Pet Insurance

[cathsc]

Hi! I'm new to the group and am excited to be getting a puppy next week. She will be 12 weeks old when I get her. I am wondering if other members could share their experiences with pet insurance. I did not have it with my last Yorkie. She died at age 10 due to complications with lymphangiactasia. She had many blood tests and sonograms during the last three years of her life. She was also on prednisone. I'm wondering if the pet insurance is worth it and are there any that also help with regular well visits, dental and spaying. Thanks for your help!

[aweitzm1]

I have had good and bad experience with Pet Insurance. My story is extremely long to type out but feel free to PM and I can go over it with you. I will tell you read the policy carefully. If you have any concerns when speaking to the company talk in generalities. Do not mention seeing anything wrong with your pet. Once you have your pet go for a vet check ASAP do not mention anything that you think they will write in the report. Let the vet lead the discussion. Anything and Everything could be considered pre-existing if written in the report or talked to the insurance company on the phone.

Also be aware of the waiting periods. I have two insurances: 1. Healthy Paws - I really like but the only con is it does not pay for exam/consultation fees. Where I live if you need to go to a specialist it is really expensive so that is a downfall for me with this insurance


2. Nationwide - I only got this one recently. So far I like it. I got the Whole Pet Plan and it literally covers everything. Vaccines, flea, heartworm, etc. I only put in a claim for wellness and a dental cleaning so I do not know how they will treat an illness.


Finally, you usually have 30 days to cancel any plan and get reimbursed. My recommendation is to submit the vet record(s) asked for it to be reviewed by underwriting for any pre-existing conditions. They should do this no problem but you may have to follow up for an answer. This will let you know ahead of time if there is a possible issue. For instance flaky skin will be considered an allergy and now all allergies would be considered pre-existing. (This happened to me)


I then called multiple times to confirm there were no pre-existing conditions on my pets. (I am a nervous type A person. I did this because I have been burned by insurance in the past)

[cathsc]

Thank you for taking the time to write this post. You gave very helpful information. I was all set to go with Nationwide because it seemed like they covered everything, but then I happened upon a site that gave it very bad reviews. In general, people were saying that they called everything pre-existing conditions and it was very difficult to collect any money. I like that they cover dental and spaying and well visits. I can't find anyone else who does that. I have heard other great things about Healthy Paws. Thanks again!

[aweitzm1]

I am not against Nationwide. I think the issue is that most reviews are from the major medic plan not the Whole Pet Policy. I gave Nationwide a 5 star review on yelp. You just have to know your policy. All insurance policies will try and get out of paying claims no matter who they are. That is why I would call and ask questions and demand a review of the medical records in the beginning. Than you can have a clear understanding if there are any issues.

[cathsc]

Good advice! Thanks!

[aweitzm1]

One more thing for yorkies many have ligament waiting periods. Figo has 6 months and Pets Best is a year. Nationwide is only 14 days with their top plan. Their middle plan does not cover it. So if you have a patella issue that is something to think about.

[canana]

I considered pet insurance briefly, but I know the pedigree of my babies from the breeder and they have given me confidence that their bloodline is of good health. I still looked into it and ended up deciding that I'd put aside money each month instead, praying my babies will never need it and being extra cautious on everything to make sure they don't injure themselves.

Here's an interesting read on whether or not this writer thinks it's worth it:
Is Pet Insurance Worth the Cost? - Consumer Reports

[patchesmom10]

I got Nationwide (used to be VIP) when I bought Macaroni home he is now 4. I have had no problems with them(knock on wood he has been healthy too).They have always paid claims fast.

[Ravyn]

Originally Posted by canana

I considered pet insurance briefly, but I know the pedigree of my babies from the breeder and they have given me confidence that their bloodline is of good health. I still looked into it and ended up deciding that I'd put aside money each month instead, praying my babies will never need it and being extra cautious on everything to make sure they don't injure themselves.

Here's an interesting read on whether or not this writer thinks it's worth it:
Is Pet Insurance Worth the Cost? - Consumer Reports

Something to think about, just because a bloodline is of good health, that doesn't mean that every animal in that line may be that lucky. We had a pair of cats that had two litters. Until they were 12, all of our babies were perfectly healthy. Then the daughter and the mother both had mammary cancer. The cost for the surgeries was over $4000 between the two as they both needed more than one surgery. You never know what will happen when they grow older.

My Loki is from good breeding stock also. I still have insurance for him. Mainly because, with Yorkies, you never know what kind of trouble they'll get into. It doesn't always have to be a congenital issue that causes problems. Loki was 4 months old when he jumped out of my husband's arm and bruised his foot. We were lucky it wasn't anything worse.

I look at it this way. If I had a human baby, I'd have insurance for them because you never know. My furbaby is just as important to me and I want to know that I'll be able to have him taken care of if he gets sick. Plus, the plan he has also covers yearly visits, shots, heartworm check, etc. Yes, there is a $250 deductible but that doesn't take long to use up.

[canana]

Originally Posted by Ravyn

Something to think about, just because a bloodline is of good health, that doesn't mean that every animal in that line may be that lucky. We had a pair of cats that had two litters. Until they were 12, all of our babies were perfectly healthy. Then the daughter and the mother both had mammary cancer. The cost for the surgeries was over $4000 between the two as they both needed more than one surgery. You never know what will happen when they grow older.

My Loki is from good breeding stock also. I still have insurance for him. Mainly because, with Yorkies, you never know what kind of trouble they'll get into. It doesn't always have to be a congenital issue that causes problems. Loki was 4 months old when he jumped out of my husband's arm and bruised his foot. We were lucky it wasn't anything worse.

I look at it this way. If I had a human baby, I'd have insurance for them because you never know. My furbaby is just as important to me and I want to know that I'll be able to have him taken care of if he gets sick. Plus, the plan he has also covers yearly visits, shots, heartworm check, etc. Yes, there is a $250 deductible but that doesn't take long to use up.

Yes, definitely! There are never guarantees, which is why I bothered to look into pet insurance beforehand prior to deciding against it. I guess my decision was based on a level of comfort knowing that my breeder has had healthy Yorkies for the past 30 years of breeding, in addition to their reputation from other show breeders. For sure, I could be the unlucky one that got a Yorkie with health issues, whether now or at an older age.

I think insurance is quite personal and its whatever works for each person/family. My previous dog, though slightly larger at 7lbs, never required any pet emergency needs and only saw the vet once a year during her healthy 19 years. We never had pet insurance for her either. I guess I figure with my current two Yorkies, I will do my 100% due diligence to prevent any injuries (I've become the most paranoid/overly cautious Yorkie mom ever), fully knowing that accidents can happen, and save up the money that would have gone to an insurance company towards their emergency fund. If they need it, it's there. If not, well it's a bonus.

At the end of the day, insurance is just all about risk and chance - whatever each person is comfortable with, given their own circumstances and experiences. Just make sure you read all the fine print in the pet insurance you go with, should you decide on one.

[Cats307]

Max fell down the stairs and the next day I got Trupanion Insurance. It's $38 a month and covers just about everything but pre existing conditions. They said it was a sprained leg but I wasn't taking any chances. That vet bill was almost $400 so had I gotten it before hand my out of pocket would have been $200 instead of $400. Hoping he never needs it but my daughters cat just ate some thread and surgery was almost $3500. Her friends pup ate some rug, just a corner and he's in surgery tonight in the ER vet so will be the same as her cat bill. So much unforeseen things can happen I felt it was worth the expense.

[powerency]

Insurance is a significant investment when it comes to protecting your pet. Insurance can cover many unexpected and costly situations, including illness, injury, death, and more. There are many different types of dog insurance available to you from local pet insurance companies and regional providers. Find the best pet insurance for your puppy by reading this guide https://www.petinsurancereview.com/dog-insurance on the best insurance for pets. These plans offer additional benefits in the form of medical care and hospitalization if your dog is seriously ill or injured.

[yorkiemini]

I have Healthy Paws. We have had two health scares ( she is 13 yers old) but I never worried about the cost and Healthy Paws paid well. I carry a high deductible to keep the monthly payment down.
Most importantly you need a vet to write up clearly that your pup does not have any pre existing conditions upon fill examination.
My little girl may need cataract surgery later this year, but it will be covered.
Be sure your vet checks the joints and does blood work so they can document no pre existing conditions.