Pet Insurance

[bonkos6]

Do you have pet insurance for your dog? We just recently got a yellow lab puppy and I was thinking about it because I know they can have trouble with their hips. I never in a million years thought I would even be looking into this, but our little Gertie is just so darn cute and loveable. What is your experience with the insurance?

 

[Hercules10]

Kinda depends on how klutzie they are too.

I had a shepherd a while back that never needed anything other then her regular vet checks. She lived to a ripe old age of 14. Insurance would've been useless on her.

My male shepherd on the other hand has poked himself in the gut running down a stick, $1,200 emergency room visit. Slipped on the wet grass chasing a rabbit, $6,000+ for a torn tendon. Numerous encounters with strays that resulted in a stitch or two at the vet. Now insurance would've helped with him!

 

[DanzP]

i maybe be getting a dog soon
so ill keep an eye out on this thread

 

[cherylp3]

I recently bought insurance as well. I researched into the companies and chose Embrace.

 

[Kath2003]

I have insurance for my cat. It costs less than $10/month and means I only pay the first $60 on any injury or illness he may have. My parents have it on their cat and got ALL their money back after two years when their cat impaled himself on a tree and needed surgery to stitch him back together.

 

[kathymc]

I never have but if I ever get another dog-you bet I will
two torn ACLS + Therapy apx $6,000. MRI apx $2,500
My sister has it for their dog and has been very successful getting things covered (alergy testing)

 

[bonkos6]

Bumping to see if anyone else has any input.

 

[Alice1386]

I think pet insurance is a great idea! I personally plan on getting it for my border collie very very soon (I can't get it for my other dog because she is too old to qualify). To get the best coverage (covers yearly shots, heartworm preventative, visit fees, dentals, bloodwork, cancer, and emergencies) is about $40 a month, and about $500 a year. At first it seems like a lot, but if you are doing the routine care that dogs should have (shots, dental, heartworm preventative, and yearly exam) it would cost about $500 a year. So basically you would be paying monthy instead of all at once AND if heaven forbid something awful should happen you are covered and won't have to worry about finding the money.

 

[happygirl]

I have never heard of such a thing. It sounds like a good idea

 

[merryweather20]

Wow! I'm surprised at all the pro insurance people. I ran the numbers after my brothers cat got a broken leg, and they wouldn't have even got one year of premiums back from that vet bill.

Both our family and family friends had dogs with cancer late in their life. Since they were happy, bouncy and eating we definitely did not want to take them in for treatment and instead had the tumours removed several times. I guess insurance would have made cancer treatment affordable, but I doubt either of us would have done anything differently given the health of the dogs.

 

[Kath2003]

Wow! I'm surprised at all the pro insurance people. I ran the numbers after my brothers cat got a broken leg, and they wouldn't have even got one year of premiums back from that vet bill.

It depends how good you are at budgeting - I find it easier to find $10 a month than I would to find say $500 one day if my cat got sick or hit by a car etc. because of my current financial situation. If you have savings then no, it's probably not worth it. If you're young and just starting out like me - looking at dealing with a mortgage and a family I guess in the next 15 years - finding large sums of money isn't always going to be easy.

Like I said, my parents' cat was insured for 2 years - $240 in insurance premiums. Fixing him after he wound up with a big gash on his leg came to $350. They've also had more money out for a minor joint problem he had which required anti-inflammatory tablets. If the cat had had neither of those things then yes, it would have been $240 wasted. Like all insurance, you pay your money or you take your chances. For them, it paid off. Mine hasn't paid off yet, and I hope it never will, but the peace of mind is worth $10/month for me.