How Much Is Pet Insurance For A German Shepherd

German Shepherd Insurance Sample Costs

Here are some samples of what insurance costs would look like for a 0-11 month old GSD.

There are several options and variables with most of the companies listed below, but I attempted to keep everything as close as possible for a fair comparison.

On the majority of the plans below, you can adjust the reimbursement limits, deductibles, payout percentage.

• Aortic Stenosis $3,000 to $6,000
• MMM $50 to $100 per month
• Achondroplasia $1,000 to $5,000

Factor : The Dog Insurance Company And Policy You Choose

This has a big influence on the cost of dog insurance.

Obviously, if you buy a policy with higher cover limits your price will be higher. And different companies might offer additional features. For example, at Bought By Many all our vet fee policies come with unlimited free video calls with vets through the FirstVet app. These are available 24/7 and can be a valuable tool when you’re worried about your dog.

John Lewis Finance and More Than’s dog insurance policies offer up to £12,000 of vet bills cover, as well as enhanced cover for public liability, theft, straying, dental treatment, and even alternative therapies.

Bought By Many’s Complete policy is the most comprehensive on the market and includes up to £15,000 of vet fee cover each year. Our other policies offer unique features such as money back if you do not claim and cover for pre-existing conditions. Find out more about them and get a quote here.

At the other end of the spectrum, newer pet insurance companies like Helpucover have started offering very cheap dog insurance for people whose priority is to keep costs down.

Bought By Many offers an affordable Value policy.

Nationwide German Shepherd Insurance

Nationwide offers some great choices for German shepherd owners because it covers the illnesses this breed is most prone to developing, and they offer pet owners the choice of three unique policies. The most affordable policy with the best coverage offers a $250 deductible, 90 percent reimbursement rate, and a $10,000 annual payout amount. This policy for the German shepherd in Seattle would be $91.80. The same policy would cost $123.31 in New York City $71.34 in Dallas $56.96 in Los Angeles, and $69.62 in Atlanta.

German shepherd owners will find good pet insurance with each of these companies. It appears that Atlanta and Seattle are two cities with the most affordable German shepherd pet insurance. Nationwides premiums are a little more costly, but they offer excellent coverage. Figo and SPOT look to be the most affordable for what they offer.

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What Is The Average Cost Of Dog Insurance

Bought By Many’s average premium based on the policies we sold between May 2019 and May 2020, came to £436.02. This works out at just over £36 per month. Our average claim amount for the same period came to £385.32.

According to their last published records, Consumer Intelligence data revealed that the average annual premium for pet insurance costs between May 2017 and May 2018 was £287 – equating to just over £23.90 per month.

Research company Mintel gives a slightly higher figure of £324 for annual premiums in 2017, based on data from the Association of British Insurers.

With more up to date figures currently unavailable, you should expect that these annual premium costs have now increased.

However, with that in mind, recent figures from the Association of British Insurers inform that in 2020 the average claim value across all pets was £817, up 2% from 2019.

You might pay much more or less than these prices but it’s likely to depend upon five factors that generally influence cost.

The difference in premiums can be vast. Some companies may charge the owner of an older Great Dane over £100 a month but owners of younger crossbreeds can find accident-only cover for under £5 a month.

Prices for many policies are likely to increase as your dog gets older, whether you claim or not. Premiums for dogs over 7 can be five times more than for a dog aged one or two.

Are German Shepherds Easy To Train

German Shepherds are a member of the working breed group. Like their other working dog counterparts, German Shepherds are intelligent and highly trainable, with an eagerness to please. Because of this, German Shepherds can be sensitive and respond best to positive reinforcement methods with lots of praise but need set boundaries to keep their behaviour under control.

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Petfirst Pet Insurance For German Shepherds

PetFirst is another great option for German Shepherd parents. It is one of the fastest-growing pet insurance companies in the United States. Their focus is to be able to help pet parents not worry about financial concerns when it comes to taking proper care of their pets.

They have plans to suit all families, from the ones who just want a little bit of coverage to those who want the most coverage available.

Where PetFirst stands out is in the fact that they have a routine care rider that can be added to your dogs policy. The routine care rider allows for services that are not normally covered by pet insurance to be covered such as routine exams and vaccinations.

What does PetFirst cover?

This screenshot was taken from PetFirsts website and they typically cover the following treatments:

*Image taken from PetFirst website

PetFirst also covers the following after your GSD has had a policy in standing with them for 12 months:

*Image taken from PetFirst website

Affordable German Shepherd Pet Insurance

Once youve found the best pet insurance for your German shepherd, youll want to narrow them down to the most affordable pet insurance. Most pet insurance companies offer you the option of customizing the policy to get the coverage you feel you need at the most affordable price.

When comparing pet insurance companies, youll find that they offer you the option of choosing these three features.

• Deductible This is the amount you pay before the company will pay. Deductibles may be from $50 to $2,000.
• Reimbursementrate This is the percentage the insurance company pays once the customer pays the deductible. These may range from 50 percent to 100 percent.
• Maximumpayoutamount This is the most company will pay either on a claim or in that calendar year. This may be from $1,000 to $20,000. Some insurance companies have no cap on what theyll pay, but these types will be more expensive.

These are the three factors that affect the premium the most. However, the breed of the dog, age of the dog, and location where the dog lives also affect the premium. Here are five top pet insurance companies that would make good choices for German shepherd owners.

You can compare the prices of these five companies in five different cities. These sample rates are based on a four-year-old female German shepherd. Unless mentioned otherwise, they are also based on a policy with a $500 deductible, 80 percent reimbursement rate, and $5,000 annual payout amount.

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Common Health Issues For German Shepherds

Dont think you need Pet Insurance for your German Shepherd? Not so fast!

In a study on German Shepherd disorders, The UK Kennel Club Breed Watch system categorizes the GSD as Category Three Breed3 or dog breeds where dogs have visible conditions or exaggerations that can cause pain or discomfort.

The research also revealed that GSDs have the highest predisposition to inherited diseases among the 50 most commonly registered Kennel Club breeds. Individual disorders with a reported predisposition in the GSD include hip dysplasia, haemangiosarcoma, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, degenerative myelopathy, anal furunculosis, and lumbosacral disease.

These are some of the most common health problems German Shepherds dogs are prone to develop.

Why is Healthy Paws a good choice for your German Shepherds?

When you file a claim under a Healthy Paws insurance plan, there are no caps on payouts.

Among the benefits provided by Healthy Paws are hospitalization, diagnostic testing, supplies, surgeries, and prescription medication. Healthy Paws covers accidents, illnesses, hereditary and congenital conditions, including hip dysplasia.

They have competitive premium prices. We ran a quote for a healthy German Shepherd at a $500 deductible, with 70% and 80% coverage. You can expect to pay between $31 and $57, respectively, depending on your location, pets age, and other factors.

• There is a one-time enrollment fee of $25
• Cant enroll pets over 4 years old in NY

How Often To Feed A Puppy

So now that you know how much to feed your puppy, you might be wondering, How many times a day should a puppy eat? Setting a routine for your puppys feeding schedule is critical so he can learn when to expect his food.

• 4-12 Weeks: Young puppies need three or more feedings per day to adequately meet their nutritional needs. So, according to the feeding guide that comes with their food or the chart above, divide that by three or more and give the food to them throughout the day.
• 3-12 Months: As your puppy gets older, you can reduce the number of feedings to twice daily. Their energy level should reduce thus, they dont need as much food throughout the day.
• 12+ Months: Most adult dogs eat two meals per day. Youll want to divide their food requirement by two.

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The Average Cost Of A German Shepherd: How Much Does A German Shepherd Puppy Cost

The average price of a purebred German Shepherd puppy from a reputable breeder is around $800 to $3,500. Show quality German Shepherd puppies can cost anywhere between $6,500 and $10,000. Other factors such as coat color also affect the pricing of GSD puppies.

As you can see, the purebred German Shepherd puppy price range is quite high compared to other breeds due to increased demand.

They are even more expensive when they are bred from a generation of high-quality German Shepherds or those who came from show lines.

A GSD that is trained to become a working dog or service dog for the police or military is typically bought for $10,000 to $20,000.

German Shepherd breeders take a lot of time in producing GSDs from the working line and providing them with training at a very young age.

Coat color also determines a German Shepherds price. Aside from the standard black and tan coat, GSDs also come in solid colors like white, black, and blue. As expected, the rarer colors are more expensive than common ones.

The table below shows a comparison of each German Shepherd price for the different GSD colors:

The white German Shepherds price is a bit higher than the standard GSD color since it is less common. The appearance of white hair is a result of a recessive gene similar to black GSDs.

Since the breeding process for these dogs is quite selective, its expected for puppies to be priced a lot higher.

Best Value: Pets Best Review

Pets Best offers great pet insurance coverage for your GSD, but thats also affordable.

To give you an estimate of your monthly premium, we ran a few quotes for a healthy German Shepherd at a $500 deductible and a 70% and 80% coverage. Based on our research, you can expect to pay between $25 and $41, depending on your location, pets age, gender, and other factors.

There is no upper age limit, so you can enroll your aging German Shepherd in a plan no matter how old they are. Rates will go up the older your pet gets.

Pets Best dog insurance plans offer coverage for accidents, emergencies, illnesses, cancer, hereditary and congenital conditions, and much more.

They have a reasonable claim repayment time averaging 8 days. Due to the high demand in claims, it may be longer than that.

• 14-day waiting period for illness and 3 days for Accident
• Premiums increase as pet ages
• 6-month waiting period for CCL injuries
• Average claim repayment is longer than the competition

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Mixing In Fresh Ingredients

I add small portions of fresh components to my dry kibble for taste and flavor. But dont add more than a spoonful or two so your dog doesnt eat only the fresh ingredients and ignore the healthy kibble!

These components shouldnt make up over 10% of the meal to avoid them gaining excess wight.

GSD puppies enjoy eating:

• cooked, plain oatmeal without sweeteners
• fresh or frozen blueberries
• goats milk

If you want to know the best treats for German Shepherd puppies, pick one from this list of healthy German Shepherd treats that are tasty and nutritious.

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How Much Does A German Shepherd Cost Per Month

• $100$715 per month

Even after you pay the initial prices, German Shepherds are still very expensive to own the remainder of their lives. German Shepherds are considered healthy dogs that can live many years. You must be able to pay for these dogs every month of their lives.

According to most German Shepherd owners, owning one of these dogs costs at least $12,000 in total throughout their entire lives. Based on this number and the fact German Shepherds live an average of 11 years, this adds up to about $1090 a year or $100 a month.

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When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing

Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger are require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen.

As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity.

Accident And Illness Plans

These plans are the most comprehensive and typically cover accidents and illnesses, which can include everything listed above plus hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, behavioral disorders, genetic conditions, cancer, stomach illnesses, diarrhea, vomiting, diabetes, tooth illness and more. This plan is ideal for dogs that might be susceptible to certain illnesses, diseases or conditions.

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Are German Shepherds Good Pets

As far as pet quality goes German Shepherd are great family pets, they are very responsive and loving to their owners.

German Shepherds are known for being very family-oriented dog which makes them great with children as long as they were socialised around kids at a young age.

Just like other dogs you need to make sure you do your research before purchasing a German Shepherd, you should locate a responsible breeder, some may provide your dog with basic training before you buy it but that can often be a bit more expensive.

Pet Insurance Quotes For German Shepherds

So, how much are you expected to pay for canine insurance for your GSD?

If you get Pet Insurance for your German Shepherd, you can expect to pay between $25 to $57 per month. Depending on where you live, what deductible, and the reimbursement percentage you choose, you may spend more or less.

*NOTE: The quotes we ran were for dogs with no pre-existing conditions. All quotes are from November 2020.

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Average Price Of German Shepherd Puppies

The average price of a standard German Shepherd pup is anywhere between $500 to $1,000 USD. Take note these are localized prices from hobby breeders and unregistered backyard breeders.

Professional breeders will charge more as they have high standards for breeding their canines.

To provide buyers with health guarantees, each puppy shall undergo thorough screenings to rule out hereditary diseases and other health issues common to the breed.

Expect an increased price point starting at $2,000 up to $4,000 USD.

If you want a GSD puppy from top breed lines, prepare to shell out $10,000 USD or more. Puppies whose ancestors have an outstanding history of achievements command a hefty premium.

Adoption fees cost around $200.

Susannes German Shepherd Milly Was Diagnosed With Aggressive Cancer

Susanne Sullivan rescued Milly at 18 months of age. She decided to take out pet insurance cover, and was glad she did, because at 6 years old, Milly developed an aggressive form of cancer in her paw, which has since recurred. Bow Wow Meow reimbursed 80% of her veterinary costs on both accounts and she is very grateful that she made the choice to insure Milly.

Susanne Sullivan rescued Milly at 18 months of age. She decided to take out pet insurance cover, and was glad she did, because at 6 years old, Milly developed an aggressive form of cancer in her paw, which has since recurred. Bow Wow Meow reimbursed 80% of her veterinary costs on both accounts and she is very grateful that she made the choice to insure Milly.

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Whats The Usual German Shepherd Price

The German Shepherd price that you can expect to pay may vary depending on location , age , and health condition .

A German Shepherd puppy can cost anywhere from high hundreds of pounds up to a few thousand, while an adult German shepherd can cost even more German Shepherd price is difficult to gauge at the moment because of lockdown and a spike in demand, and even a reputable breeder may be cagey on prices to start.

The best advice? Shop around and take your time!