Pet insurance.

[RikyR]

RikyR: This is the first time I have heard of a vanishing deductible in pet insurance, so it brings to mind a few questions:

1. If you place a claim after a $50 dollar reduction was given, does the deductible stay the same or go back up by $50 until you go another year without a claim?

2. Is the 90% coverage of vet bills, 90% of the actual bill, 90% of "standard and/or customary charges, or 90% of a specific amount set for the type of treatment? I have see all three in the pet insurance policies I have researched.

Jeff:

1. It is a one time yearly deductible. At the time I placed my first claim, two years had passed since they started the program. My deductible was $400.00. Next year, if I would have renewed, the deductible would have gone back to $500.00.

2. 90% of the actual bill (You can choose a lower pay back percentage). They never questioned any of the charges. We had an emergency visit, ultrasound testing at a specialty vet, a weeks stay at our vet for fluid treatments. They also covered all the medication that was given during his stays.

I will also add that the communication was excellent. They sent an e-mail confirming the receipt of our claim, an email that they sent the check, and a follow up e-mail to confirm that I had received the check.

I was a little nervous making that first claim, but they quickly put my mind at ease. We would have not been able to give Cody the care we did without pet insurance.

 

[Fasb's Owner]

Anyone want to recommend a company for US residents besides Embrace? The two companies recommended in this thread - Embrace and Pet Secure - won't sell me insurance for Fasb (one doesn't sell insurance to US residents; the other won't offer an older dog coverage of illnesses).

I had never given pet insurance any thought, but, given his age and the number of vet visits we've made in the past year, it's worth looking into.

 

[Emmasmom]

Trupanion?

 

[JLSOhio51]

Jeff:

2. 90% of the actual bill (You can choose a lower pay back percentage). They never questioned any of the charges...

I will also add that the communication was excellent. They sent an e-mail confirming the receipt of our claim, an email that they sent the check, and a follow up e-mail to confirm that I had received the check...

RikyR:

Thanks for the response. I looked at potential pet insurance companies a few moths back, but my research was not serious and in-depth. Now, I'm looking a lot more in earnest, and the endeavor has me going!!!

As to point #2, on the web page prepared by Embrace, comparing themselves to Trupanion, they confirmed that they reimbursed at a rate of 90% of the actual bill. But, on another site, I found an interview (supposedly) of a Embrace representative, the company employee said that the reimbursement was for 90% of the standard and customary levels for the care involved. Each method is standard in the industry, but the two methods could result in markedly different bills for the consumer based on the injury/illness involved.

Embrace's web comparison also made claims about Trupanion that I have since found to be incorrect. I have spent a fair amount of time researching this issue today, and I have to say that I totally understand why so few folks have much good to say about insurance companies and/or sales personnel. The twisting and turning of words and data I have found in just a few hours has my head spinning. All of that said, I still think my choice will be between Embrace and Trupanion.

 

[Ann]

Anyone want to recommend a company for US residents besides Embrace? The two companies recommended in this thread - Embrace and Pet Secure - won't sell me insurance for Fasb (one doesn't sell insurance to US residents; the other won't offer an older dog coverage of illnesses).

I had never given pet insurance any thought, but, given his age and the number of vet visits we've made in the past year, it's worth looking into.

I've already recommended this one....

I switched to Healthy Paws...you can choose your plan, your deductible etc.

www.healthypawspetinsurance.com

 

[RikyR]

RikyR:

Thanks for the response. I looked at potential pet insurance companies a few moths back, but my research was not serious and in-depth. Now, I'm looking a lot more in earnest, and the endeavor has me going!!!

As to point #2, on the web page prepared by Embrace, comparing themselves to Trupanion, they confirmed that they reimbursed at a rate of 90% of the actual bill. But, on another site, I found an interview (supposedly) of a Embrace representative, the company employee said that the reimbursement was for 90% of the standard and customary levels for the care involved. Each method is standard in the industry, but the two methods could result in markedly different bills for the consumer based on the injury/illness involved.

Embrace's web comparison also made claims about Trupanion that I have since found to be incorrect. I have spent a fair amount of time researching this issue today, and I have to say that I totally understand why so few folks have much good to say about insurance companies and/or sales personnel. The twisting and turning of words and data I have found in just a few hours has my head spinning. All of that said, I still think my choice will be between Embrace and Trupanion.

Jeff:

I agree. I did the exact same thing. My head was spinning when I was searching for pet insurance. Do not even start reading customer reviews!
Whichever you choose, it's all about peace of mind. Hopefully, you will never need to use it.

 

[kayubassist]

this may be helpful for Canadian pet owners.

http://www.petinsurancereview.com/ca_dog.asp
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/quest+insurance+comparison/5018854/story.html

 

[JLSOhio51]

In scanning the sites that Kayubassist provided, there is a wealth of important information included in both sites. I would offer this caveat to anyone who is looking for a source of pet insurance, "Dig deeper than what is contained on any one site". I have been doing my own in-depth search over the passed week, and I have found some issues that are very interesting to me.

1. Several sources I found list information one way on their website but explain the same issue differently in email or direct conversations.

2. Several of the companies I am researching use "questionable" info related to their competitor's offerings. Some "misquotes" seemed to be overt and outright attempts to mislead, while others may have just been poor wording. I have talked directly to a couple of these insurers, so my comments are not speculation.

3. The issue of the appropriate insurance for my pet goes far deeper than what specifics a company offers. Spend some time looking for the percentage of claims they deny and the reasons they are denied. But, as RikyR said earlier, if you are planning on delving into user reviews, be prepared to go quite often.

4. Be careful of the deductible issue. Deductibles that are annual are completely different than those that are based on specific injuries/illnesses.

Perhaps one of the most confusing and distressing things I encountered has to do with the whole "pre-existing conditions" issue. Example, I found one insurer who denied claims for a companion's allergy treatments, not because it wasn't covered, but because as a precaution, the vet gave a new puppy a shot to potentially prevent a problem. The preventative shot and the claim for treatment were several years apart. There was no indication that the pup had a pre-existing condition, only that the vet and owner did all they could to prevent a later problem. Additionally, many of the "pre-existing conditions" fights were full of documentation from vets (sometimes several vets) that no pre condition existed, yet the insurer claimed that it did and still refused to cover the claims. Like I said, .

 

[Mally's Mom]

I learned my lesson with both my dogs.....crazy vet bills with Bacca's illnesses and Indy eating a needle.

Thanks for the reminder! Anyway have feedback on pet insurance in CANADA?

Emmasmom, here on the forum uses, Trupanion.

 

[Emmasmom]

Barb - run as fast and as far as you can from Petsecure. You will remember Liam needing surgery two years ago. Because of his expenses, they cut their reimbursement to 60% and said it would be reviewed in six months. I told them so long, nice knowing you and switched to Trupanion. Check them out. When I was looking at insurance long ago for Emma, I looked at them all and wavered between Petsecure and Trupanion. The breeder was not impressed with Petsecure, particularly since a six-week trial is given with the pups.