# Pet Insurance



## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

How many of you have pet insurance for your dog(s)? What company do you use and why did you choose that company? Have you used the insurance since you got it? Do you recommend having it?

I have been thinking about getting it since I got Mandalay in April but never have. She has already gotten her first years shots and been spayed, so I would not use it to cover any of that, but I know that there are some that would cover hip xrays and what not.

I just wanted to know others thoughts on it.


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## discodog (May 9, 2008)

Hate to reply and bump your post giving you the false impression that someone might have an answer to your question, but I'm in EXACTLY the same position as you are and have the same question!

Gonna add to your request so that others know there's an interest in the subject!


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I personally don't have it. I looked into it but decided not to because as the pooch gets older the rates sky rocket. 
I have a CC with nothing on it just incase of emergency.


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2008)

We have VPI and are very happy with them. Decent rates and great coverage. They've been well worth having.

http://www.petinsurance.com/affiliates/SearchIntelligence2.aspx?ec=CI0187


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## VSellar (Jul 31, 2007)

I do have pet insurance (recently) - boy do I regret not getting it earlier.

Just to give you some background, I moved here from the UK just over 2 years ago and there it is easy to get your pets insured. There are lots of competing companies and quotes are very good.

Once I got here and Q arrived, I got very sick and did nothing about it for nearly 2 years. Q subsequently got REALLY BAD allergies and I spend a fortune (and still do) on a quarterly basis on injections and specialist visits - not to mention Atopica, Temaril P, etc!

Once Em arrived I decided it was time. I did some research and found that there were basically three companies in my area (PA) that offered insurance. I checked them all out and got quotes for all three pets.

I decided to go with a company called Pet Plan as it happens to be the same as I used in the UK. I got the top of the range cover and pay just over $50 per dog per month - a lot. Previous illnesses are not covered, and unlike the other three it did not cover routine visits to the vet and annual vaccines etc. What it did offer, and I wanted, was cover in case of loss, theft or death. I figured that I have been paying for the routine stuff all the time I have had the animals, what I do need is help with illness and if anything happens to any of them.

I have not made a claim yet, and Em is going in to be spayed on Tuesday so I am going to find out if that is something they will cover.

Personally I like the peace of mind tht it offers me as I had a harrowing experience with vets and emergency clinics with my cat, Zorro, who unfortunately died very suddenly last year. I know many people are not keen on insurance; it is a very personal decision.

I gave some info to someone else on this board a while back via PM so if you want I can forward it to you too.

One caveat - I hear that some insurance companies will not insure a pet over a certain age. All mine are young - Diego is 8, Q is 2.5 and Em is 6 months but Pet Plan did say there was no age restriction.

I hope this has been of some use to you!


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## grmnshpd21 (May 5, 2005)

We have VPI for Molly and have had it since we brought her home at 8 weeks old. It came in very handy when she was injured at doggie daycare and ended up over $500 in vet bills. I'm pleased with the insurance and am glad we have it.


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## LARHAGE (Jul 24, 2006)

I have had it in the past with both my horses and my dogs, when my horses are in training and travel to shows I insure them, but after acquiring so many dogs now ( 7) and the same number of horses, I decided to get a credit card to use ONLY on major animal related accidents, with the number of pets I have ( add 4 cats to the mix) I determined the monthly premium alone was what it cost me to vaccinate, worm etc.. for the year.

Having said that, IF I only had 1 dog and 1 cat they would most likely have insurance. I also vaccinate and worm my own animals as that rate is excessively high and I can do it myself, I have done my own vaccinations on all my animals for 20 years with no problems and a ton of savings.


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## Sherush (Jan 12, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: littledmcI personally don't have it. I looked into it but decided not to because as the pooch gets older the rates sky rocket.


Same, I figured I would probably spend more on the insurance than if I saved $150.00 a month towards future vet bills.


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## Guest (Sep 19, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Sherush
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: littledmcI personally don't have it. I looked into it but decided not to because as the pooch gets older the rates sky rocket.
> ...


It costs us $70 a month to cover all three dogs and that's for a 7 year old, 3 year old and less than 1 year old. We do get a discount for multiple pets. When you look at all that VPI covers you can easily see that it far outstrips what even saving twice our payment would pay for. That and the fact that just stepping in the door at the vet's costs half our premium fee and it's really a no-brainer that VPI saves you more money than setting money aside will accomplish for the average pet owner. I posted the link for them above. Check out their coverage for yourself and see.


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## Hilary (Apr 12, 2005)

I had insurance with VPI and cancelled it. Maia has EPI - they would cover none of the vet costs related to diagnose, or treatment to get her stabilized. They consider it to be a genetic illness which is excluded from their coverage. They would only cover one fecal/year - even though she was having problems with SIBO, was in contact with my fosters who always brought worms, etc with them and needed additional fecal exams.


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## Guest (Sep 20, 2008)

They totally covered Frigga's spay and most recently what would've been a very expensive surgery fee to repair Odin's inner ear and outer ear from a dog fight with a neighbor's dog who attacked our dogs. That alone paid for the premium for a year.


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## ozzymama (Jan 17, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Sherush
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: littledmcI personally don't have it. I looked into it but decided not to because as the pooch gets older the rates sky rocket.
> ...


I do the same, put money into a mutual fund every month for the dogs, that way when I want the money out, I just make a call, no arguing with insurance companies or worrying at need if something is covered.

For simple things like when Ozzy cut his foot a couple years ago and needed stitches, the bill was only $400, so I didn't need to withdraw from the mutual fund, but something major, like a surgery in excess of $1,000, then it's there.
Plus I'm making interest on the money, not alot, it's a safe fund, but at least I'm not losing money.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

I finally finished my insurance research. LoL. I think I had information on every pet insurance company in North America. I narrowed it down to 5. I wanted one that would cover Hip Disp (and most either did not or they covered it at like $300!) I do not care if they cover shots and vaccines since Mandalay is obviously done with her puppy shots and after this I am not sure what I will be doing with shots and vaccines. I wanted illnesses and genetic disorders covered and I wanted a $200 deductible with a 10% copay.

I went with petplan. It will only be about $35/mo (5% web discount and a 10% microchip discount incl) and this is up to $12,000 per year. 

Signed up today. That's a load off.


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## JeffM (Dec 19, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: MandalayI went with petplan.


That's who we are with but they change to pet secure. Not sure if it was in name only or a new company.


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