# Insurance: Good deal or for the birds?



## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Anyone have any input on dog insurance (for health)?
I've heard VERY mixed reviews ranging from some companies are AWESOME and worth every penny to "you'd be better off flushing cash down the drain".

Input please!


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

For me, it is SO much easier putting out $35 a month and knowing that I will be ok if I am hit with a $3,000 or more vet bill for emergency bloat surgery, or some other major injury. Just knowing that I never have to make a decision to let my dogs go vs. being able to afford care for them....

I don't know if you've ever been to a 24 hour vet hospital...but I've never walked out under $1,000!! 

Just my opinion, it is SO worth it for the peace of mind!

I have a policy for each of my pups...$35 a month each, through PetPlan. They cover just about everything!


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Ok...good input!
So one thumbs-up for PetPlan. Thanks! I want reviews from you guys that do get insurance on who to use/ who NOT to use.
Thanks jprice.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't know why I didn't get insurance when Frag was young... would have saved us so much money. Now we're going in for more tests, xrays, etc. and likely surgery.


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## San (Mar 22, 2012)

The way we see it, insurance is something good to have, but we hope we will never have to use it. 

We've had good luck with Pets' Best. My female GSD had a broken molar 3 years ago and it took $4200 for the vet dentist to do the root canal and crown (plus elective blood-work and cleaning since she was already under anesthesia). The insurance paid 80% of it (after $100 deductible, did not cover the elective cleaning, I think they even covered the pre-anesthesia blood-work). We filed the claim and got reimbursement within a week. Quick and easy.

A year later, she started throwing up in the middle of the night, I thought she was going to bloat so we rushed her to the e-vet, turned out it was just upset stomach, the visit was around $400, again the insurance paid 80% after $100 deductible. Filed claim and got reimbursement within a week. Very happy with it.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Thanks San!
Alrighty...a thumbs up for Pet's Best.
Do pet insurers work like human ones...in other words do Vet's "accept" them, or are they all purely on a reimbursement basis and the Vet doesn't have anything to do with the process?
Again, thanks for the input.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I have an emergency fund set aside for the dogs. If I didn't, I'd have pet insurance.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Yep, thanks Em.
That is exactly what we are weighing...insurance route, or just emergency fund.
Thanks for the input!


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## San (Mar 22, 2012)

You pay for the visit upfront, fill out the claim form (downloaded from insurer's site), vet fills out a small section of it, then mail/fax to the insurer. 

Pets' Best sent me an email when they received the claim form, and then emailed me again after they processed me, to let me know how much I was getting back. 

I do want to add, after my girl's dental incident, her insurance only went up by $20/year the following year, much less than what I thought it was going to be.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Perfect. Makes sense and sounds pretty simple!
Thank you!


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

For pet insurance, most care providers make you pay up front, but then the insurance reimburses you. So you don't need to worry about whether your vet takes any particular insurance or not.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

That's what I was hoping! Our Vet is AWESOME but is very picky on "plans" they accept...for example they don't allow the online pharmacy stuff.
In my opinion (from their work) there's a good reason for it...they know their stuff.
Thanks!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Granted, I have two dogs but in the last 12 months we've spent $1200 in unanticipated veterinary expenses.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I looked into it and an emergency fund is much better financially if you can have one. Insurance is insurance...like Chris Rock said, why not call it "In case ****, but if **** doesn't happen, shouldn't I get my money back?" I just felt that forking over $300+ a year wasn't worth the peace of mind, and with the deductible and 80%, you'd need a pretty large issue (like the ones mentioned) to "get your monies worth" over a couple years. Just thinking that it would be over $3000 over the life of my dog, and if nothing happens (like it should) I've really lost out.

Just my opinion though.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Yep, totally agree Mart.
I am pretty sure we are going to go the emergency fund route, but in light of the broken canine thing (see my "broken tooth" thread) it got me to start thinking.....
I REALLY appreciate everyone's input though. It really helps me/ us make a sound decision. Have I mentioned I love this forum?


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

PetPlan lets you pick the deductible and reimbursment. For mine, I have $200 deductible, and 100% coverage. So I know the most I'll ever be out is $200 which i can easily do.

My problem is discipline. If I thought i could put money away to a fund, I'd probably go that route...but I can't! I'd always be "borrowing" from the fund!


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

Thanks for asking Duke! I was interested in knowing too. Is this insurance mostly for emergencies not routine care and also doe they accept older dogs.


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## BlackCat (Sep 22, 2011)

I looked into pet insurance for my zoo, but it quickly became cost prohibitive for the premiums. With 3 dogs, one of whom is elderly and five cats, I couldn't afford it. Instead, I have a MasterCard and savings for these kinds of emergencies.


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## jprice103 (Feb 16, 2011)

HeidiW said:


> Thanks for asking Duke! I was interested in knowing too. Is this insurance mostly for emergencies not routine care and also doe they accept older dogs.


It is mostly for emergencies. Most don't cover routine care. And yes, they will accept older dogs, but the premiums will be much higher.


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

Thanks Jessica!


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## San (Mar 22, 2012)

For my plan from Pets' Best, no routine care is covered. They only covered the dental incident because it was due to an injury. I think you have the option of buying routine care coverage, but for me, it wasn't worth it, I only wanted emergency coverage. 

Oh, also, I do minimal vaccination. My plan will not covered any medical conditions where a vaccination was available, but I opted out on.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Great perspective and info from everyone!
Thanks to all for adding to the conversation.


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

The search button on this forum will give you great results and answer all your questions on insurance. Its located 7 over from the left on the headings. 

German Shepherd Dog Forums - Search Results


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

Pretty much their are only two that are worth while, Petplan and Truepanion with Petplan being better for reasons Ive posted before.

Feedback is awesome and really helped in my research. I did a ton of reading actual policys from all these companys and spoke to a bunch of them and questioned them.

Just because a poster below had a great experience with pets best or any other it doesn't mean its good. It means they were covered for something that they do cover. If you rip apart the contract and the actually policy its not very good. Way to many things that they can say they will not pay or cover. 

IM glad they got paid for their issues. Most of the company policy's are similar.

To translate the wording below, it means, lets say your dog gets megaesophagus or any other congenital disease which most of them are, they come back and say its congenital and you spend lots of money you wont get back. False protection.

On hereditary things They have caps on the amount for life $500, $1000 or $2500 That's only if you signed up before age 2 after age 2 you have 0 coverage. That just plain stinks.

Pets best also has per incident limits, that's OK if you pick the 7k plan or higher. Some things they cap out at certain dollar amounts.


*Hereditary Limitations *

*Understanding Your Pets Best Insurance Plan *

Limited coverage of the following conditions is available when your pet is enrolled before its second birthday, otherwise, coverage is excluded.
*Hereditary Limitations – All Breeds *

As applied to the Pets First, Pets Basic and Pets Premier policies of Pets Best Insurance. 

Factor I, II, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII Deficiencies
Von Willebrand Disease
Hip Dysplasia
Elbow Dysplasia
Osteochondritis Dissecans
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Cataracts in pets less than 6 years old – excluding secondary to trauma or DM
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
*Hereditary Limitations – Breed Specific*

As applied to the Pets First, Pets Basic and Pets Premier policies of Pets Best Insurance.

Corneal Dystrophy – Airedale, cocker spaniel, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, miniature poodle, samoyed, Shetland sheepdog and Siberian husky.
Urate Urolithiasis – Dalmatian
Cystine Urolithiasis – Newfoundland, Irish terrier, Scottish terrier, Australian shepherd, basenji, bichon frise, bull-mastiff, Chihuahua, dachshund, English bulldog, mastiff, miniature pinscher, Pembroke Welsh corgi, pitbull terrier, Scottish deerhound, silky terrier and Staffordshire terrier.
Xanthine Urolithiasis – Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
Glaucoma – Beagle, Siberian husky and Welsh Springer spaniel.
Copper Hepatopathy – Bedlington terrier.
Epilepsy – Beagle, Belgian tervuren, dachshund, German shepherd, golden retriever, keeshond and Labrador retriever.
All congenital defects are considered pre-existing, as they have been present since birth, and are excluded from coverage.

Any fees associated with treatment or diagnosis of congenital defects including but not limited to patellar luxation, umbilical hernia,
entropion, ectropion, elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, malocclusion, mitral valve defects, patent ductus arteriosis, ventricular​septal defect and portosystemic shunt.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Wow. 
Will you come over and look through MY insurance...and my taxes while you're at it? 
Seriously though, that was incredibly well said.
I REALLY appreciate the time you took to post!


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

DukeTxDad said:


> Wow.
> Will you come over and look through MY insurance...and my taxes while you're at it?
> Seriously though, that was incredibly well said.
> I REALLY appreciate the time you took to post!


 
Actually I would look at your insurance, taxes, no. Health insurance for us is just as bad with exclusions, networks and details if not understood. 


I sell em all.


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

here, this took a lot of work and breaks down most of them. This really should be made a sticky. If the admins want i can clean it up and redo it a little.

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-information/159747-health-insurance-opinions.html


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

martemchik said:


> I looked into it and an emergency fund is much better financially if you can have one. Insurance is insurance...like Chris Rock said, why not call it "In case ****, but if **** doesn't happen, shouldn't I get my money back?" I just felt that forking over $300+ a year wasn't worth the peace of mind, and with the deductible and 80%, you'd need a pretty large issue (like the ones mentioned) to "get your monies worth" over a couple years. Just thinking that it would be over $3000 over the life of my dog, and if nothing happens (like it should) I've really lost out.
> 
> Just my opinion though.


I agree. I have a general emergency fund which can be used for pet emergencies too. Before I had that established, I had an emergency-only credit card.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I think the big advantage to a savings account, if you are able to save it and not touch it, is that you can use it for "smaller" amounts. For example, when I took Kopper to the e-vet recently it cost me right at $600. Many insurance plans have a deductible of $500, but that's still not chump change. And the vast majority of plans require you to come up with the money up front, and then the company reimburses you. Depending on finances, that might mean being late with mortgage, rent, utilities, etc. Even the $500 deductible can make a difference in your monthly budget. But if you know you have $5000+ set aside just for vet expenses, it's a lot easier to make decisions about your dog's health without having to consider household finances.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Agreed Em.
Again, thanks to everyone for the input.
I actually opened a new bank account today just for animal expenses (yes, I am a bit OCD! No snickers!). That way, we will put some bucks into the account every month, and will have it "dedicated" to our furrykids.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

I have 4 dogs, so insurance would kill us in expense. If I only had one, I would go with insurance. 

I have a small savings account.....and I have Care Credit. I use Care Credit for any big emergency. Then I try to pay it off as quick as I can. Care Credit is not bad....as long as you pay it off. You can also use care credit for some dentist, eye, medical, and other human services.


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## jakes mom (Feb 29, 2012)

If you're disiplined enough to set up a savings plan - I would. If you need cash, you've got it, and if not, great - a little nest egg. 
I took out insurance on my one dog (for the liability insurance mainly). I found the best policy I could, but each year the premiums went up, the access went up, and more and more terms and conditions were added, even though we never put in a claim for anything. In the end it wasn't worth the paper it was written on. 

There's a bit of an uproar in the UK at the moment because of the way the Insurance Companies are behaving. 

If I were going to take out insurance it would be for the first couple of years of their lives only - when they are most likely to show possible long term problems. Then decide whether to continue it or not.

Sue


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## JeepHound (Mar 14, 2012)

I just purchased PetPlan for Achilles: bronze plan ($8000/year) with a $250 deductible and 100% coverage. Cost was just under $35/month

As was mentioned, insurance is insurance. Its a gamble you are taking. Do you have health insurance for yourself? Why? Because when you need it, you need it. I figured the same way for my pup.

I wanted to get it ASAP so that everything would be covered and there is no doubt about his health. Even though he is only 5 months old and has been to the Vet, I brought him back within a week of signing up with PetPlan to have a complete physical done. The Vet wrote up a comprehensive note, signed her full name (no initials), documenting overall general health, dental health, and made it specifically known there are no problems with his hips or joints. Perfect health. 

I thought about the emergency fund, but how much can you actually accumulate the first year of a dog's life versus what a major accident or illness may cost? Thus, my plan is to hold onto the pet insurance for a few years, while at the same time save up an emergency plan. As he gets older, and I still don't have enough in his emergency plan, I may upgrade the insurance to the silver plan ($12000 coverage for the year), but as soon as I have decent amount saved up, I would feel more comfortable cancelling the plan at that point, while continuing to put away.

For me, the insurance is a buffer for the early parts of his life when I don't have enough money saved up quite yet to cover major expenses. Later on though, the insurance probably won't be needed.


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

> I actually opened a new bank account today just for animal expenses (yes, I am a bit OCD! No snickers!). That way, we will put some bucks into the account every month, and will have it "dedicated" to our furrykids.


I think that's a fantastic idea. It makes it so much easier to keep from taking "just a little bit" out for other things and not getting it put back right away. 

I've checked into insurance a number of times, but I'm not so sure that for us it's the right way to go. Even with reduced numbers of animals, we still have ten, and several of the cats are older. It would cost us a few hundred every month in premiums to cover them all!

Since we have no credit cards at all, saving some money does help, but what really saves us a big hassle is that we've been with our vet for a long long time, and they will now work with us on payments if needed. Our credit scores are horrendous (divorces yay haha), and we can't even qualify for Care Credit, but that long term relationship with our vet means that they know that I *will *pay when I say I will.


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## DukeTxDad (Mar 22, 2012)

Agreed Wacky!
We're disciplined, and able to put some cash back every month, so we're gonna go that route. Just no more expenses for a while PLEASE!! 
REALLY appreciate everyone's thoughts and input.


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