Comments on: Hour 19: Pet Insurance

By: Ashley Harlow

Ashley Harlow — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:47:59 +0000

Great info! I looked into getting my pug insured earlier this year as a puppy since I know they have many health problems but are just so loveable! I signed up with Vetinsurance and they are great and already covered one of my claims. They even let you choose your own deductible and cover 90% of the bill. My pugger got a tumor not long ago and treatment is covered for his whole life. It’s definitely worth researching all the companies and seeing what works best for you, your wallet, and your pet.

By: Kim

Kim — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:07:12 +0000

Good to know. I had VPI and it felt like a crock.

By: wikith

wikith — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:02:54 +0000

I have PetPlan insurance on my pup since vet or no I couldn’t afford a HBC or parvo. I’ve thankfully yet to make a claim, but $200-some/year bought me a $12K policy with no exclusions. I gives me a little peace of mind knowing that while I’d prefer he not get parvo, not get hit by a car, not jump out of the kennel at the hospital and break a leg… if it happens, I won’t have to choose between rent, student loans, and treating him. I also like petplan because from what I can tell it’s not “$100 for this diagnosis, $250 for that diagnosis,” like VPI. You have a policy limit and a deductible. You pay everything up front, send them the bill, get reimbursed for the whole shebang minus deductible. Between savings account and credit card, I could pay everything up front if needed for just about whatever hits him, the reimbursement would help replenish savings and pay off that credit card bill.

By: karen

karen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:47:31 +0000

I, too, purchase pet health insurance. After having a beloved older cat hospitalized with renal disease followed the next year by a beloved kitten who died of FIP, I see it as “better safe than sorry”. It doesn’t cover as much as I’d like, but covers enough to make the premium cost worthwhile. It also means I won’t likely have to euthanize a pet solely due to $$, and that in itself is priceless (for me).

By: Annette Frey

Annette Frey — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:45:27 +0000

It depends. There are so many now and they’re all different. My friend who has the double cancer coverage (which btw, is only around $7/per each) said it paid off hugely covering a lot of her dogs that had bone cancer.

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:09:05 +0000

One thing that I didn’t like about the health insurance is they don’t often pay what it actually costs for a surgery. When we looked, the coverage seemed low. For example, if the vet charges $1400, insurance covers $600, you are out the monthly payment and $800. Maybe the coverage has changed. I didn’t realize it was more reimbursement-type coverage.

By: Lisa W

Lisa W — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:43:38 +0000

Same with Bailey as far as insurance not being around when she was younger, and then she “aged out” of any reasonable premium. In addition a lot of her health issues would have been pre-existing and thus not covered anyway.

But with your experience, no I don’t blame you one bit for getting on board immediately!!

By: Annette Frey

Annette Frey — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:33:13 +0000

We always tried doing the “money in the bank” route with Lambchop but he never let us save hardly any. He had Addison’s disease, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (mind you he lived in NYC), a history of pancreatitis, chronic renal failure, extramedullary plasmacytoma (rare to have once, he had it 3 times!), rare seizures throughout his life brought on by any extreme fear situation (like when the FBI raided the apartment next door with 50+ agents!), and what else, I’m sure I’m missing some things. You get the picture.

There was no insurance when he was younger. They started it right after he turned 8 but the cutoff was 8 years old. Then when he was 12 there was no cutoff but we thought we wouldn’t really need it now. Yeah right! That was before the tumors, CRF, Addison’s and both tick diseases! He lived until almost 15 years old (big dog) and died of old age!

The day after we brought Starlet home I:
1) Started transitioning her to a raw diet
2) Purchased health insurance

Why didn’t I do it the DAY we got her? It was a Sunday!

I guess I am too paranoid now. Do you blame me, lol?!

By: Lisa W

Lisa W — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:18:18 +0000

I read once that, if you have a fairly healthy pet, you’re better off putting the money into a savings account rather than insurance.

That being said, we have had insurance for Sophie, who is now a little over 2 years old, since we adopted her. I have to say that I agree with the idea of having it only for emergencies/catastrophes, though, as I haven’t found it to be worth what we pay into it for everyday stuff. I’m going to back hers off to a “catastrophe” type of policy and that’s what I’m going to get for Oscar (4 months) too.

I also have to say, though, that it would have been nice to have had insurance on Bailey (although of course it would have had to be a special “cancer” policy — more expensive) as her care during her last 6 weeks cost us about $5000. We were lucky that we could do it, although it caused a bit of a strain. (And I’m lucky to be married to a guy who didn’t begrudge a penny of that even though she was “my” dog.)

By: Annette Frey

Annette Frey — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:13:58 +0000

We have health insurance for Starlet and although it just about balances out every year with what we need and what they pay (we do yearly exams and full labs and u/a b/c I go by the safe rather than sorry book) w/minimal required vaccines (and titers as appropriate), heartworm meds and tick protection at minimal dosing.

After spending, well I can’t tell you, you would pass out, $ xxxxxxx on Lambchop, who never had insurance, for us it’s a “just in case we ever really need it” thing. I even get the extra cancer rider. If I remember correctly, Ana (our chat guest last night( gets double cancer riders b/c her rotties are more prone to get bone cancer.

It’s like making sure you have at least catastrophic insurance if you’re ever really sick, but with most dog policies, it will cover some of the basics too.