Pet Insurance

[NeylasMom]

I know there have been a number of these threads and I am going to go back and search for as many as I can find and read through them later, but because there has been recent talk of premium increases I wanted to ask for fresh input. So, could you share who you have insurance with and what your experience with them has been like? I have VPI for Zuri so I don't need input on them.

 

Namely, I am looking for input on how often and by what percentage you've had premium increases and how easy it's been to get reimbursed for issues. Specifically, if your dog had a "mystery" illness that took a while to diagnose, did the insurance company ultimately see it as a single issue and only charge the deductible once, or did you have to pay it every time? And does an issue "reset" annually so you have to repay the deductible each year you're dealing with it, or is it only once per incident per lifetime?

 

I'm looking mostly at the Trupanion style plans, where I would get a larger deductible for mainly emergency use, but I'm concerned about the rate increases I've heard about with Trupanion and PetPlan doesn't seem to offer a deductible that is high enough for my purposes. I don't know if there are any other companies I'm not aware of? I definitely won't be going with VPI or another schedule-based insurance.

 

Thanks!

[45MPHK9]

I can't say enough good things about Trupanion. Bee Wiseman had a recurring UTI that went on over a period of several months. I had a $350 deductible for her. You just send your bills and they start sending you reimbursement checks as soon as you hit that deductible. You only have to meet that deductible once per issue. That mystery UTI was viewed as a singular issue. I'm not sure about the "reset annually" issue but, you can certainly call their customer service number and inquire.

 

I wrote somewhere on GT that I did not realize that I should have been sending in receipts all long for this UTI problem. You need to get the receipts in within 90 days. I was accumulating the bills at home and waiting to hit the $350 deductible. By the time I realized my mistake, I had accumulated about $1,300 in receipts. Many of them were beyond that 90 day deadline. I called the company and explained my mistake. No problem, they said. Just send everything in and we will reimburse you. Within 10 days, 90% of those bills were reimbursed as is stated in their policy.

 

That is excellent customer service, and that is why I stick with Trupanion.

 

(FWIW, with that one nuisance UTI issue, I have been reimbursed nearly every penny I have paid into the insurance for both dogs. Right before Bee was diagnosed with osteo, she was scheduled to have her bladder scoped. This would have cost $2,000. The insurance made it possible for us to easily say, "Go ahead. Let's do that very costly procedure." It would have only cost us $200 out of pocket.)

Edited November 20, 2011 by 45MPHK9

[Guest zoolaine]

trupanion raised Danica's premium from $46 to $61 with a similar increase in Jupiters rate - both greyhounds. Zali and Zuki (grey mixes) were raised about $3 a month. I have been looking at different options but Trupanion has been good at paying quickly. I have my older non-grey on PetPlan and really like them, his went up a little but nothing significant. PetPlan does have yearly deductibles so you have to pay it every year for each covered conditon. But they do pay for physical therapy which is nice and have been good to work with.

[Riverhound]

We have Trupanion for Joe - About $50 per month, no deductible. We haven't had it a year yet, and I'm waiting to see an increase mid-winter. I love their customer service; they give frequent e-mail updates when I file a claim, and the checks come fast! We haven't "broken even" this year, but I love having the ability to make the best medical decisions for my dog, even if they're going to cost a fortune. I was terrified that his limp would turn out to be osteo but at the same time felt secure that I'd be able to have him well taken care of without worrying about going into major debt. So far, I've found Trupanion easier to deal with than my own insurance company!

 

 

I'll be watching this thread.

[RileysLegacy]

i have Healthy Paws for Legs. i've been very happy with them. i have a $250 deductible per year, and after that they pay 90% of every illness/injury, no questions asked. i simply send them the form signed by my vet, and they send me a check within a couple of days. their customer service is really great too. they do not cover office visits or routine stuff, but i don't think any pet insurance does unless you pay extra. his premium did go up slightly this year, now is it about $40/month.

[Guest Fasave]

I have VPI on my senior and I wouldn't recommend them because they go by a "benefits schedule" which is difficult to understand. I have Embrace on my 6 year old and it just renewed with a 24% increase and is now at $68/month for a $250 deductible with a 90% reimbursement. I was livid when I got the news of the rate increase so I called and was told that all pet insurance companies are raising rates because companies under estimated the costs. I was also told many companies are starting to look at charging more for large dog breeds. I used to be a huge advocate for pet insurance but if I'm at $68/month for a six year old, what will I be paying when he's 10? Maybe a savings account is the right way to go. Then I remember the $6,000 three day stay in ICU one of my pups had and think maybe not.

[seeh2o]

I had Trupanion - until they raised Carl's rates by 33%. In the year I've had Trupanion I've made no claims on either dog (knock on wood). I sent them an email giving them my thoughts on such a large increase. They actually had someone call me to talk to me about it. She was very pleasant. I got the sense that they were losing a lot of customers due to the massive rate increase. When I told her I was switching to Healthy Paws, she told me that the guy who started Healthy Paws had been some sort of higher up at Trupanion and that it is modeled after Trupanion. I told her that Healthy Paws had told me (verbally and in writing) that their premiums would go up, "You can reasonably expect small increases (5-7%) once a year to keep up with the rising costs of caring for your pet." - this is a direct quote from their email. The Trupanion repy said that the CA regulators are the hardest in all 50 states and that they initially thought they were priced correctly in the CA market and had to make adjustments. Interesting, if this was a simply CA thing, then why are dogs all over the US seeing their rates increase? Here is the email response I received from them:

 

"Hi Connie, While I completely understand your disappointment, nothing has changed in our promise. I would be frustrated as well if the tables were turned and I was in your position. Let me start off by assuring you that this adjustment has nothing to do with your pets aging. We do not even look at your pet’s current age when determining the pricing of the policy. Unfortunately, the truth is that costs do increase, especially in the veterinary world today and especially for large breed dogs. These days, veterinarians have access to a higher level of care. Things like EKG machines, ultrasounds, and radiologists are common place in the local veterinarian, whereas a few years ago, you had to be referred to a specialist for such treatments. While this means great advancements in veterinary care, it also means increasing costs. This is why people look to insurance, to cover costs of these expensive but often necessary procedures. This is also why we endeavor to offer the most inclusive accident and injury coverage in the pet insurance market. We are one of the only companies that offer the coverage at 90% with no limits on how much we will pay to your claim. We also are one of the only insurance policies that cover both hereditary and congenital disorders. This is especially important in pure breeds. Greyhounds are prone to conditions like knee and back problems, eye issues, and gastric torsion, which many times would not be covered in other policies just because of her breed. I do understand that this rate is taking a significant increase, but let me assure you that we still offer the best coverage and competitive prices on the market. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Sincerely, Haleigh ~ Member Specialist "

 

I didn't know that Greyhounds were prone to conditions like "knee and back problems, eye issues, and gastric torsion". Had they said osteo or bad teeth, I'd have been nodding in agreement.

 

Their Healthy Paws plan kicks in in full tomorrow. I plan to call and cancel Trupanion by Friday.

 

FYI, Healthy Paws does not go by a "usual" or "allowable" payment schedule, they go about reimbursing by paying 90% of your actual costs. I felt very satisfied by their answers and they email back very quickly. I checked on the Pet Insurance Review site and there are lots of happy pet owners with them. They actually have the highest customer rating at 9.8 out of 10.

Edited November 20, 2011 by seeh2o

[NeylasMom]

Yikes! I just looked at Embrace for the first time and they have so many options, which technically is nice, but my head was already spinning.

 

I've started to make a spreadsheet. It's the only way I can keep things straight in my head and I think it will help me reach a decision. I'm just so torn right now. I had thought for Faith I would only get something with a high deductible for emergencies/really expensive illnesses, but the monthly premiums for even a $500 deductible are high enough that I am rethinking that. Why wouldn't I for a few bucks more per month just get a plan where I can get reimbursed more regularly, or alternatively skip the insurance entirely.

 

The biggest problem is I want to start saving on my own and skip the insurance, but what do I do if something happens before I've had the year or two I need to save up? :blah

 

Sorry, this is me just blurting out what is going on in my mind.