Pet insurance

[LoverDisney]

We just bought a new kitten and I am considering pet insurance. I am looking for suggestions regarding good insurance companies. Thanks.

 

[havaneselover]

I've used Pet First (which I believe is affiliated with Kroger) and VPI. ASPCA also has a plan I think. Which one makes sense is very situation dependent.

I liked Pet First because it had a great discount for the second pet. Initially the price was great. My older dog has pre-existing conditions (I had her covered as a puppy, then decided not to carry insurance, then she got cataracts and bladder stones) so it's pointless for her at this point.

My vet says she thinks most of the plans are okay, but on average you're going to do much better putting the money in a savings account. Just depends on how risk averse you are and how much savings you have.

Also, I do have a friend who spent $26K on her cat in one year (she's an ER doctor so she can afford it). I doubt insurance would have covered that much of the treatment, but it probably would have helped.

 

[ponyboy]

Wow, I had no idea pet insurance even existed.

 

[Lisa71]

We use go pet plan and really like them..we used vpi in the past but I have had great luck with this company. It is worth it to me.

 

[Lisa71]

Our plan is 90 percent of actual cost after 100 deductible with a 15000 cap..yes a savings account may be better. If your dog needs 10000 in back surgery as my mom's did that would drain a lot!!!

 

[DisneyFun51464]

I just recently signed up for the program at Banfield inside of Petsmart. I really like them so far. Not sure if I will keep them forever but will give them a year.

 

[mouseguy77]

I just recently signed up for the program at Banfield inside of Petsmart. I really like them so far. Not sure if I will keep them forever but will give them a year.

Technically, the Wellness Plans offered by Banfield are not insurance. They are prepaid services. The amount of prepaid services you get depend on the type of plan you sign up for. You can pay for it all at once or break it up into monthly payments.

We have them for our pets and love them!

 

[sookie]

Right now I am using the plan you can sign up for through the AKC site for my Aussie. The only reason I am doing it is because 1) it pays for her flea and tick meds 2) it will pay for her dental cleanings (cost is huge!).


If I decide to fix her, it will pay for that as well. I am leaning towards fixing her (she is 16 months old). If I wanted to breed her, I could buy coverage for that if I wanted at about $10/month, but I do not think I will be breeding her. It is a complicated process, and I have a problem with contributing to the pet population as a whole.

 

[auralia]

Please do not do the banfield services. They are sub par and just after money. My cat died because of one of those contracts. My contract said if she contracted a certian illness it would be 100% covered (up to 5000$). I knew it was what she had, she had every symptom. Banfield simply refused to test her. The milked me for every dollar, still refused to test her. I was foolish enough to trust them. My kitty died at a year old and she did have what I thought she had

I have heard nothing good about them if you actually have problems.

No idea on pet insurance as we didn't have it, wish we had though

 

[adventure_woman]

I have Healthy Paws and they are fantastic. In one year, they paid for 2 knee surgeries w/ no questions asked. I liked that I could go to any doctor, and after my $100 deductible, they paid straight 90%. I got the check in less than 1 week of submitting my claim (they actually approved them same day). Any questions just ask !

 

[TinkerBelled]

I basically have catastrophic insurance (no pun intended--plus, I'm a dog person). Very high deductible, but covers a large portion of costs if over $750. It's quite cheap, and I have it only in case of serious disease or injury.

 

[MAJPLO]

We have had VPI for seven years on our dog. Wouldn't you know this animal has had hardly any issues aside from ear infections. Wish we had the insurance for our other dog who needed thousands of dollars in biopsies and surgeries. The plan we have is about $40 a month.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

We just bought a new kitten and I am considering pet insurance. I am looking for suggestions regarding good insurance companies. Thanks.

We LOVE LOVE LOVE petplan. You can select your reimbursement level (80-100%) & deductible ($50-$200) and find a price that works for you. We have the max coverage and minimum deductible and that has been great for us. I have a 3.5 year old beagle and a 4.5 year old yorkie with three legs and an amputated weight bearing toe.

Yes, sometimes you'll go a few months without using it. However, when something as innocent as a mesh lining of a suitcase can cause what ends up being a $2,400 needed surgery (which was completely covered!), I'm pretty darn thankful for our pet insurance! Plus, I find I am more likely to get things checked out knowing that the max it will end up costing me is $50. I have saved MUCH more than I have spent. My beagle's last ear infection wouldn't go away for weeks and racked up $600 in vet bills. I paid $50.

Petplan is great. They have awesome customer service, good prices, and very fast reimbursement. I usually get a check within a week. Also, unlike the petsmart banfield plans (which I would urge you to stay far away from) I can use my petplan coverage anywhere, at any vet, anytime, even at after hours emergency locations and specialists. Overall I am a VERY happy customer. I love knowing I don't need to worry about being able to provide necessary care to my pets in an emergency because of finances. I tell everyone about it, just because I really do love it that much. It is oh so worth it. The peace of mind when something happens to your pet is just amazing.

I have the lowest yearly cap at $8,000 per pet. I could have gotten up to $22,000, but $8,000 has been fine for us.