Experiences with pet insurance?

[LithiumLittle]

I have been looking into a few different companies for pet insurance. Mainly trupanion and pets plus us. I was wondering if anyone who has it could share experiences, especially if you have had to make a claim.
So far from what I can tell it seems that the things the policies excludes outway the things it includes for how much you have to pay monthly; and how much of a hassle it seems to make a claim. However I would love that I had it if he gets hurt or sick one day.

 

[Toa and Ross]

I can only tell about the situation in the Netherlands with pet insurance. It works quit well although you have to read very carefully what the insurance will pay for or not. A lot of things you can't claim with the insurance. I decided to not take the insurance and save the money I would spend on the insurance every money for vet bills. But that only works if you don't have expensive vet bills for the first years. And of course you don't know that for sure!

 

[admin]

I have been looking into a few different companies for pet insurance. Mainly trupanion and pets plus us. I was wondering if anyone who has it could share experiences, especially if you have had to make a claim.
So far from what I can tell it seems that the things the policies excludes outway the things it includes for how much you have to pay monthly; and how much of a hassle it seems to make a claim. However I would love that I had it if he gets hurt or sick one day.

Here is another similar thread on pet insurance - http://sphynxlair.com/community/threads/pet-insurance.30541/#post-367197

 

[Yoda mom]

My friend in Canada likes her pet insurance for her dog- she got it right away when purchasing the pup so no pre existing but there are still exclusions..

I have heard good and bad about pet insurance- you can call and ask them to email a copy of the contract so you can read the small print and exclusions - for example - you get a new kitty , bring for vet check, and they put on the chart sniffles or a poo issue and give you l lysine , antibiotics or something- now some Insurance may consider respiratory or tummy a pre existing URI- or IBD.. It all depends what is in the chart notes- they want records or a visit within a certain time .. It is a very individual decision

I asked for my pups chart notes years ago while looking at insurance policy small print exclusions.
Some of which small print requires certain vaccinations yearly***

I am not into over vaccinating personally so I opted out and for the fact
For me, I have not paid for pet insurance for over 20 years ...
for multiple pets of all ages and breeds.
I calculated the best policy premium monthly fee-
Multiplied monthly fee by number of pets x how many years blessed with each..
Then I went back and added my actual out of pocket vet bills over the 20 years
I am way ahead of the game not buying insurance for my circumstances

I keep a vet savings fund account and a a care credit card tucked in my wallet.

I would read definitely get a copy of each plan you are looking at-
I called and asked questions and some companies offered the sky and multi pet discount

A lot depends on your pets age and what is already in their medical records-
Strongly suggest getting a copy from your vet

@LithiumLittle , good you are doing research .. They still flood me with emails to buy

I have friends that love the insurance and others not so much

 

[JenFid]

I did a bunch of research on pet insurances and decided to go with Healthy Paws. As soon as Mulder got here I signed him up the day after his vet check up. They faxed his chart to the insurance and that was that, there's just a 15 day waiting period for the benefits to kick in.

However, not long after Mulder was acting a little off...doing some hacking and gagging, I thought maybe he had something stuck in his throat, and I ended up taking him to the emergency vet on Sunday (he was out of the policy waiting period) when it started sounding worse and not better. $400 later the vet was fairly certain it was just a URI and sent me home with some antibiotics. I submitted the claim, but they ended up denying it because I had told the vet his symptoms had started about 5 days ago...while the waiting period was still applicable :/ So I was a bit peeved about that, and I should have known better but wasn't even thinking about how his symptoms had started within the waiting period. However since his initial vet check was clear it shouldn't go on as a pre-existing.

They are pretty responsive to e-mails and generally helpful, so far. Our pets have always been fairly healthy but accidents do happen. Years ago one of my boxers broke a glass and sliced her paw and it wouldn't stop bleeding, so we had to take her to emergency since it was after regular hours...insurance would have been perfect for that. They also cover HCM and any other congenital issues like that.

Check out http://www.petinsurancereview.com/, and there's also another couple sites that compare the top 3 insurances and lay out the differences between each.