Those with experience with pet insurance...

[BlsdMama]

Could you please help me out?

 

We had a very unfortunate incident this week and our dog got very, very ill. I really thought we were taking him into the vet to have him put down this AM. We suspected he had an obstructed bowel and as he REALLY went downhill on Sunday and started with bloody diahrrea, we thought he had probably ruptured something. Surgery really wasn't a financial option.

 

We were VERY grateful this morning to find out he has salmon poisoning. He has to have an IV and IV antibiotics and stay at the clinic for a couple days but he'll survive. If we had held off, chances (90%) are good that he would have died in the next couple days left untreated. Now he should be fine.

We're glad the bill isn't what we figured it would be with surgery, etc as frankly, we would have had to have him put down.

 

Unfortunately it is still going to be expensive.

 

We shouldn't have needed pet insurance. Frankly he's two years old, came from a trusted breeder, we were careful when we chose his breeding, we feed him raw, he gets lots of exercise and attention, etc., etc., etc. However, obviously we find ourselves in this mess.

 

DH's work offers VPI pet insurance.

 

It's $21 with a $100 deductible, $19 with a $250 deductible, and $16 with a $500 deductible... But it doesn't say if it then covers everything?? We have the option of adding routine care (vaccines, exams, dental cleanings) for $12 or an optimum plan for $23 which covers everything imaginable as far as routine care.

 

We're wondering if it makes good sense. We aren't great at putting funds aside earmarked for things like this, so insurance might make sense. But first I'd like to know if anyone else has had experience with this and if they were glad they had it.

[KarenNC]

:bigear:

[Night Elf]

It's $21 with a $100 deductible, $19 with a $250 deductible, and $16 with a $500 deductible... But it doesn't say if it then covers everything??

 

That would be the first thing I would want to know. What exactly do these fees cover?

 

VPI has a website that shows their plans. VPI pet insurance

Edited June 20, 2011 by Night Elf

[BlsdMama]

And therein lies the problem.

 

Copied from DH's work:

Cost with $100 deductible, Price drops to $19 for $250 and $16 for $500 deductibles

 

 

 

What's covered:

 

 

 

If we add routine care...

 

 

 

 

The routine care part is VERY specific. It seems as though they've had a lot of complaints about reimbursable vs. non-reimbursable expenses. Sigh. I just don't know.

[Night Elf]

And therein lies the problem.

 

Your images didn't come through. But I edited my post above to include the VPI website. Maybe that will give you more specific information?

[BlsdMama]

I found a PDF of what's covered and what isn't. It LOOKS reasonable but I'm worried about the reviews.

 

For example what he currently has is Salmon Disease / Poisoning. It is specifically named and covered. It is covered at the rate of $280.00 The initial testing and care for today will be $300-$350. Tomorrow will be another $100- $150. If another day, then another $100-$150. So they'd cover $280 of the coverage - approximately 1/2.

 

There is a primary coverage (first occurrence) and then secondary. If it should happen again they cover $65.

[JFSinIL]

I have it for our Labrador - got it after he needed treatment for something in his eye...and they wrote the policy with a specific note saying they would NOT cover anything in his eye! So they will probably do the same for you, and not cover future occurrences of exactly what he has just had :glare:

 

BUT - after we got the insurance our dog was attacked by a pit bull. Insurance covered over half of the vet bill to sew Captain back together. It also covers a % of his yearly shots and both heartworm and the Vectra stuff that prevents fleas/ticks etc from chomping on him. So I figure it covers enough yearly stuff to pay for itself...and be there in case a big bill looms up - like hip problems, (although we bought from a breeder and know of no hip problems in Captain's bloodline) another dog fight, etc.

 

My sister swears by the insurance she bought for their dog from ASPCA. So VPI is not the only game in town.

[gingersmom]

I have PetPlan pet insurance for my puppy (http://www.gopetplan.com).

 

I would think that would your dog has now is a pre-existing condition and it would not be covered in the future.

 

I think you can go to the most amazing breeder, have a dog with an amazing personality and it can still get ill or have a breed specific disease down the road. Unfortunately there are no guarantees.

[StephanieZ]

Pet insurance is usually a complete rip off. The plans vary tremendously, the companies vary tremendously, all of which changes frequently. Most if not all have loads of exclusions. People rarely understand what they are buying, and are disappointed at what is not covered.

 

I'd suggest putting a set amount direct deposited into a dedicated vet fee account each paycheck.

 

I manage a vet practice, and am always looking for a pet insurance planning to recommend to our clients, but unfortunately every time a new one crops up that seems decent, within a year, I'm reading horror stories about ripped off clients and rejected claims. . .so, we don't recommend any insurance products.