I decided to get VPI pet insurance!
 

So, after a rough two weeks with my two babies and the extraordinary vet bills that I have to pay, I have decided to get VPI Pet Insurance. It's about $55 a month for both of them. I did all of the math and I will come out on the positive end with the insurance. It also helps because it is drafted monthly. I know now how easy it is for something to happen, and it helps to get a reimbursement check to cover the bills. I don't think it is for everyone, but it is for me and my little ones. Between annual visits, teeth cleanings, microchipping, tooth removal, shots, heartworm prevention, and any other unforeseen issues, it will help me greatly! Let me know if any of you have had experience with VPI, positive or negative. Thanks!

I don't have it but I hear it is excellent.

I am signing up for it as soon as my puppy (Morkie) is delivered. One of my good friends has it and loves it. They have stated that it has saved them lots of money, with the emergency room visits and medications, etc.:animal-pa

I have it on CAli and Pixie but not Maya. Maya has cost me 2000 since April and no insurance. I just sent in 2 claims for Pixie totaling 680.00 and I am hoping to get at least half back. With Cali she had a hypoglycemic episode days before her coverage became effective so they excluded any claim for that and her MVD clains were denied as genetic, but all in all out of over 7,000 in claims on Cali I was reimbursed about 2000 or so, which is way more than I paid in premiums. I just feel better having it. I think you will be happy with it.

I have it, have had it since I got Lillybelle. I so glad I do. Its convienent and easy to use, just pay your vet bill, have the vet sign and fill out the form, fax it and you will get you check in a couple weeks. I figured I would about break even if she wasnt sick and if she was it most likely would cover about half. It was a big help when she was spayed and microchipped.

I've been reading about VPI also. I have a 13 week old puppy and hes already got kennel cough. I really want this, but I'm not sure if I'll end up losing more money than I'm actually getting back.

I've had it for Lucy since the first of June when we brought her home. So far they have covered an average of about 50% of her visits/tests, etc.

We are thinking about getting it for our girls. We have spent so much in the last month.

We're glad to hear some positive feedback, it has been in the back of our heads to go with VPI for a while now, I think we will!

Thanks!

I had it for Rocky and was paying $32 a month and when i had him nuetered with all his test and all i spent $405. When i sent in the forms and all i was reimbursed $85. I guess for some people it works out but for me i didnt think it was worth it. I know one day im going to be kicking myself for it but right now i just pay cash.

I was going to get it for Jerome because of his GI issues, and also I get a discount thru my work, but when I called them the y told me it was going to be thirty something for Jerome and then when they asked me why I wanted to get insurance and told her that he has cost me a lot of money for that GI issue, she told me that I needed to get that taken care of before I can put him on the insurance. well, I called Petsbest insurance and I even got 10 off because the vet I take my babies to recmmends that insurance.

When Riley got diagnosed with MVD, VPI dropped him. They sent a certified letter to my house and I had to sign for it. :eek: Even though my vet wrote diagnosis undetermined on the first couple claims, they still didn't cover any of what turned out to be more than a $5,000 bill. At first they covered a % of his puppy shots, which was nice. They didn't cover his neuter because they said he used up all his limits or something. I was paying $30-something a month. It was a really bad experience. Riley has a sister now and I was thinking about getting insurance (a different kind) for her, but I figure, I'll spend more money every month than I'll actually use it. If there's an emergency, that's what credit cards are for...well, for me at least.

I decided against it after 2 years ...
 

Anybody have the site for VPI insurance?

Here ya go
http://www.petinsurance.com/

Here is the link to the benefit schedule for the standard plan:


http://www.petinsurance.com/downloads/Standard-Ben-Sched-2005.pdf

Here is a link to one of many other threads about VPI:
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...ight=insurance

Cali has MVD and they didn't drop her thank God.

Vpi Sucks
 

OK, sorry for the outburst, but dang...I have had VPI for Jacksson since May. I have submitted 2000.00 and have gotten nothing but grief. I send this paper they want that paper. Its like they are waiting for me to give up. I will let you know what I get back, if I ever do...LOl. OH YEA , AND EVERYTHING WAS ROUTINE!:thumbdown :mad:

For us VPI was great up until Paddy's broken leg. They paid about 50% for vaccines, shots, neutering, and check ups. But nothing for his emergency hypoglycemia and practically nothing compared to the price of the surgery. I guess we could have gotten more back if he weren't only on the standard plan, but they do say they pay up to 2.500 per injury so it seemed pretty crappy to only get $500 back on a $4,000. I was also lucky to actually have had the insurance before he broke his leg or they probably wouldn't have paid at all. Soooo I dunno what to think about it lol. I think its just how insurance typically works. :(

Now we've been paying $21 per month and paddy hasn't been to the vet in about 4 months so theres been nothing to submit.
Hopefully if I get him more ear medication they'll go back to 50% coverage.

I have the VPI superior plan, and I love it. When Conner goes in for his shots, almost all the shots and the office visit are paid. The vet doesn't even have to sign the form. I just attach the bill - everything is on there, I fill out the form, fax it, and I have a check two weeks later. It has been paying more than 50%. I really got this for Conner in case of an emergency - the fear of the unknown. I feel "safer" with the insurance.

I also have the VPI superior plan. I just keep getting the run around. I don't know, maybe because he got sick weeks after we got the policy. I am still waiting for payment since June 21. I just submitted another vet bill for Sept 5, lets see how long this one takes. this was a routine procedure.

they must have changed their reimbursement policy since 2003,
b/c I had to have the vet sign a special form
and I could only mail it in (after photocopying everything) ....
your way sounds so much easier,
I would have loved to simply fax it in ...

Oh I had the VPI superior plan as well ...

Wow two weeks! It took at least a month to get our checks back. Perhaps I should make the switch to superior once I get a job and we have two incomes (up till now I've been a student).

Trust me, I know what you mean about "fear of the unknown". I was NOT expecting him to jump on me and get under my foot during a routine walk outside and get a broken leg. The guilt I felt for that one was unbearable!!! I was happy to have the security of having insurance and being able to make him all better! The doctor told me most people ask about insurance when the dog needs surgery but I was the first person he met who actually had it from the get go (from before I actually brought the puppy to my house lol!). So even though they paid less than I hoped I definitely feel better having it than not.

That's always been my experience too and I've had VPI for almost 4 years. They have never questioned anything I've sent to them and I've always had a check within 2 weeks. I have the superior plan too so I don't know if that makes a difference.

I'm so glad I have them, especially for situations like this week and Simon's eye problems.

Yes, they changed the form awhile ago. No signature is required anymore. Just the diagnosis and vet clinic name~

RE: I decided to get VPI insurance
 

I got VPI insurance for my toy poodle after hearing about my husband's boss spending about 5grand to get his baby well. It is not a yorkie, but his baby nonetheless. When my husband said I wouldn't pay over $500 to get the dog repaired, so the next day I bought the insurance. It's relatively resonable,even tho my deduction is high, I don't recall maybe $500 to $1000 but covers $5,00 worth of medical expenses.

I am going to enroll Emmelyn our new baby Yorkie in it as well. Like any insurance, you hate paying premiums but boy if you need it it's there. I have no question of how much $ I would pay if my baby got sick with a curable disease, something to where she wasn't in pain, (hopefully) but that could be fixed. Same with the new Yorkie baby, once you love them as much as we do, why would we ever consider letting them die for the lack of a few dollar bills. This is a family member's life we are talking about, someone who cannot express to us their pain or their desire to live.

It is up to us to provide the best care for them whatever that may be, but that is only my opinion.

Regards,
Vanmomzie (Prizziray's mommie and Emmelyn's gramma).

Thanks for letting me share my experience with you. I highly recommend VPI pet Insurance.

Sincerely,
Vanmomzie

So glad I found this thread, because I am considering VPI pet insurance. I hear both positive and negative about it, though. Delilah is 5 months and I just don't know if anything major will happen with her like it did with my maltese. We call him the "million dollar dog" because we have paid A LOT of money for his care.

I guess I will just keep researching and try to make a decision. I am not happy that they do not cover any genetic problems or problems they consider "Yorkie" problems.

Hmmmm...this is a tough one!

I checked into insurance for my baby but after reading the fine print and I have so many problems with my human insurance..I decided to start a bank account and put money in it case something comes up.

Someone else also suggested this idea and I just started a "vet" fund for Lucy. Once it has a certain amount in it I will cancel VPI. I have the superior plan and they only covered $70 of her $486 spay and teeth pulling. Since you have to pay up front anyway, may as well put the money away. JMO

This is a good idea. I feel like I need to have separate funds for all kinds of things: pets, travel, furniture, summer cash, savings, etc.