Quick Question For Those Of You With Healthy Paws

[Guest kkaiser104]

I just enrolled Teddi in healthy paws insurance after adding up the vet bills I spent on him over our first year together! I just had a quick question--do I have to send in his chart or anything from his yearly exam? It didn't ask for anything, and he had one last August, but I wasn't sure and I don't want to do something dumb. This is my first experience with insurance.

[philospher77]

I've been pondering that myself. I have found that they have very nice sales reps, so calling is probably the best way to find out, but I just haven't had time!

[tbhounds]

If you send in his chart now you won't be asked to do it at the time you submit your first claim.

[racindog]

Trust me they'll demand everything but his paw prints-and maybe those too- before they process anything and possibly even again in the future. They were pretty hard to satisfy in my case because they would not accept the vets computerized records and demanded they be sent handwritten ones. Other than the issues with getting them to accept the records they demand they've been pretty good. Had Pet First before and they were very good but when I was with them their limits were too low so that's why I changed to HP.

[Feisty49]

I too have Healthy Paws. They will require every piece of paper relating to vet visits, and they will want hard copies with vet notes. You do know that they won't cover an existing event/condition.

 

It's a nice company to work with. Reps on the phone are friendly. Emails are answered quickly. Good luck.

[kudzu]

Just contact his vet & ask them to fax his records over to Healthy Paws. Then you just follow up with HP to make sure they received the records & ask if they need anything else. HP does want any notes also. Those can be electronic or handwritten, whatever your vet's office uses. For mine everything is electronic. Never had a problem. After you initially do this then you just file a claim for each vet visit. Have never had any problems.

 

Claims are often processed the same day received & checks have always been sent out a day or two later. HP sends an email to say they've received and are processing a claim. Then they send an invoice stating the claim has been processed & attach an EOB. Have had HP for two years & they've been very good to work with.

[Guest Doggone]

OP, I recently enrolled Autumn with HP, too, and I'm so glad you posted this. I didn't know whether to wait until she had an "issue" or to contact them right now, while she's fine.

I'm going to call up and ask their rep, since this is my first experience with pet insurance.

So thank you again, for reminding me .

[philospher77]

You ALWAYS want to get insurance when they are fine. There is a waiting period after enrolling, and anything that shows up in that time is considered pre-existing and won't be covered. This is to stop people from waiting until their dog gets hit by a car, and THEN signing up for insurance to cover the accident, etc. So, the sooner you get her enrolled, the less likely that something won't be covered in the future.

[Guest kkaiser104]

I'll email my vet and figure out who to call about his records being sent. He doesn't really have much--just his annual exam--so it shouldn't be hard.

[kudzu]

I'll email my vet and figure out who to call about his records being sent. He doesn't really have much--just his annual exam--so it shouldn't be hard.

That's perfect. It's also good to have a few copies of Teddi's claims forms printed out ahead of time & on hand, possibly riding around in the car with you. That way you can get the vet to fill it out at the appointment. Makes it a lot easier. Our first major claim came while on vacation visiting family. The vet we went to had no problem filling in her section of the form & the office staff who checked us out said, "I'm going to print out everything just in case you need it." I thought she meant for my regular vet but she added, "The insurance company may want it." So clearly at least some vet practices know the drill & happily comply.

[MP_the4pack]

I switched Tanzi to HP several months ago and faxed the vet records immediately. Now I will have my first claim, Let's see how it goes!

[jaym1]

Trust me they'll demand everything but his paw prints-and maybe those too- before they process anything and possibly even again in the future. They were pretty hard to satisfy in my case because they would not accept the vets computerized records and demanded they be sent handwritten ones. Other than the issues with getting them to accept the records they demand they've been pretty good. Had Pet First before and they were very good but when I was with them their limits were too low so that's why I changed to HP.

 

i'm not sure what your particular situation was, but i simply forwarded all of my dog's vet records to healthy paws via email when i signed up, and that was fine. no questions asked. i definitely recommend doing that right now, at the beginning, and then following up before your 30-day refund period is over, so that you can know up-front if there are any conditions that they would consider to be preexisting. your vet can easily email you all of your records. the whole process takes no time.

[Guest Doggone]

Just had my vet fax all of Autumn's records. Of course I hope we won't need the insurance, but I feel easier knowing that if anything does happen to her, step one has been done, which could cut down on claim time .