providing your pet is in reasonable health.  The treatment that you can claim for will range from antibiotics for an infection or a minor injury to major surgery, where you will only have to pay a small excess.  The excess will vary from insurer to insurer and you will be expected to pay this at the time of treatment. 

You should also be aware that most policies will not allow you to claim for a condition or an injury that was there before the policy began.  The small print on some policies should also be checked for indications that claims can only be made once for a particular condition.  A recurring condition, even for something that may not have happened before you took out the policy, might only be covered for one occasion. 

A policy is calculated using a number of factors, such as the age of the animal, the breed of the dog and the area in which you live.  The exact terms and conditions for your policy will be sent to you for approval and you are allowed to take a 14 day cooling off period which gives you time to decide if the policy is for you.  Shopping around is the best option in order to ensure that you find a policy that suits your needs.