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Pet Health Insurance

1K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  TomN 
#1 ·
I was wondering how many people here have Health Insurance for their pets. What made you get it? Who do you go through? Has it been worth it for you, or is it just a safety net?
 
#2 · (Edited)
I have had it for three months now. This summer in order to save the lives of my cat and a rescue dog, I paid out over $10,000. Even though they cannot now be insured for preexisting conditions, I do have some coverge on both of them and full on my other cat. Yes, it is worth it even if I never have to use it (which I hope I don't). The peace of mind is worth every penny. When you have to go to the universitites for complicated cases, it is horrible. They charge thousands and thousands. It just makes me mad that I didn't get it sooner. I had to go through PetsBest because they are on of the few that insure pets over 10.
 
#5 ·
I have 5 dogs and 3 rabbits, so what I'd really like is a plan that helps to cover vaccinations and routine checkups as well as cover any extreme problems, like broken bones. And it's be nice if they would help cover costs for things like spaying/neutering. I'm not sure such a plan even exists, but I'm looking.
Honestly, I'll probably have to insure the rabbit through a different carrier then the dogs, because I've found so few that will cover rabbits at all, and didn't like any of their coverage on dogs...
I guess I'll just keep looking! :D
 
#6 ·
I have looked at several different pet insurance companies. When I looked at the premiums, exclusions, deductables, co-pays and the amount they pay for procedures, I haven't found one I thought was worth the money. My advice is to take the premium and put it in a savings account each month and you will come out a head in most instances.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I have an insurance plan through PetPlan USA. http://www.gopetplan.com/Why-Pet-Plan.html
I researched many and this one had the most favorable reviews I could find.

Nice thing about PetPlan is you can customize your policy depending on how much you want to spend on premiums each month. They have several different dog plans (Gold, Silver and Bronze). You can customize your policy by choosing your deductible and or co-pay depending on how much you want to pay. They even have a claim calculator that can tell you how much you would be reimbursed. I chose their Bronze plan with a $200 deductible for $25 a month. I chose this plan mainly for emergency visits where costs can quickly escalate into the thousands of dollars. I have hunting dogs so it seemed a good plan for that.

As with any insurance it gives you piece of mind.....
 
#8 ·
I came on here to do research myself since my dog is getting older and I want to protect my savings for the home that I hope to purchase; and with watching family friends deal with hip dysplasia, and cancer in their 2 dogs:( and seeing the amount of $$ medical procedures can cost I decided to get pet insurance in case I run into those problems with my dog.
For myself I've been doing research and these are (for me) the most important questions I've been asking because it is the major differences between policies....

~Does the policy cover...
-Chronic conditions such as diabetes?
- if so, is there a cap per incident? how about an annual cap? or
lifetime?
-hereditary conditions such as hip dysplasia?
- if so, is there a cap per incident? how about an annual cap? or
lifetime?
-preexisting conditions?
- if so, is there a cap per incident? how about an annual cap? or
lifetime?


~Is there a life time cap on claims?
~Is there an annual cap on claims?
~Does the rate change as my pet gets older?
~Is there a discount for multiple pets?
~Is there a discount for paying a year in advance?

These are the most important questions that I have run into and what sets the policies apart. So far I am liking Purina's insurance because it covers chronic conditions and hereditary conditions as well as having no lifetime cap on claims per pet and for their premium plan with preventative care covers things like teeth cleaning, annual, flea & tick, vaccinations in addition to the emergency things such as a broken leg and hereditary or chronic conditions.

Finally at first glance I liked VIP but they don't cover hereditary conditions and me having a bigger dog they are prone to things like hip dysplasia which wouldn't be covered.... SO - this is what my research has shown so far and these were my top two contenders - Also you will be paying for the more coverage with Purina but I think it's the most extensive coverage out of the 10 companies I've researched so far - but I also only have one dog at the moment....

I hope this helps!! Let me know what your research has turned up I'd appreciate any feed back or other questions I should be asking.....

FINALLY , does anyone have any experience – positive or negative with Purina Insurance/Preventative Care since these guys are at the top of my list I would like to know people’s experiences...?

Thank you:)
 
#9 ·
I don't remember all of the details, but I know Petplan covers hereditary conditions with coverage for the life of your pet. Just so you know most insurance plans will NOT cover pets that have pre-existing conditions. They will cover everything else, but not any medical condition that is present at the time you enroll in your policy.

Here are some websites that have information and reviews. There's also good information on how to choose based on your situation.

http://www.petinsurancereview.com/dog.asp
http://www.petinsurancereview.com/reviewStart.asp
http://www.pet-insurance-information.com/
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Use-Pet-Insurance-Reviews-For-Your-Benefit&id=1383914
 
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