Gun Dog Forum

I just signed up for pet insurance that covers health care. It seems like a good deal. Has anyone had any experiences with it? Good or Bad?

They have been around since 1980 and their brochures are everywhere in Vet offices.

Fleet

:naka:

A customer I guided had it on his pointers, and used it then three months later the one dog pasted away. I've thought about it since I have three dogs and guide. So other wise I would say sounds good.

You should scoot this question over to the Poll section.

I moved this to the polls!

I don't have pet insurance, but I have something kind of similar. I have a "health plan" for my dog, where for a one-time sign-up fee and about $12 a month he gets all his yearly vaccines, free unlimited office visits, two comprehensive physicals per year (joints, eyes, vision, nose, mouth, teeth, rectal, fecal, etc etc), fecal and heartworm lab tests when necessary, deworming if necessary, discounts on all procedures and medicines. Basically the only routine maintenance not included is heartworm preventive and flea/tick preventive. It's great, makes the vet trips way more affordable. And it works like insurance in that most people who have these plans don't utilize them as much as they could, so the vet still ends up making out in the end.

Colleen,

Would you post the company you get that health plan through, or how to aquire a plan like that? How helpful would that be! We spend so much on vet visits, etc.

Thanks so much.

Caren

Sure thing. I take him to the Banfield Clinic at Petsmart. I know, I know, I was skeptical of "corporate vetting" at first too, but we decided to give it a try and I have been very impressed.

The other benefit we saw to it was that if we weren't home and something happened to him, there is usually a Petsmart closeby. But, whereas I am very pleased with the Banfield in my town, when I was visiting my folks up in MD last winter, Fletch's neuter incision got infected. So we drove to the nearest Banfield, 45 minutes away, got there, told the vet tech he had an infection in his incision, she looked at me blankly and said "Well we can't get him in till next week." Ended up shelling out $100 at a local vet for office fee, first-time patient fee, and antibiotics when I would have only paid for antibiotics with Banfield. I was disappointed because I have never had trouble with walk-ins at the one in Charleston, and it is inexcusable to "wait till next week" to treat an infection!!

So, I can recommend the Banfield in Charleston with no hesitation whatsoever, but I'd talk to a few clients at the one in your area before signing up. If you hear good things about the vet, go for it, because it is so much more affordable.

http://www.petinsurance.com/


Here is the one I have. I haven't used it yet. You pay for the service in full and then do a claim form to get you money back. You don't get the full amount but a good percentage. It covers everything fromvaccinations to cancer.

I figured I would try it out at least and can always cancel later.

Hope this helps.

Fleet

The only one I've looked into was the one from the AKC. They gave it to us for free for three months, and then we have to purchase it. With the deductable and the premiums, we'd spend as much in a year as a major injury anyway so we chose to forego it for now.

I think with the AKC insurance you get a discount for adding on more dogs, so its good for multiple-dog homes but not so much for the one-dog people.

This is what I have, just used it so I'll have to come back and post my opinions after my reimbursment.

http://www.petcareinsurance.com/us/dog/gold/index.asp

The dog insur. is one of those things like your own health insur. if you need it then your happy to have it but if you don't need it you feel like it is a waste of money.

How lucky are you, would prob. be a better question ?

I know this is an old poll but I think the pet insurance industry has changed a little and I know my perception if it has changed. On my three older dogs, we do not have insurance. At the time it wasn't feasible and then Elvis started having servere allergies and the prcoedure to take care of his ears, the medicines, and allergy shots cost a fortune. If we would have gotten it at first most of it would've been covered except co-pays. With Dyson, our newest and only performance dog, we looked at the price of an average TPLO or TTA and decided to purchase the insurance. We get it through www.embracepetinsurance.com and have had no problems. (and we get a discount for being Dock Dog members).

Carla

I have it on my two GSP's through AKC. I haven't had to use it yet knock on wood. My buddy's Brittany stepped in a gopher hole this season and almost tore a nail off, and the paw got infected pretty quick. It wound up costing him around $300 for the after hours emergency vet visit, the shots and antibiotics. My plan would have covered 2/3's of the bill had it been one of my dogs. I'm glad I have it, I just hope I don't have to use it.

The only thing is that some of the insurance you have to make sure the Vet you use is on the list.I was looking into it and my Vet wasnt on the list.Now another close by was but I dont like the guy so its coming out of my pocket if something would happen.Knock on wood.....

All of this talk means nothing without some idea of what your policies cost.

Ezzy

I had pet insurance on one dog a few years ago. We didn't make any sort of claim for a year and a half, but paid premiums of $15-$20 a month. He needed to get worked up for a few things - not an accident, just some normal health issues for an 11-12 year old dog - I submitted my first claim, for about $300.

A few weeks later, I got a letter in the mail detailing all of the charges that were excluded from coverage - and nearly every reason was bullsh*t. I got a check for $20. I pay premiums for a year and a half no problem, I make 1 claim, and I get $20?

I don't know how it's changed since, but from that one experience, pet insurance was a big waste of money. I wouldn't mind accident coverage in case my dog gets injured, bit by a snake, etc, but I just don't trust those companies anymore to follow through on their promises.

$24.00 dollars a month for two dogs.