Insurance?

[Ketara]

Im sorry, I know this is like my third question tonight but this is my only source of help.

Can anyone explain to me how the insurance works?

I know a responsible owner would be able to pay for medical care & I am responsible but we haven't been doing well with money at all. I live in a single parent household & today I overheard my mom saying even with her overtime it's still not looking good & I just started college last August & have been using the excess money from my financial aid to pay for her doctor visits & I have a little over $500 to my name & her spay operation will cost 180 + pain meds. & I just don't want anything to happen to her because of our inability to pay.

& I'm also trying to get a job but I get so sick so often (rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, positive AnA, etc)

I've even resorted to doing things online for money & I found a good site & have made over $600 within 2 years but I can't rely on that forever

[Wylie's Mom]

Insurance works like this: you pay for the visit, then you have paperwork from the vet and you file the claim; insurance then decides whether it's covered or not and then pays you according to your deductible and co-pay. Pre-existing conditions are not covered.

[aweitzm1]

Pet Insurance is like reimbursement. You lay out the money and then file a claim. Once you meet your deductible they will pay a percentage. For Instance I have insurance with Healthy Paws. My yorkie is going in for a small procedure in May the total cost is $625.00


Since I met the yearly deductible of $250.00 already They will pay 90% of the bill once submitted. That means my share will be around $62.00


Be aware though that most insurances will not pay for Consultations and/or Office Visits, Dental, or Vaccines. Some insurance will cover those things but it will be added to the monthly premium. You need to read all the fine print clearly. Most Insurance Companies try to find a way to get out of paying the premiums.


If your dog is already diagnosed with a condition they will not cover any expenses for that issue.


I have done extensive research regarding Pet Insurance please reach out to me if you have any questions.

[MzLynnC]

Example, have Trupanion, just found out a couple of weeks ago Luke needed an operation, perfectly healthy, but started limping.
They did not pay for the vet office visit, or the. Consultation with the ortho surgeon, but they did pay for the operation, hospital stay, physical therapy (had a rider) medication, But not office visits, so add the vet cost to your deductible and also the problem has to be over your deductible before they pay anything if it is covered.

Good Luck !

[DragRacer1934]

Hello,
I saw that you have healthy paws. I am looking into Pet Plan. Do you know or have you heard anything about them? They cover a little more stuff than Healthy Paws but for a higher monthly payment. I am BRAND NEW to puppy insurance. Please could you message me and give any insight you have? Thanks!

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by DragRacer1934

Hello,
I saw that you have healthy paws. I am looking into Pet Plan. Do you know or have you heard anything about them? They cover a little more stuff than Healthy Paws but for a higher monthly payment. I am BRAND NEW to puppy insurance. Please could you message me and give any insight you have? Thanks!

When I looked into PetPlan Insurance the reason I did not go with it was that the premium was higher and there was a co-pay as well as a deductible. For me I wanted the highest yearly maximum and no co-payment.


Below is a great article that details both the pro/cons of PetPlan Insurance. Overall it seems to be a good plan it all depends on what you are looking for in Insurance. Good Luck with your search!


Petplan Insurance Reviews: Is Price Everything?

[DragRacer1934]

Thank you! I am now torn between healthy paws and pet plan! Theres just so much information!

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by DragRacer1934

Thank you! I am now torn between healthy paws and pet plan! Theres just so much information!

You are right there is a lot of information out there. You might want to call each company and speak to a representative and ask them all your questions. I did that when I chose insurance.


I like Healthy Paws. The only issue I have is I wish it would cover exams and consultations. (PetPlan looks like that is covered). I never realized how expensive just going to the vet could be. I went with my gut feeling when choosing a plan. Healthy Paws has been voted number 1 the past few years so I felt that is a better option.


The Canine Journal has done articles on all the major insurance plans. You should read through them to get an idea of all the pros/cons of each insurance.

[DragRacer1934]

I will do that! Thank you very much! It is appreciated!

[yorkiemini]

Ask the companies you are considering for a copy of their contract. They will give it to you. Read it carefully and decide what is right for you. The representative will only give you the info you ask about, reading the contract will tell everything you might not have thought to ask.

[DragRacer1934]

I have decided to finally make a decision. I just purchased Healthy Paws Policy. $100.00 deductible and 90% reimbursement for my little Nitro. Thank you all for you help and recommendations. It is greatly appreciated.

[YorkieDorothy]

Pet insurance is pretty basic, you're reimbursed after (not during) the time of service. The amount of the reimbursement varies depending on the company and the plan you choose. Most pet insurance plans reimburse you based on a fixed % of the vet bill and a few like VPI and Petpremium base their payouts on a benefits schedule which basically means they decide how much you get back, regardless of the actual vet bill. I'll include a few resources that I found helpful in comparing coverage and understanding the basics of pet insurance.

Is Pet Insurance Worth It? - BarkPost
https://www.petinsuranceu.com/yorksh...pet-insurance/
5 Things Your Pet Insurance Policy Should Cover

[aweitzm1]

A good thing to do is read the fine print VERY CAREFULLY. Do tons of research. I find most people have issues when they do not realize that the plan does not cover certain items. I have researched extensively many plans so feel free to PM me with any questions.

I learned a lot from when I got insurance 5 years ago for my first puppies to what I now have for my other puppy.

The plans are worse than human insurance and they will try their best not to pay a claim so you need to be very careful in the plan you choose and what your needs are for the insurance.