canceling pet insurance...
 

after debating for ages and ages with my fiance we have decided to cancel...

im canceling because the vets want the money straight away and then the insurance reimburse the money which we had no idea that was the case! :(

we cant afford to pull large amounts of money out of the air so we would be in the same boat :S it just makes insurance pointless....

:thumbdown

Put some money in an account for you dog every month. At least you will have something put away if something come up. Just don't let yourself touch it for any other reason.

I have been struggling with the same decision since I got Riley 1 1/2 years ago and I got Trupanion. I'm paying $43 a month. I had to use it a couple of times and got reimbursement in about 7-days. I can't remember what I started off paying, but they raised the rates after 1-year. If they raise them again this year I am going to Seriously think about canceling.

Do what you think is best for your family.

Vet offices can't be in a positin to bill insurance companies, because then as the pet insurance market grows (and it is), they would have to have a billing/collections department. The average vet office can't do that. And if they just let you file the claim and get the money back, then how would they be sure the vet is getting paid...

It irritates me too, because it makes making payments to a vet less possible if you qant your refund right away. It seems that this is the only way it can be set up though. It would be good to have a credit card to charge, and then when teh refund comes in, pay the card off.

I never did insurance - wasn't sure it was even worth it. Because so many have little stipulations about what they cover and this and that. I would be the one to pay insurance monthly for 3 years and then have Jackson get something they don't cover or something lol. I don't know, just my luck. I am pretty sure I did the math once and recall that I wouldn't have really saved anything by having it. I think the only benefit would be if you are not expecting a big charge and have to do it because you have no choice, and then obviously getting reimbursed helps, but in general I added up how much I'd be paying per year and it totaled to more than what his medical bills were anyways. So yeah. I see the benefits but I've always just sucked it up and drained out my bank account which is not fun either. So I dunno. My plan is begin to begin putting some money away weekly or monthly and starting an emergency fund account.... I think this would work better for me.

I love our insurance... Have it on all 4 babies.... Luckily
For me, my vet would gladly hold a check for a week
Or two until insurance reimbursed if I needed him to!!

hmmmmm Never even thought about that!! :thumbup: :)

If you didn't have the money to pay upfront for a large vet bill, you could apply for the care credit. At least with the insurance you would only pay your deductable and you would get everything else reimbursed and then pay off your care credit. To me I think its worth it. A couple months ago Furgie was really sick. I have petplan, bill was @300...I paid my $50 deductible and got everything else back. If she ever has another issue with "colitis" again, I don't have to pay the deductible again and will get everything reimbursed.

We debated getting insurance, but have just set up a separate savings account for KS at the bank if need be. We put just a little in it each week, but it is growing. So I hope it will be enough if we ever need to dip into it. Thankfully, we have a wonderful vet who would allow us to make payments if there was no other way, but I hate to do that too. We could always put it on the credit card I guess but another thing I hate to do. So I hope putting back this money will help us if we ever need it. We put back anywhere from $10 to $30 a week. It doesn't seem like much at the time, but it will grow.

Well, I ended up cancelling Trupanion 2-months ago... Now I just have that $43.77 a month put into a Savings Account, which earns interest, which I have set aside for him. I also add $100.00 a month to that account… and he has his own Mastercard, so we should be okay in the event anything were to happen.

This is a great idea. I think insurance can work out, but mostly you end up paying more for it than you will ever use. Insurance companies make money and they do it by paying out less than they take in. In the end, I think it's smartest to have a savings account, credit card and Care Credit for your dog. We have all of these things, so our dogs are covered if anything should ever happen. Luckily the worst thing we have had happen is a tummy bug, but if something big came along... We would be fine.

How long did it take them to reimburse you? How about a credit card you use only for him in conjunction with the insurance?

That sounds like a good plan. But just as an example how quickly things can add up: Zoey who is not even 4yrs old has cancer; to date over the past two wks we have spent $1500, her first six months of treatment are forecasted to cost $5000, and that is baring unforeseen emergencies.

Magic's b ack injurie sustained 3yrs ago, has cost about $10K and last year I stopped counting.

Karma the cat is the cheapest so far his medical condition has put as back only about $1k.

Razzle has no medical conditions; but all his pre breeding tests are ~$1K.

We have recently reviewed our doggy account(s) and have decided to add another $250 a month.

I am seriously considering with my next puppy to buy a good insurance plan; but it would have to cover a whole slew of things.

Also as a further note: We will be doing titering on our oldest dog and that will be another $400 or so. I don't want if I can help it give him another vaccine over his lifetime. He is entering his mid/late years. So just regular vet care can go up.

Razzle: gets all his shots separately and that bumps the bill up by an additional vet visit each time.

Zoey: I have no idea what we shall do with vs a vs vaccines and most particularly heartworm. I have to talk with the oncologist about the heartworm meds.

Yikes!! Yeah, they can add up quickly... just the yearly check-up alone with blood work is a few hundred.... and then the heartgard and frontline plus.

This is another reason I only have one. The main reason being I live right in the middle of the city, and he comes pretty much everywhere with me. It's easier, for me, to travel with only one. But we get out just about every other weekend for our Yorkie Meet-ups and other small breed meet-ups. :thumbup:

Re: Razzle... they charge you a vet visit per shot?? my old vet used to do that....[It would be $70 a pop just for walking through the door...].... but I confirmed with my new vet if I want to separate his shots in a few different visits, they will just charge for the shot and not an additional visit.

Great post!

I have never had pet insurance, but there is so much more that can be done medically today than in the past. I believe strongly in getting insurance when a pup is younger and has no or few pre-existing conditions. I have read many threads on YT about insurance and have been saving information on my computer about it. I think gemy makes an excellent point about medical expenses mounting up quickly. Ann started a thread a couple of years ago about health insurance that I found very valuable. Dr. Paula Terifaj, a vet in California, was researching health insurance for her own pup. The links below are the thread that Ann started and the result of Dr. Terifaj, DVM's search for pet insurance. It may take a while to get reimbursed, but the fact is, you are reimbursed if you have a good plan.


Make 2010 The Year Of Affordable Pet Health Care!

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/die...rifaj-dvm.html

That is so smart....wait you can get your dog its own debit card? Do tell! I want to do this!

eheeheeheeheeheeeeeeeeee..... Well, Not Exactly!! I mean it doesn't have his name on it or anything.... it is a Credit Card designated, his. ;)

He also has his own Savings Account... I now put $43.77 a month, on the same day his Trupanion was due but have always put $50.00 each paycheck into it, as well.

Both of these are just for emergencies. His regular yearly check-up comes out of my regular account. Am really hoping never to have to touch the savings or Mastercard, just like a health insurance. :)

My vet does the care credit and that was great.

What is Care Credit?
I thought it was a credit line that you applied for?
Do vets have to accept it in order to be able to apply?

I have to say in my case I am so thankful I have Pet Insurance.

I have Trupanion and last year I used it alot. Needless to say.. I got more back in reimbursment checks then what Insurance cost me a year. It was a lifesaver. I also have Care Credit and and Empty Credit Card as well. It is hard knowing what to do I see the pros and cons with having Insurance and starting a Saving account..

But I am afraid no matter how much I could possibly put in a savings account something would happen and drain it so quickly. Then I would worry If I would be able to build it up in time for the next time. Trupanion will cover hereditary and congenital conditions as long as they are not found to be pre-existing. And since I had Taycie covered so young.. nothing at this point would be considered pre-existing.

I also recived an email stating Trupanion now covers therapeutic pet foods. They cover 1/2 of the cost of the food to assist in the care of your pet. I just called and spoke with a rep and they told me the way to go to get some money back for Taycie's food.

So.. yes.. I like Taycie's insurance:)

Hahhahahah i got all excited thinking Ralph could hve his own credit card (; Ralph has his own savings too! He also has that same sweater your fur-baby is wearing...there twins! Ahaha

Ahhhhhhhhh That is Hilarious!! They are Totally Twins!! ;)

Riley's cousin is my parent's Gigantic Jet Black Standard Poodle. He is 1 year 4 months and is Huge!! I am always sooo paranoid it is going to stomp on Riley. He loooves when Riley runs in their back yard. I will need insurance for sure, if that happens!!

I do not have pet insurance... To be honest I do not run to the vet for every little thing. The Vets in this area are getting the message. Every weekend there is a Pet clinic, for shots (12 bucks) Micro chipping (20 bucks) Heartworm testing (25 bucks). And now wal mart now sells vet meds.
BUT... I am thinking about getting insurance if Corky gets sick or if there is a accident.

Actually yes; I just noticed it as I was reviewing vet bills recently. Last year there was a lot going on too, with bringing in 4 pets to our new vet. I plan on talking about that with him this year; I don't think it is fair, particularly given the amount of business I bring in to him.

Ageing Pets and self insurance
 

If you've read my earlier post, you could say I've been a tad unlucky in that with young dogs I have actually had 2 conditions (expensive ones) pop up in the first 3-4 yrs of life. Neither condition was genetic.

But here is what I want to talk about. If we are lucky enough to have our dogs live to a ripe old age, ageing itself will/can bring other health issues. Senility and meds for same, is an example. Decreased kidney function, eye disease and other types of things.

So when you plan that savings for your pet, as your dog ages healthily and the balance builds up, keep it there and building. Then you have it when and if you need it for your senior dog. If your dog passes peacefully without needing it or all of it, then you have a lovely savings account for your next pup!.

UUGGH!! That IS annoying.... and unfair :rolleyes:

I agree! ZoE's vet breaks up her shots and we only get charged for an office visit when he actually examines her with the first shot. When we go in for subsequent shots, we just pay for the shot itself, not an office visit. I thought that was standard practice....when I hear otherwise, it makes me like our vet even more :)

Yeah, I read that earlier post... I am so sorry you had and have to deal with all you did and do.....

I had a Schipperke for 13-years and we had a few vet visits in his first couple of years, but after that, besides his yearly vet visits he only had one surgery when he was about 10. He had a hair follicle tumor right next to his eye.... It started growing and was going to affect his eye so the vet recommended removal... That was about a $450.00 surgery.

He ended up with kidney failure toward the end but passed peacefully laying on me......
I had a cushion from his account.
I only pray that Riley is as healthy.

I was never really sure about pet insurance. Then w/ Pfeiffer (since she was a puppy, w/ no pre-existing conditions), I got PetPlan. I love it. Any puppy of mine going forward will have it. I just recently got it for Marcel, just for major coverage. I don't have any for Wylie bc he just has wayyyyyyyyyy too many pre-existing stuff.

I would think long and hard about cancelling a policy. My 2 yorkie x border terriers (Morgan has passed away) both developed serious medical problems one developed a hole on the heart (Morgan) she needed lots
Of drugs to keep her lungs clear. Mitsy has diabetes needs insulin injections twice a day. My hubby does those. She spend two weeks in the hospital in intensive care when diagnosed. The cost if that alone was more than we could afford. She would not be here today if we didn't have insurance. They pay for her needles and insulin every month. I pay with a credit card and usually the money from the insurance is through by the time the payment date comes round. Iv not I pay the minimum payment and clear it off when it arrives. I would hate to have to euthanise my lovely dog because I could not afford to pay the charges. I hope you make the right choice.