A recent pet insurance poll on this site showed that the majority of pet owners are frustrated trying to figure out what health insurance plan, if any, will suit their needs and save money. I will be doing a series of articles on comparison shopping tips and pet insurance company profiles to help pet owners make informed decisions. To start things off, here are some perspectives from the viewers of this site and their experiences with pet health insurance.
Insured at 8 weeks of age (email reply)
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I have a 3-1/2 year old Newfoundland spayed female and have covered her since I brought her home at eight weeks with Veterinary Pet Insurance's Superior Plan with wellness rider.
No, the plan is not dirt cheap by any means, but it has covered shots, heartworm pills, ligament damage to one of her shoulders, etc.
It also makes me worry less about, God forbid, her getting struck by a motor vehicle.
The one dog I failed to insure was the one who got deathly sick, literally, and died of an autoimmune problem after being treated by the very competent Professor John Rush DVM at Tufts' Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at a cost of $6,000 plus. Most of that was hospital charges, NOT a bill from Professor Rush. That dog, a Newfie, also had hip dysplasia and SAS.*
Today, due to my own ill health and financial setbacks, I don't have $6,000 to spare for my dog or myself for that matter, so we're both insured.
Rev. Daniel Beegan OSB, S.T.D.
Rumford, ME
Footnote:
* SAS: Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis
And from the original Veterinary Medicine blog post, we have the following comments.
Dennis says:
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As long as I can make the payments for my pet insurance I will. But if it goes up then I will have to start looking around for a better price or just give it up. I now pay 34.00 a month and if it goes to 40 a month that's ok. Anything more then that and I will give it up.
Bob says:
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I have pet insurance for both my dogs through Banfield Animal Hospital. It is associated with Petsmart. We pay $21.95 a month per dog. It is definitely worth it and they treat my babies as if it were their own. I highly recommend their plans to anyone.
Kathleen says:
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I have VPI insurance for both my dogs. The insurance has always been prompt with their reimbursements and very pleasant when contacted by phone. Expensive, but worth it, since in the past with other pets I’ve had: two with cancer, one with cardiomyopathy, one with diabetes and another with anemia. Wished I would have had insurance with these pets!
Connie says:
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I am a dog trainer and I have each of my student pet parents fill out a breed study. If they have a mixed breed, we study all the breeds in their dog. They can then ask their vet what the average cost for the procedures for the illness or problem will be. I have them ask the insurance company if they cover the breed related illness. They can then consider if the payment (sometimes higher to cover that procedure) is worth the extra money.
Bill says:
I think a lot of us dog owners are looking for something that would cover catastrophic problems and a yearly physical exam. Maybe major illness or disease and medication. Just some suggestions, I don’t know are feasible. My dog is 6 yrs old and healthy. Thanks for trying to help. Insurance usually is too expensive.
Therese says:
At this point Archie, Lydia, and Tequila have had health insurance for a little over a year and for Lydia it's paid for itself many times over. With Archie and Tequila I've probably paid a little more in premiums than I've saved in vet bills. Even so, it's definitely worth the expense, and I know getting health insurance for them is one of the best things I could have done for them. Knowing I can them to the vet for emergencies, chronic illnesses, accidents, or even expensive medical procedures without worrying so much about the money is huge! Read Therese's full story.
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Readers Respond - Pet Insurance
