 TITLE: Do I Need a Good Credit Score for Pet Insurance? CONTENT: What Factors Affect The Cost of Pet Insurance?\n----------------------------------------------\nAlthough dogs are the most commonly insured pet, you can get pet health insurance for all kinds of animals, including cats, rabbits, ferrets, exotic birds, reptiles, potbelly pigs and rodents. The key factors affecting the cost of pet health insurance are the coverage you choose (more on that in a moment), where you live and the pet you want to insure.\nWhy does your location affect the cost of pet insurance? Generally, since it costs more to run a veterinary practice in urban areas, veterinary care in big cities can be more expensive.\nPrimarily, though, the species, breed and age of your pet are the considerations that'll determine what your policy will end up costing you. Some species and breeds cost more to care for or are more susceptible to medical problems than others. Purebred animals often have hereditary conditions; for example, English bulldogs frequently suffer from hip or elbow dysplasia, allergies and respiratory problems. Larger animals that need bigger doses of prescription medications and animals that live longer also cost more to insure. Older pets are more likely to have problems requiring medical care.\nThe NAPHIA reports that small, spayed, mixed-breed female dogs or cats are the cheapest to insure; large, purebred and short-nosed dogs are the most expensive. (One reason insurance for female pets is cheaper: Pet health insurance usually doesn't cover pregnancy-related care.) END