Pet Health Insurance - Very Frustrated

[Nik]

So with the addition of Kahlua and the way Diesel seems so accident prone I went ahead and got pet insurance on both pets. My work offers a slight discount and it seemed like a good idea even though it costs an arm and a leg (about $100 a month with my discount). But, I felt assured it would cover basically everything from vaccines to flea medication to any odd thing that comes up. The info packet even said it covered hereditary diseases. So I thought that was great because God forbid we should end up with something major but we would be covered....

Well yesterday I received the confirmation of the insurance and the documentation which listed all exclusions. On that list was included heriditary diseases and also hip dysplasia. It also had a dollar limit amount for each possible injury or item. Vet appointment visits are limited to $30. I have yet to find a vet how charges under $50 for a vet visit. Some of the items seemed generous in the dollar limit and others seemed impossibly low.

Additionally, many items on the list said that they did not qualify for the first 12 months of the policy. What????? So basically I am paying for zero coverage for the first year???? Which means the insurance I bought which will be over $1,000 for a year of coverage is useless on year one... Which if you think about it doubles the cost of the insurance for year two.

Right now I am fuming and about to make a call to the insurance company. I feel a little like I was misled into thinking that the huge amount I am paying will at least cover us in case anything awful happens and that the cost would be offset by the typical stuff like vaccines, flea meds, vet visits, health tests, etc.

Have any of you run into similar policies with pet insurance? Am I wrong to be angry?

 

[MM1234]

Nikki,

I understand your frustration. I have been looking into insurance policies too & all of the ones I looked at sound very much like yours. I found them to be more of a rip off, than anything else. So I have decided that I will pay $40 a month for Banfield Wellness Plan. It covers vaccines, routine vet visits, heart worm prevention, minor accidents & you can add a few things to it too. What I really like about them is that you don't pay for the visit up front & then wait for reimbursement - nothing comes out of your pocket unless it's something that isn't covered in your plan. I know a lot of people don't like the Banfield clinics but I don't mind them for wellness & routine visits. I have another vet that I can use for serious things if need be & for OFA purposes.

 

[dpenning]

I've heard this time and time again regarding pet insurance. You would probably be better served putting $100 a month into a savings account so that you have it should an emergency arise.

Has anyone out there had a POSITIVE experience with pet insurance?

 

[Smokeycat]

I've heard this time and time again regarding pet insurance. You would probably be better served putting $100 a month into a savings account so that you have it should an emergency arise.

Has anyone out there had a POSITIVE experience with pet insurance?

I love Trupanion and will not have dogs without having it. But I do understand the frustration that can arise when it comes to what is and isn't covered and waiting periods. I know with Trupanion most of the waiting periods are waived for puppies enroled under 3 months or if trial coverage is converted to a full policy then they can be reduced if not waived. But the fine print can take a lot to get through. The reason I went with Trupanion was that it did state that congenital disorders were covered.
Sorry to hear your having problems Nik.

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[dpenning]

I love Trupanion and will not have dogs without having it. But I do understand the frustration that can arise when it comes to what is and isn't covered and waiting periods. I know with Trupanion most of the waiting periods are waived for puppies enroled under 3 months or if trial coverage is converted to a full policy then they can be reduced if not waived. But the fine print can take a lot to get through. The reason I went with Trupanion was that it did state that congenital disorders were covered.
Sorry to hear your having problems Nik.

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I just saw your comment abut insurance covering his meds and was going to ask your experience. Sounds like it has been positive. Did they cover his elbow surgery?

 

[Smokeycat]

I just saw your comment abut insurance covering his meds and was going to ask your experience. Sounds like it has been positive. Did they cover his elbow surgery?

They even did direct pay for it. It doesn't cover routine care but it turned out great for the big bill. And once I paid the deductible (once per incident or illness) everything else is 90% reimbursed.

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[dpenning]

Great info, thanks for sharing.

 

[JerDGold]

I shopped around for insurance for Mango...but everywhere I turned I really felt like I was getting a bait and switch. "We cover congenital diseases! We cover allergies! We cover everything!" Only to find that these things either aren't covered or are only covered in circumstances that are virtually impossible to meet. All these websites that talk about how much they love animals in big pink bubble letters, and I really felt that they were just trying to get over on me.

Maybe I was hitting the wrong sites, but we decided to pass on it, despite really wanting insurance. Maybe we hit the wrong companies...?

 

[scorning]

I use PetPlan, they have been a life saver. They cover hereditary conditions. I think if you have your vet sign off on their hips and elbows, they waive any waiting period for those ailments. For my last three dogs, the have covered Wobblers (MRI, surgery, aftercare, physical therapy, acupunture, etc), pneumonia, kennel cough, dog bites, stomach issues, arthritis, anxiety (behavioralist, meds, acupuncture), and cancer. In a typical month, due to the chronic conditions my dogs have, I either break even with my monthly payments or come out ahead.