Do You Think Pet Insurance Is Worth It?

[Guest eaglflyt]

This website & comparison link is very helpful in comparing and deciding on a pet insurance company.

[Bevd]

Is your Petplan the same company as the UK Petplan?

 

Edited because I can answer my own question. I found this link http://www.gopetplan.com/About-Petplan-Pet-Insurance/AllAbout-Petplan-Pet-Insurance.html

 

On that basis I would say that insurance (with Petplan) is worth every single penny (or cent). They have paid out thousands for me since 2001 when I first signed up with them.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Bevd

[JaneW]

VPI has been ok for me so far, though the annual premium increases now that Greta is a senior are painful. The premium, which includes some coverage for well-care and inoculations, is up to about $400 per year. Where I am, veterinary care is VERY expensive, so just a few injuries and illnesses during the policy period usually result in my getting my premium back.

[seeh2o]

Pet insurance is totally worth it here in my house. It sounds like many of you have much higher paying jobs than mine as trying to save $1,900 in an interest bearing account would take me I don't know how long...and when Sheila bloated I needed immediately. That cost was incurred in a matter of 36 hours. I can't imagine what I would do if it cost me $5,000 - $7,000 at a time. You guys suggesting a savings account must be rolling in dough to be able to do that. It isn't possible or practical for the likes of me - and my car is paid off! Do the math...if I put aside only the amount of the premium, say $43 a month...I've only got $516 in the bank after 12 months. That doesn't even begin to touch a major vet bill.

 

For Sheila, I have Petcare Quickcare Gold 70%, so they pay 70% of the cost of the bill (actual bill, not what they think the bill should cost). They paid nearly $3,000 over a period of several months when she developed SARDS. Some of that was me trying to figure out what was wrong with her before she went blind...she just wasn't "right". Then the bulk of it was spent when when she did go blind, ophthalmologist visit, ruling out Cushings, etc. When I chose Petcare about 8 years ago there were fewer choices of pet insurance and now that she is almost 15 I can't switch her.

 

Carl & Claire have been w/PetFirst for as long as I've had them. They pay 90% and it has a $50 per incident copay, my family plan premium is about $43 per month, family plans share one policy. I don't have the routine care rider as I can get that at a much deeper discount by going to a low cost vaccination clinic. Routine vaccinations in vets offices around here are always at or near $100 per dog, but at the low cost clinics (not for low income folks...those are free shot clinics) I can get the 2 Cs vaccinated for about $60 total. The routine care rider is about $20 more a month...so not cost effective at all. I am in the process of switching to Trupanion because of they have no pay out limits per category, annually or lifetime. PetFirst has limits that are very small if something big should come up and Dogforbid each of them have something big come up during the course of a 12 month policy. Trupanion will definitely cost a lot more per month, double that of PetFirst, but if it is as good as it sounds and we need it, it will be worth it.

Edited August 8, 2010 by seeh2o

[Guest Swifthounds]

Not at all rolling in dough here. That's almost laughable. I merely make my hounds a priority.

 

I have three hounds in the double digits so the premiums are well above a small monthly fee, and even that wouldn't cover "well visits" - which is a waste anyway. The monthly premium on a young dog is about what the exam fees run and I'm not about to increase my hounds' risk of immune issues by needlessly vaccinating annually.

[seeh2o]

Not at all rolling in dough here. That's almost laughable. I merely make my hounds a priority.

 

I have three hounds in the double digits so the premiums are well above a small monthly fee, and even that wouldn't cover "well visits" - which is a waste anyway. The monthly premium on a young dog is about what the exam fees run and I'm not about to increase my hounds' risk of immune issues by needlessly vaccinating annually.

 

My dogs take priority, too. Clearly, on my salary, I cannot afford to save a significant amount of money as others more fortunate than I am, are able to. Further, I don't vaccinate annually, either.

[KahluasMagic]

Does anyone use Pets Best Insurance? I have heard good things about them - there is a $100 deductible for the lowest plan, and they pay 80% of everything, no questions asked. I am considering it for Puzzle, but I would like to hear from someone who has used them before.

I have it. I have had no large bills yet but they are very good about paying quickly with no questions. But most of my bills have been in the $200 to $300 range. I do like them much better than VPI.

[Guest Swifthounds]

My dogs take priority, too. Clearly, on my salary, I cannot afford to save a significant amount of money as others more fortunate than I am, are able to. Further, I don't vaccinate annually, either.

 

I'm not wealthy either. I've just been depositing into a savings account for the 15 years or so I've had greyhounds. If it's rough now, it was much harder when I started at 16.

[Guest eaglflyt]

Pet insurance doesn't require annual vaccinations ... most just follow the recommendations of the AAHA. Core vaccs. every 3 years. We individually choose to vaccinate for bordatella and leptosporosis annually since we're active in doggy classes, meet n greets, and we live in a rural area.

[Batmom]

Sounds like some of these plans really are worth it. Good to know.

[MP_the4pack]

Pearl developed heart disease 1 yr after I signed up with VPI. A year after that she was diagnosed with hypertension.

 

Her vet bills were so high, we maxed out 5 of the 7 yrs she was covered. I'm sure VPI was glad when they no longer needed to cover her.

 

Diamond wasn't covered. She was denied because of her ehrlichia. She was healthy her whole life with me until the end when she got OS. That cost me $5000. And that was with help from the Greyhound Wellness, and people like Jane that put me up for free.

 

All it takes is just one emergency.

 

Brindle wasn't insured 10 yrs ago. She cost me $9000 in 6 months. That's when I finally scraped together the money to insure her.