Pet insurance

[quesyrah]

Does anyone have it and do you think it’s worth it?

We have two kittens who are 6 months old. One kitten currently has what the vet thinks is ringworm- test results aren’t back yet but we’re treating for it anyway. His blood work showed elevated liver enzyme. Vet says the liver is reactive and could just be reacting to the ringworm, dehydration and high fever (104.2) that he currently has. We are re doing blood work in one month and if liver enzyme is still high it indicates a congenital liver issue and we will do an ultrasound and go from there. Last vet visit was $540 (IV hydration, 2 shots, meds, blood work, ringworm biopsy).

We can get pet insurance through DH’s employee benefits.

$57 month with 90% reimbursement
$46 month with 70% reimbursement
$35 month with 50% reimbursement

All 3 plans have $250 deductible and $7,500 max annual benefit.

We would have to get it now because once we move on to further bloodwork and ultrasound we’re in pre existing condition territory.

[just]

I'd be worried that you're already in pre-existing condition territory. Sometimes anything indicated for an organ is considered pre-existing.

What company is providing the insurance? Some are better than others. Generally they can be a good deal though so I'd consider it for sure. We had 4 dogs so just saved ourselves though so not personal experience.

[quesyrah]

Sept 26, 2021 17:38:15 GMT -5 just said:

I'd be worried that you're already in pre-existing condition territory. Sometimes anything indicated for an organ is considered pre-existing.

What company is providing the insurance? Some are better than others. Generally they can be a good deal though so I'd consider it for sure. We had 4 dogs so just saved ourselves though so not personal experience.

Yeah, that thought did cross my mind. You bring up a good point. I guess I could just allocate that money to savings instead.

[goldengirlz]

We have it (with Healthy Paws) but haven’t used it yet so I have no idea if it’s any good or not. But I figured that it was better to get it while our cat is young (she’s estimated to be about 2 or 3), before she develops any pre-existing conditions, and the $21/month seemed reasonable.

I get the feeling it’s kind of a racket in the sense that they try really hard not to pay out (sort of like my experience with homeowners’ insurance.) But if something catastrophic were to happen, I figure it’s better to have something than nothing.

ETA: Our rates went up since last year. We now pay $24/month (ha) with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement.

[quesyrah]

The insurance company is called My Pet Protection.

I actually just found out a friend who works for the same company as DH and has the pet insurance. She got it after her pet ended up having $$$$ surgery after attacked by a neighbor’s pet and she says it’s very easy to submit for reimbursement.

So I think we’ll go ahead and sign up for it.

[awkwardpenguin]

Are those premiums for both pets? Because that's $10k in premiums over a 15 year life span, and we definitely did not spend that much on our pets over their lifespans. Add in the deductible and the caps and I don't know it's the best deal, although it certainly smooths the pet spending over just covering a huge vet bill one year.

[quesyrah]

Sept 27, 2021 9:27:31 GMT -5 awkwardpenguin said:

Are those premiums for both pets? Because that's $10k in premiums over a 15 year life span, and we definitely did not spend that much on our pets over their lifespans. Add in the deductible and the caps and I don't know it's the best deal, although it certainly smooths the pet spending over just covering a huge vet bill one year.

It is, and that’s a really good point, thank you! Even when our dog was having major medical issues the last 3 years of her life I think we only spent about $6K

[lightbulbsun]

I have PetsBest insurance. There are a lot of variables for how much it can cost based on deductibles, pet age, breed, and coverage.

When our dog was sick earlier this year with cancer the reimbursement process was easy and we generally got the checks within 3-4 weeks. Her medical bills totaled over $40k between the surgeries and treatments, and we ended up getting reimbursed for around $30k.

[mokes]

I have Healthy Paws and think it's been worth it. Very easy to submit claims and have never had an issue with them paying claims. We've had it for 10 years. Tagging goldengirlz, since you have the same and haven't used it yet!

I think we're probably breakeven or close on premiums vs. paying out of pocket. However, for me it's more for the peace of mind if something major does happen.

[starburst]

I have PetPlan for my cat. The premiums weren't bad when he was a kitten, but they increased a lot every year. I almost cancelled it last year, but thankfully did not. He was diagnosed with both a pancreas disorder and lymphoma. I've spent well over $10,000 on him in the past year and had 90% reimbursed. He gets monthly chemo and ultrasounds on a regular basis. I don't have to stop and think about how much it will cost me because I know it will be 90% covered.

[wildrice]

I have Embrace insurance. It is $14 a month for my young, healthy cat and I have a 1k deductible, but after that I would only pay 20% of any additional bills up to 10k a year. It is basically catastrophic insurance (CATastrophic, ha). I had it on both of my dogs for several years before their deaths, and it was worth it IMO. They both had cancer at the end of their lives and it made the decision to do all the testing and treatment easy. I would have had a hard time coming up with the 8k or so I spent on lymphoma treatments for one of them (or justifying it given the short term survival rate) but since I only had to pay the deductible and copay I got to keep him longer.

So right now the insurance is basically a waste for my cat, but I'm also only paying $180 a year for it. If he has some major issue that results in thousands of dollars in vet expenses, I know I will always have the means to treat it. I highly recommend!

[lpcats]

We started 12 years ago with 4 cats. Lost 1 at age 7 to a brain tumor (MRI, hospital stays, specialist visits), another at age 9 to an injection-site sarcoma (specialist visits, radiation), and another is currently 12 years old and has had treatment for gallstones, pancreatitis, diabetes, and IBS. Our 4th so far is healthy but only has 3 legs so I'm sure will have arthritis in the future. Yes, I'm sure we spend more on our pets than most people and have likely gotten very unlucky, but I'm never again having a pet without insurance.

[quesyrah]

Thanks for the feedback! We opted for the 90% reimbursement coverage. During open enrollment each year we can change our coverage if we so choose so if we find we’re not using it, we can downgrade and still have some peace of mind that it will help cover some costs.

[spinnaker5]

Kitten pics? 🙂

[quesyrah]

Sept 28, 2021 19:08:16 GMT -5 spinnaker5 said:

Kitten pics? 🙂

Ask and ye shall receive!

[dexteroni]

Sept 27, 2021 9:27:31 GMT -5 awkwardpenguin said:

that's $10k in premiums over a 15 year life span, and we definitely did not spend that much on our pets over their lifespans. 

We have not gotten pet insurance for this reason. Whenever we've priced it out, the amount of the premiums seemed like more than the cost of a lifetime of care. I don't save the money to a dedicated pet account or anything, but I think of it that way.

We also have a care credit account, so if a big expense were to come up, we would be able to pay it off interest free over (I think) 18 months if need be. We don't use it much now, but I'll put something on it occasionally and pay it off, just to keep it active.

[spinnaker5]

OMG 💜 they are adorable!

[namasteak]

Do any of the pet owners have insurance and a dog whose breed is known for genetic defects? I’d like to find a company who will insure for hip dysplasia but the first few I looked at won’t because Penny is a golden retriever and it is common in that breed.

[EvieEthelGarland]

Oct 3, 2021 23:58:37 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Do any of the pet owners have insurance and a dog whose breed is known for genetic defects? I’d like to find a company who will insure for hip dysplasia but the first few I looked at won’t because Penny is a golden retriever and it is common in that breed.

I have a 2yo Labrador insured with Pet's Best. He had bilateral elbow dysplasia surgery this spring and they paid the claim as any other illness.  I have a $1k deductible, 90% coinsurance with no annual limit and pay $240/year.  They paid out about $10k for a foreign body intestinal obstruction at 10mo old and the premiums went down after he turned one.  The policy was in place 3 days before we brought him home, but I'm not seeing any exclusions on his policy regarding hereditary, just preexisting. 

This is the 3rd dog I've had insured with them and I've about broken even on premiums vs payout until this guy.  They've paid out close to $15k and I've only paid $650 or so in premiums. I'd rather just pay premiums and him to not have any medical issues. 

Stay away from any policy that has a schedule of usual and customary charges.  I looked at Nationwide's and they allow $1400 for foreign body obstruction.  We were charged close to $11k so there is a big disconnect with their schedules and what is actually charged. 

[dixiedeb]

Oct 3, 2021 23:58:37 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Do any of the pet owners have insurance and a dog whose breed is known for genetic defects? I’d like to find a company who will insure for hip dysplasia but the first few I looked at won’t because Penny is a golden retriever and it is common in that breed.

Look at Embrace pet insurance.  We have used them to cover our English bulldogs, who are prone to all kinds of health issues (including hip dysplasia).  Embrace requires a 6-month waiting period for orthopedic issues, unless your vet conducts a physical exam and completes an Orthopedic Report Card at enrollment.  What I like about the report card is that it asks your vet to rate your dog "within normal limits for breed and age."  This was great for us, as our vet was able to check the normal box for our bulldogs since they were in good shape orthopedically by bulldog standards.

Hope this helps!

[dr.girlfriend]

We had it for a few years for our dog from the time she was a puppy but they increased the rate dramatically once she hit 2 or 3 years old to something over $50 a month so we ended up cancelling it. My vet offers one for a similar charge that at least covers routine visits as well as emergency care, so I think I would probably do that in future if anything.