Should I Change Insurance Companies?

[Riverhound]

 

Riverhound - With Trupanion... what they have basically told me is that nothing changes with your policy except that premiums fluctuate a little every year due to changes in the economy and industry (capped at a 20% increase, can decrease, generally $3-5 a year increase). So if you make claims... your co-pay doesn't drop, your premiums don't increase, they don't force you to have a higher deductible. Is this true in your experience? NOTHING changes your policy (except as noted the fluctuations due to outside influences). It's just hard to believe, but I can't find a question to find a loophole in what they're saying.

 

That's my experience, but we've only been with them for about 3 years, and my dogs are still fairly young.

 

They've both been stitched and stapled more than once. Joe's had several x-rays -- rear legs when he was gimping around, and abdomen after he ate the bathroom garbage. Brees has been treated for a UTI and been to the e-vet several times for munching on kitties. We haven't had any surgeries yet.

 

For me, the insurance means I don't have to weigh whether or not an illness or injury is "worth" going to the vet for. I just go.

 

Trupanion usually gets me a check about 10 days after I file the claim.

[krissy]

Well, I think I might send Kili's records to Trupanion and ask them for a detailed definite list of exclusions and decide from there. And I will be getting Summit's coverage with Trupanion, definitely not with my current provider.

[Acadianarose]

 

The co-pay is dropped to 50% basically as soon as they pay out more than you pay them. So if you've had your dog insured for many years without claims and then have a bigger claim for a surgery you might not get flagged. But if, like me, you have a young dog or a dog only insured for a short time and you have to do surgery you're bound to lose your co-pay since you haven't paid much in premiums yet.

This seems like such bull. I feel like that is the risk they take - just like it is the risk you take that you will never need the insurance you pay for. Unless they deduce your premiums if you have paid in more than they have paid out... Not likely.

[krissy]

Yes, that's what I kind of felt too. That's why I'm annoyed. I don't expect to "get my money's worth" in terms of claiming more than I pay in premiums. I have the insurance for peace of mind. But to me them dropping the co-pay because they lost the bet this time around is like me saying "well, my dog hasn't had any claims in 3 years now so I'm only going to pay half of my premiums this year". It bugs me.

 

Also, bothers me that they drop the co-pay by 30% at one shot, but it will take me 18 months with no claims to get it back to 80% since it only increases in 10% increments every 6 months... at the shortest.