I've done a lot of research on it. Are you questioning whether to get it or which company? Whether to get pet insurance comes down to your finances. Hospital emergencies can cost thousands of dollars. So ask yourself these questions. Are you a person who would spend whatever it takes to treat your dog if the condition was treatable rather than put it down? If you're on this group that's most likely a Yes :-) Would you have to pay for an unexpected $3000 bill (or more) with a credit card because you don't have money in the savings? Then pet insurance may be a benefit to you.
For my purposes I was looking for long-term, major accident and illness coverage. Know that coverage for routine care is too costly. Meaning you'll pay more for the coverage than you would for the care yourself.
What to look for:
Reasonable and Customary Charges
I ruled out any company (such as VPI) that pays claims based on a Schedule of Benefits, which is basically a list of how much they pay maximum for a condition, test, etc. Typically these are much lower than actual vet charges. So the insurer says that they pay 80%, but only up to the schedule of benefits amount. I looked for companies paying out claims based on "reasonable and customary charges" just like your own health plan works.
Reviews
I looked at reviews and ruled out companies that had really poor ratings.
Ideal Coverage
I looked for companies ideally that covered genetic and hereditary conditions, alternative therapies, and offered a multiple pet discount (since I have two). None of them will cover pre-existing conditions, so enroll while they are still healthy. Know that when you enroll, they'll get all your vet records and exclude any pre-existing conditions or potentially pre-existing conditions.
Long-term illness, lifetime coverage
I was looking for coverage that would cover major illnesses as long as I continued coverage. Some companies only cover an illness during that plan year - the insurance renews each year (with a higher premium) and previous year's illnesses are now considered pre-existing conditions. I wanted a company that would continue to cover a condition that would be a life-long illness.
Coverage Limits
Since I was looking for major accident or illness coverage, I wanted a high per incident limit or high yearly limit.
Business
I thought it was important to find a reputable company that's been in business a long time and had a good insurance underwriter.
I chose Pet Plan USA Bronze (
Pet Insurance for Dogs and Cats from Petplan USA), $45 a month for two pets, $200 deductible and 100% coverage - I pay nothing after the $200. With this company you can customize it and choose your deductible and coinsurance.
Sorry if this is too much information. I have a spreadsheet I put together comparing various plans. Send me a private message if you would like a copy of it. I did it a year ago, but there are new companies all the time.