Pet Insurance?

[Guest kkaiser104]

Hi!

 

As many of you know, I'm in the beginning stages of adopting a greyhound and hope to bring my perfect hound home this summer! But I'm definitely in need of some advice and help along the way...

 

I'm considering pet insurance but I'm hoping to find some people who have it and have them answer some questions for me.

 

1) What company/brand/whatever you call it do you have?

2) How much do you pay (if you don't mind sharing!), and is it per month/quarter/year?

3) What is covered?

4) Do you think it's worth it?

 

I've never met someone with pet insurance so I'm seriously clueless! Please bear with me while I'm trying to figure out what this is all about

[sarabz]

There are a couple of threads on this already - This one is the most recent

 

Search for "insurance" on this forum and there will be a lot of topics that pop up and mention it.

 

Welcome to Greytalk!

[NeylasMom]

Another thread you may find helpful. If you click on the link to my spreadsheet in the first post, you will get an idea of how prices vary based on the policies. Also, the link in the last post of that thread is incredibly useful and does a much better job of what I was trying to do.

 

I settled on Healthy Paws btw, with the $250 deductible and 80% copay (and there is no limit on reimbursement) so I am paying just under $30/month.

[Feisty49]

Another thread you may find helpful. If you click on the link to my spreadsheet in the first post, you will get an idea of how prices vary based on the policies. Also, the link in the last post of that thread is incredibly useful and does a much better job of what I was trying to do.

 

I settled on Healthy Paws btw, with the $250 deductible and 80% copay (and there is no limit on reimbursement) so I am paying just under $30/month.

 

I'm glad you posted this, NeylasMom, because I had not heard of this company until reading this and I am probably going to switch from my current company, with whom I've been only 3 months, to Healthy Paws. The premiums are definitely cheaper and the deductible works like insurance for a person: it applies to a 12-month period for everything, not per incident. Thanks!!

[NeylasMom]

Another thread you may find helpful. If you click on the link to my spreadsheet in the first post, you will get an idea of how prices vary based on the policies. Also, the link in the last post of that thread is incredibly useful and does a much better job of what I was trying to do.

 

I settled on Healthy Paws btw, with the $250 deductible and 80% copay (and there is no limit on reimbursement) so I am paying just under $30/month.

 

I'm glad you posted this, NeylasMom, because I had not heard of this company until reading this and I am probably going to switch from my current company, with whom I've been only 3 months, to Healthy Paws. The premiums are definitely cheaper and the deductible works like insurance for a person: it applies to a 12-month period for everything, not per incident. Thanks!!

That's one of the main reasons I chose them, much easier to predict what my costs per year might he imo than the per incident deductible. Glad it was helpful.

[jaym1]

wow, thats amazing. im getting a second grey next week, and at that rate, i could probably afford to insure BOTH of them.

[Feisty49]

I did sign up with Healthy Paws Friday, after emailing and talking with the company. Great people appear to own and operate this insurance company and certainly their reps are very informative, helpful and nice. Healthy Paws is a new company, not quite 3 years old. That was a concern to me because I didn't want them to go under in 3 or 4 years, when Annie Bella would too old, or premiums too expensive, for insurance with another company. I was assured their back-up company (the name which escapes me at the moment) has been around for decades and is well known in the pet insurance business.

 

I opted for 90% reimbursement with a $250 deductible. My cost is $34.17. I was told that rates may go up yearly on the anniversary date of the policy based on increased costs of vet services, not based on how much money the company pays out. There is no way to predict the percentage of increase, of course, but this past year the premiums went up 10%. A 10% increase yearly sounds high to me being it's quite a bit more than the cost of living increase. Nonetheless, the company I'm leaving, Trupanion, also increases its premiums, does not reimburse anywhere near the rate Healthy Paws does and Trupanion's premium is over $42 a month right now.

 

If at some time in the future I think premiums are too high, I can change my deductible and reimbursement rate to, for instance, 80% reimbursement or a $500 deductible. This will lower monthly premiums. Once a downward option is chosen (or an increase in the case of the deductible) I cannot return to the previous, more generous reimbursement.

 

I was never totally comfortable with Trupanion because their deductible is per incident but am feeling much better with Healthy Paws.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Feisty49

[45MPHK9]

Nonetheless, the company I'm leaving, Trupanion, also increases its premiums, does not reimburse anywhere near the rate Healthy Paws does and Trupanion's premium is over $42 a month right now.

 

What do you mean by this?

[Feisty49]

Nonetheless, the company I'm leaving, Trupanion, also increases its premiums, does not reimburse anywhere near the rate Healthy Paws does and Trupanion's premium is over $42 a month right now.

 

What do you mean by this?

 

I didn't word the above very well. Trupanion has the typical percentage reimbursement (90% 80%, etc.) but its deductible is per incident. For instance, I could incur $700 worth of vet bills in one year, but if these charges were for 7 different problems that cost less than $250 each, I would get no reimbursement from Trupanion.

 

With Healthy Paws, charges of $700 in one year would get me a reimbursement of (getting out calculator): $405. ($700-250 deductible times 90% reimbursement rate)

Edited April 8, 2012 by Feisty49

[45MPHK9]

Nonetheless, the company I'm leaving, Trupanion, also increases its premiums, does not reimburse anywhere near the rate Healthy Paws does and Trupanion's premium is over $42 a month right now.

 

What do you mean by this?

 

I didn't word the above very well. Trupanion has the typical percentage reimbursement (90% 80%, etc.) but its deductible is per incident.

 

Trupanion reimburses 90%. I'm not sure what you mean by "80%, etc"?

[Feisty49]

Nonetheless, the company I'm leaving, Trupanion, also increases its premiums, does not reimburse anywhere near the rate Healthy Paws does and Trupanion's premium is over $42 a month right now.

 

What do you mean by this?

 

I didn't word the above very well. Trupanion has the typical percentage reimbursement (90% 80%, etc.) but its deductible is per incident.

 

Trupanion reimburses 90%. I'm not sure what you mean by "80%, etc"?

 

The statistics I gave above were just examples and examples are just that: representatives of what *might* be. And,not that it matters, I have 80% reimbursement from Trupanion, not 90%.

 

That's not the point, though. It could be 100% reimbursement from Trupanion but 100% of nothing is nothing. It's all about the deductible. Trupanion does not start reimbursement -- no matter what the percentage is -- until the deductible of $250 is reached FOR EACH problem. With Healthy Paws, the deductible is a flat $250, for one incident or 10 incidents.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Feisty49

[45MPHK9]

And,not that it matters, I have 80% reimbursement from Trupanion, not 90%.

 

That's not the point, though. It could be 100% reimbursement from Trupanion but 100% of nothing is nothing..

 

I wasn't aware that you could have 80 or 100% reimbursement from Trupanion. Their website clearly states 90% of costs are covered.

 

What is covered: Trupanion covers 90% of the actual costs of veterinary care should your pet become sick or injured. This includes diagnostic testing, surgeries, medications, treatment, hospitalization, supplements, therapeutic pet foods*, orthotic devices, prosthetic devices, and carts. Medical care from emergency veterinary clinics and veterinary specialists is also covered.

 

I'm not disputing the per incident concept and how that impacts the insured long term.

Edited April 8, 2012 by 45MPHK9

[Feisty49]

Either you think it's still April Fool's Day or you're not getting it. Either way, I've written all I'm going to on the subject. Have a good day.

[Walliered]

Hey everyone, I have Trupanion and it is great!!! They pay 90% with NO deductible. I have all three of my greyhounds insured by them and believe me they have paid off very well. Huck is my Million Dollar boy with IBD and that has cost major money. They pay off with out any problem. I definitely will keep them.

[45MPHK9]

Either you think it's still April Fool's Day or you're not getting it.

 

What I am asking is where do you have the option to select 100% claim coverage or 80% claim coverage with Trupanion? How is it that Trupanion was only paying 80% of your claims? That's all I'm asking.

[NeylasMom]

There is no way to predict the percentage of increase, of course, but this past year the premiums went up 10%. A 10% increase yearly sounds high to me being it's quite a bit more than the cost of living increase. Nonetheless, the company I'm leaving, Trupanion, also increases its premiums, does not reimburse anywhere near the rate Healthy Paws does and Trupanion's premium is over $42 a month right now.

 

I have to admit I'm disappointed to hear this as one of the reasons that I chose them was that they predicted lower rate increases than what I was hearing for Trupanion from some folks on this board. Although I think when I was doing my calculations I planned for "worst case" and added 10% each year. I just hope this isn't going to become their standard rate increase.

[seeh2o]

When Trupanion raised the rates on Carl by 33%, they were set on doing the same for Claire, I shopped around. The people at Healthy Paws told me that their rates would go up, but in the 3% - 6% range yearly, which seemed reasonable to me. I'm certainly hoping I don't see a 10% increase.

[Feisty49]

When Trupanion raised the rates on Carl by 33%, they were set on doing the same for Claire, I shopped around. The people at Healthy Paws told me that their rates would go up, but in the 3% - 6% range yearly, which seemed reasonable to me. I'm certainly hoping I don't see a 10% increase.

 

OMG, that's huge increase. I hope we see only 3% to 6% increases at Healthy Paw.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Feisty49

[sarabz]

Another thread you may find helpful. If you click on the link to my spreadsheet in the first post, you will get an idea of how prices vary based on the policies. Also, the link in the last post of that thread is incredibly useful and does a much better job of what I was trying to do.

 

I settled on Healthy Paws btw, with the $250 deductible and 80% copay (and there is no limit on reimbursement) so I am paying just under $30/month.

 

Thank you for posting this! I was looking for the thread where you posted the comparison but didn't go back far enough

[tbhounds]

Thanks for the thread- I just enrolled my boy Stan today with Healthypaws. I was quoted $36/month with a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursement. Seems a couple of $$'s higher than what I have been reading here but, he is 6yrs old maybe his age increased his premiums?

After having a couple of really sick hounds that really pinched my wallet I'm delighted to now have one insured.

Question- do you think I could insure my older girl that is currently on the metronomic chemo protocol (thyroid carcinoma)-- I understand they won't cover a pre-existing condition but, will they cover other illnesses if she's enrolled?

[Feisty49]

They're very friendly and approachable people. Give them a call. There's no use in any of us guessing if your older girl is insurable.

[tbhounds]

They're very friendly and approachable people. Give them a call. There's no use in any of us guessing if your older girl is insurable.

Just didn't want to open a can of worms- I'll give um a call- tomorrow- thanks!

Edited April 19, 2012 by tbhounds

[seeh2o]

They're very friendly and approachable people. Give them a call. There's no use in any of us guessing if your older girl is insu

Just didn't want to open a can of worms- I'll give um a call- tomorrow- thanks!

I switched Carl and Claire to HP last November when they were both 8, each has a $500 deductible and monthly premium is $35.04. I don't know how old your older hound is, though.

Edited April 19, 2012 by seeh2o

[tbhounds]

They're very friendly and approachable people. Give them a call. There's no use in any of us guessing if your older girl is insu

Just didn't want to open a can of worms- I'll give um a call- tomorrow- thanks!

I switched Carl and Claire to HP last November when they were both 8, each has a $500 deductible and monthly premium is $35.04. I don't know how old your older hound is, though.

Shannon is 10 yrs--she is on a long term chemo protocol so, I wonder if they might not accept her. I'll have to call them.

[seeh2o]

I hope you are pleasantly surprised!