[Amelia_]

Do you insure your pets? I was surprised to learn most people I know don’t insure their pets for veterinary care.

(Hope this hasnt been done before, couldnt find anything! I also guess the insurance works in the US works the same way as in the UK)

 

[DogsR4Life]

Chase is not insured. Working at a clinic, i got to see many downfalls of pet insurance (the best of the best, and your average joe). I find the insurance tries to wiggle out of claims, as i have seen countless times when i saw clients struggling to get an approval. I have only seen two approvals for major surgery (lump removal, and subluxed patellas) and it took over a month and three vets to organise.

There is a quantity limit for those people who need life long medication (insulin, thyroid meds, heart meds) once you reach that limit, you can no longer claim that medication.

Im not sure if its different in another province of canada, or a different country, but those were my experiences. I have a few connections to good vets, that if an emergency happens, they are willing to lend a helping hand. I think that, and money saved in the bank is sufficient for him.

 

[Amelia_]

Chase is not insured. Working at a clinic, i got to see many downfalls of pet insurance (the best of the best, and your average joe). I find the insurance tries to wiggle out of claims, as i have seen countless times when i saw clients struggling to get an approval. I have only seen two approvals for major surgery (lump removal, and subluxed patellas) and it took over a month and three vets to organise.

There is a quantity limit for those people who need life long medication (insulin, thyroid meds, heart meds) once you reach that limit, you can no longer claim that medication.

Im not sure if its different in another province of canada, or a different country, but those were my experiences. I have a few connections to good vets, that if an emergency happens, they are willing to lend a helping hand. I think that, and money saved in the bank is sufficient for him.

Thats the same as it is here for most insurance companies, however there are some companies which specialize in pet insurance and offer 'Covered for life' policies, which mean they dont stop covering your pet when s/he gets old. The limit is not per condition, so for example Rupert is covered for £12,000 per year for the rest of his life, providing I keep making the £52 ($82 USD) per month payments.

I do believe all insurance company's business plan revolve around ripping people off and not paying out, however I have found the company I have gone with very good, with the majority of payments being sorted within a week.

 

[Sam Erin]

I didn't answer the poll (no dog yet), but I've read a lot about different pet insurance companies. It seems to be such a hassle, nothing is ever guaranteed, there are loopholes, etc. I plan on having an "emergency fund" in place for my pup, instead of counting on an insurance company to have my back. I'm not saying I would never get pet insurance though- if there is a truly great company out there, then it just might be worth it.

 

[Leliel]

I personally don't care for pet insurance. Plenty of people here have it for their pets and some swear by it, but I think that in most cases if you can set aside funds for emergency vet care you will save in the long run.

 

[vtdobe]

I will say one thing I'm very annoyed about - apparently there is a year waiting period for pre-existing conditions that I did not know about. I knew there was a year waiting period for orthopedic issues unless a vet did a full exam and found nothing. But, Dexter being a rescue and originally from a puppy mill, there was no way for him NOT to have dermatological issues. He recently had a $55.00 test on his ears (in which he was Dx with a minor yeast infection) and they would not cover it toward his deductible because they consider ear issues dermatological in nature.:evil:

I have Embrace, $300 deductible, 80/20% thereafter, and $5,000.00 per year coverage limit. I believe it's around $25/mo. I had the wellness coverage but will not renew it as it isn't worth it at $15/mo for $250 in yearly coverage.

Honestly, I'm torn - I think you're better off if you can put the money in a bank account as an emergency fund. When my car is paid off in April, I'll be putting away a "just in case" fund for Dexter.

 

[jhowell]

I use Pet's Best the $250 deductible policy.