Pet Insurance

clarkiek · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:24 am Post subject: Pet Insurance

I'm just wondering how many of you have pet insurance for your Weims and if you do:

- what insurance do you have
- how much do you pay per month and what does it cover
- have you made a claim and were you happy with the coverage

We recently purchased a plan for Linkin. He's insured through Pet's Best. There's a $7,000 per incident limit with a $75 deductible. We pay about $30 per month.

I did some research online, but didn't find as much information/reviews on pet insurance as I would have liked. There seems to be a couple of companies that have a bad reputation, but I haven't really found any that stand out for positive reviews. If you have had a good or bad experience with your pet insurance I would love to hear about it.

hoochmamas · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 6:49 am Post subject:

yeah.. i was curious as well. got a quote from the ASPCA.. such a trusted name, but has anyone purchased insurance from them? what is classified as pre-existing conditions? how much do you actually save in the first year? is it worth another bill?

nurse88 · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:13 am Post subject:

I got what my vet recommended. I figured if she recommended it, she would know how to fill out the forms when I needed to file a claim. It is also a yearly plan that you can pay up front for, so I paid for the year in advance and we had to wait until she was checked by the vet first before we could apply for it. Just for your consideration...

weimdawgs · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:59 am Post subject:

I have VPI Pet insurance on all four. The monthly rate for the four is:

Jake $41 (becasue of his age)
Scout $33.00 (cancer rider added at 3years old)
Silkie $27.00 (will add cancer rider at next renewal)
Gunnar $27.00

I have a $50 deductible. I have been very happy with the coverage with one exception. They covered next to nothing for Scout's HOD.

I will let you know how I make out with Jake's bloat surgery. The bill was a few dollars shy of $4,000. If I am reading the schedule right, we should get nearly half back.

peppernaei · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:02 am Post subject:

We had never insured a dog before (just horses) so we really looked around. Our breeder suggested insuring for just the first few years - the period of eating everything. In the past we have always just managed the vet bills and we weren't interested in the annual coverage for vaccinations, heartworm, or spay/neuter.

We went with Vet Insurance. We pay 33.00 monthly. In our mind here were the deciding factors...

PROS
$20,000 lifetime limit that can be used as required.There are no limits per year or condition.
No deductible instead you pay the exam fee of your vet.
90% payment of claim.
No rate increase after claims made or with increased age.

CONS
Hip-Dysplasia is not covered.

With this plan if you go over $20,000 you re-enroll therefore your rates go up based on your dogs age. We haven't had to make a claim but we've heard that it is not difficult and they are helpful...I'd be happy if we never had to find out.

nicwithcandy · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

I personally don't believe in Pet Insurance, too may loop holes and too many things NOT covered. I would rather pay out the money when needed . . .

Beth · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:19 am Post subject:

$20,000 for a dog?

peppernaei · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:25 am Post subject:

sterlingsmom · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:29 am Post subject:

wildlifecr13 · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:38 am Post subject:

Doing some math here -sorry Lynn, but your insurance and food bills make you my guinea pig...
Lynn forks over about $122 a month on insurance.
That's $1500 a year.
$70 a week on RAW and $75 a month on kibble = $3600 in raw and $900 in kibble = $4500

At $5,000 a year for food and insurance.
$50 deductible, lets assume that covers half of your average vet visit, and you go once a month - 3 times a year per dog for something, shots, eating crap, allergies, whatever. This is $50 a month in vet bills, $600 a year. And toys... just dropped money at Pet Edge did you not (I should have bought stock before I told you guys about the place). Say $200 a year on the low end. Add in other materials like leashes, bully sticks, treats, dog beds, etc - we can pull in a solid $1000 a year there.

At $6000 a year.
Over 27 months - $13,500.
This brings us back to my budget - $12,000 for 27 months. Knock out the last few months and we are back at $9,000 or less.
Lynn is dropping about $3,500 per dog per year.
I am probably at $4,500 per dog per year.
Perhaps there should be a tax credit for dogs too... Shocked

Beth · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:40 am Post subject:

I'm just in awe right now. $20,000 for a DOG? Blowing me away.

wildlifecr13 · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:44 am Post subject:

yeah, that has to be pretty serious. chemo could do that to you over 18 months though - if Lola could have been treated for that long and we had that kind of money to throw at it, I would have. For an older dog, I doubt it, but for a young dog...

kamfam · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:46 am Post subject:

weimdawgs · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:11 am Post subject:

I am sooooo glad John never looks here!!!

Laughing

And there should ABSOLUTELY be a tax credit for dogs!!!!!!

peppernaei · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:39 am Post subject: