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Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,612
Registered: ‎10-25-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

I have two dogs and they both have been insured with Pet Plan since they were 3 months old.  I chose this insurance company because they covered genetic, accidents and illnesses,  They do not cover pre-x or routine care such as immunizations and well visits.

 

One of my babies has a genetic condition.  She required an MRI, surgery and a 5 day hospitalization when she was about 1 year old.  The insurance paid almost everything.  I paid $200 deductible and 10% of her bills.  Pet Plan paid almost $8000.

 

This sweet girl must take medication for the rest of her life.  Her meds are around $120 a month.  For this pup, I get back more than I pay for her insurance.

 

 

My other dog has never used a penny of her insurance.  Sometimes I think it's a waste of money for her, but I feel comforted knowing that if somthing ever happened to her, I could just do whatever is needed for her medically and not worry about the bills.

 

My dogs are 4 and 5 year old.  The insurance does seem to go up in price as they get older, but for now I will continue to pay it.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎07-05-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

We have had 5 rescues at one time, and even one pet's vet bills are very expensive, much less 5 of them!  So, my family also looked into pet insurance as a hopefully viable option.  I asked around at Pet Smart & our vet's office, as well as searching  on-line for answers, and what I found out during my search was that the fine print often screwed people over, with many loopholes that leave people & their furbabies without coverage for many different bills. Many of them will also drop coverage as the pet gets older, or make it unrealistic for people to pay the hiked-up premiums for their aging pets.  Older pets usually do not qualify at all, but I don't know if they grandfather-in the pets who were put on the plan during their younger years.  Some of these answers may have changed by now, or there may be better options available today--I checked on this a few years ago.  You also may find out better options than I did--if so, I hope you'll let us know!   I liken pet insurance to dental insurance....it does a little, but not nearly enough as we usually need it to, unfortunately.   Good luck!

SerenityNow!
"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her; still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings." ~Victor Hugo
Super Contributor
Posts: 303
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

I have pet insurance for my 2 cats.  I bought when I first got them and it has been a dream.  Over the course of 2 years both cats have needed a variety of surgeries.  Pet insurance has paid out over $12,000.  I have paid about $900.   I would not be without this insurance...it seems I always tend to adopt the animals who need the most care. 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎07-05-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

A bit off-topic, but seems like a good place to give a heads-up:  We recently had one of our dogs come down with cancer, and the vet who did her surgery offered chemotherapy.  She did not tell us that the chemo would only extend her life for a few weeks, 2 months is normally the maximum extra time a dog might live, with her particular strain of incurable, terminal cancer.  I found this out by doing my own research.  I thought that was rather low, to not fully explain this & let us assume that she would be cured or at least have a year or more to live.  I just wanted to mention it, so others are forewarned.  We never would have chosen to put her through extra pain & suffering, knowing it was only for a few weeks. I shudder to think that other people may be doing so, never knowing the truth in the matter.  We asked the vet about it, and she admitted that it would only give her a few weeks, at best.  Taking advantage of someone who loves their pet like that is the lowest of the low, in my book.

SerenityNow!
"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her; still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings." ~Victor Hugo
Valued Contributor
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎07-05-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

HappyDaze, I love your idea to put aside an emergency fund, rather than shelling out the premiums.  After our recent experience with a pet who suddenly became ill, we spent upwards of $10,000 with several vet bills, including MRI's, lab tests & surgery to remove her spleen.  Luckily we had the money to afford it @ the time, but we have 4 other dogs & to think of having to do that all at once--yikes!  I hope we would find a way, but it would be a hardship to come up with an extra $40,000 or more, very suddenly.  Unfortunately, the odds aren't in our favor, since all of our girls were adopted at similar ages, and are now all elderly.  That happens when your husband has a job that takes him to an animal control facility, and we're both animal lovers!  But at the same time we are saving lives, later we realized that the price to keep on saving them is astronomical, these days.  That's a shame, because I remember when vets didn't charge as much as they do, now.  They price people out of the market for having a pet or pets, or making the hard decision to forego treatment due to the expenses they cannot afford.  

 

At one time, we had not only dogs, but rescued ducks, too.  That was an experience, lol!  

To those who have pet insurance on their pets: please double-check your policies & make certain that your peace-of-mind isn't misplaced, and that they end up robbing you of your premiums but won't help pay for what you think they will.  I would hate to see you get hurt financially & emotionally by a tricky insurance company, and they are masters at  using words (they consult with lawyers for their legalese) making it sound like they cover everything, while in actuality they cover next to nothing.  You may have had that experience with some dental insurance companies, where they cover extractions, but don't cover much on acutal tooth repair.    

SerenityNow!
"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her; still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings." ~Victor Hugo
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,892
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

Not a fan of insurance.  I put money aside each month and have a credit card available only for pet emergencies.

 

Everyone needs to consider the cost of owning a pet.  I expect to pay for the everyday things out of pocket, including annual visits.  If you are uable to pay for these things out of pocket, you may need to reconsider adding a pet to your family at that time.

Someday, when scientists discover the center of the Universe....some people will be disappointed it is not them.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,837
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

The pet insurance that I have doesn't cover routine visits.  It also doesn't cover spays and neuters.  Those things are things that I plan for when having a pet.  I didn't want one that covered that.  I wanted it for emergencies that would be hard for me to pay for.


The Bluebird Carries The Sky On His Back"
-Henry David Thoreau





Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,765
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

[ Edited ]

@SerenityNowMyndi wrote:

Taking advantage of someone who loves their pet like that is the lowest of the low, in my book.


 

==========================

 

It's disgusting.  I won't go into detail on this matter because it was discussed on another thread, but I learned my lesson.  They WILL take advantage.  I think veterinarians are trying to place themselves in the high income category of human doctors, i.e., cardiologist, brain surgeons.  They're giving animals "human" drugs and messing up their renal systems, causing  pet-owners to pay more for the resulting side-affects.  I just went thru this with my other dog and it was ridiculous.  Hate to say it, but veterinarians are now on my "Do Not Trust" list. I am just grateful that after being jerked around by so many bad ones, near the end of my dog's life, I found one I felt I could trust.

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."
Honored Contributor
Posts: 39,574
Registered: ‎08-23-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?


@HappyDaze wrote:

Yes, typically the insurance goes up with their age and this is especially true for dogs with shorter lifespans, like the large and giant breeds.

 

I will never again do insurance as they always tend to blame everything on being genetic so they won't cover it (with certain breeds, genetic pre-dispositions to certain diseases like hip dysplasia for example, can be considered "pre-existing"). I also didn't like the fact that they would not cover any testing until they got the diagnosis and then they would pay-or not pay in most of my cases- because, again, it could be "genetic". I'd hate to think of what they would do if the pet never got a diagnosis of the cause of certain things like UTIs or stomach issues.

 

I have instead just put aside the money I would have spent every month into an interest bearing account and I know I've saved more money than I spent on insurance. This may not be true if your dog has had issues since a puppy but if they are relatively healhty most of their life, you will find a nice little money pot when they are older and have more health issues. The problem is, most people don't have the discipline to save the money or not "borrow" from the account when they want to buy something, lol.


 

It sounds like your pets don't need much care, which is really great.

 

 But what if something happens unexpectedly  to a new furbaby before they (the owners)  have accumulated a large enough  health care  nest egg?   Then what?      

 

What if someone gets a new doggy, and a few months later the pup gets hit by a car ......  or some other serious thing?   Even if they're saving $100 a month, it's nowhere near what the vet bill will be.

 

It has nothing to do with "discipline" ....   in these cases, a pet insurance policy can be a great SAFETY NET for large, unforeseen Vet bills.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎07-05-2010

Re: Do You Have Pet Insurance for your Dog?

___CrazyDaisy said:  Everyone needs to consider the cost of owning a pet.  I expect to pay for the everyday things out of pocket, including annual visits.  If you are uable to pay for these things out of pocket, you may need to reconsider adding a pet to your family at that time.

____

 

I agree, especially now that vet bills are so much more expensive.  Just monthly meds for heartworm prevention add up, once you get a pet & then a companion for your pet so they won't be lonely, then add a stray cat etc.  It happens before you know it, and then the costs involved can become too much.  It's a shame, because there are plenty of pets that need homes, but people managing on less of an income that would take them in, no longer can.  Or, they elect to save their lives from a shelter, only to have to choose not to give them treatments they otherwise would get them, if only they could afford it.  That's a crummy choice to have to make, with a bad result for the animal any way you look at it....death if no one else adopts them in time, or treatable illness that goes untreated.  

 

I would definitely get insurance for our pets, if I knew it was a trustworthy business with rules that are worded in a clear way that leave no room for intentional misunderstanding, and not tricking us. 

SerenityNow!
"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her; still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings." ~Victor Hugo