On that note...insurance?

GWPtyler · Post by **GWPtyler** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:37 am

So, given my recent emergency visits and their eventual costly bills, I'm seriously considering looking at pet health insurance.

Coincidentally, I got an e-mail the other day from AKC touting their insurance.

My question is, who of you use pet insurance, and what provider do you have? Has the provider done a good job, and what is the cost?

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:21 am

I tried it once years ago. I paid montly premiums for a year and a half before my first claim - which they then proceeded to deny 90% of before sending me a check for $20.

It might be better now, but in my experience, it wasn't worth it.

GUNDOGS · Post by **GUNDOGS** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:26 am

phermes1 wrote:I tried it once years ago. I paid montly premiums for a year and a half before my first claim - which they then proceeded to deny 90% of before sending me a check for $20.

It might be better now, but in my experience, it wasn't worth it.

+1 i had it years ago to and when i found out my dog had a brain tumor they approved 80 bucks out of a few grand and i hadnt had a claim in a year so i personally will never have it again but maybe that was just my experience...ruth

Post by **kninebirddog** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:11 pm

Akc pushes that insurance and other foo foo stuff can't tell you how many daily emails I get from akc put the many companies they sell names to..for every dog I have retorted with them I get am email every 3 months offering insurance for that dog.and from every thing I have heard it isn't a great value as they make it out.

Post by **ezzy333** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:22 pm

kninebirddog wrote:Akc pushes that insurance and other foo foo stuff can't tell you how many daily emails I get from akc put the many companies they sell names to..for every dog I have retorted with them I get am email every 3 months offering insurance for that dog.and from every thing I have heard it isn't a great value as they make it out.

They must like you. I have never recieved anything from them. But I wouldn't even consider insurance for a dog.

Ezzy

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:31 pm

The biggest thing I would want insurance for are accidents; snakebite, major injury, major surgery, etc. Big-ticket items when I don't have a few grand laying around. Routine care isn't really a big enough burden to justify insurance.
The problem is that any insurance policy I've seen puts caps on those big-ticket items - for example, snakebite coverage is something around $600-$700. I've had 1 dog get snakebitten, and it cost us 3K to save him. So with that $ in mind, insurance buys me less than 25% coverage and still doesn't save me from writing a big check when all is said and done.

The policy I had contained nickel and dime limits for different conditions. $50 for that, $100 for that, etc. Oh, but this isn't covered, and neither is that, etc. They literally assigned medical conditions to my dog that no vet had actually diagnosed, and then used those conditions to deny my claims. I tried appealing, complaining, etc, and it fell on deaf ears. This was VPI, btw.

GWPtyler · Post by **GWPtyler** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:33 pm

Hmmm...well good thing I asked here first! So much for that idea...I guess there's always that big mayo jar in the backyard...

GUNDOGS · Post by **GUNDOGS** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:14 pm

GWPtyler wrote:Hmmm...well good thing I asked here first! So much for that idea...I guess there's always that big mayo jar in the backyard...

I will tell you a secret to never having to worry about those big ticket items as well as routine visits if you want

its what i do, i take 40 bucks a month and put it in an ammo box in my gun cabinet and when i get enough i change them to 100 dollar bills (to save space) and then in the event a surgery or emergency comes up i have it saved, so the 40 bucks i dont miss as its only 10 bucks a week..i can take a hundred bucks every year for vaccines ect and just keep adding to it as usual so theres always something available..just put away as much as you can afford out of every pay and even if you save 20 bucks a month you will have a couple hundred bucks after 1 year to take care of unplanned vet visits and if by chance you can add extra money to it then add it and just keep putting it in until you feel you have enough in there in the event of an emergency, my cap amount is 2000 bucks, once i have that much in there i stop adding to it...i understand for some people its hard to put anything aside but anything adds up if you can do it and if you were willing to pay monthly premiums to an insurance company who may NOT cover all of your expenses why not just put that money in a box that you would have given them and save it to cover ALL the cost

....ruth

Post by **Sharon** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:48 pm

I use Pet Plan and have been happy with the service. It's important to be clear on what is covered and what isn't.

http://www.gopetplan.com/dog-policies

Post by **topher40** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:54 pm

JMO, but if you cant self insure a dog you cant afford it. :roll: Insurance preys on the pet owners that would do ANYTHING to save their pet. Sometimes you have to know when to say "thats enough".

Post by **kninebirddog** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:03 pm

ezzy333 wrote:
kninebirddog wrote:Akc pushes that insurance and other foo foo stuff can't tell you how many daily emails I get from akc put the many companies they sell names to..for every dog I have retorted with them I get am email every 3 months offering insurance for that dog.and from every thing I have heard it isn't a great value as they make it out.
They must like you. I have never recieved anything from them. But I wouldn't even consider insurance for a dog.

Ezzy

when is the last time you registered a dog with them...last there years they have gotten real bad in the last two they have gotten worse matter of fact while I was making that last post I got another insurance offer for a dog I registered last year...when I get back to my laptop I will count up how many in the last few months

GWPtyler · Post by **GWPtyler** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:13 pm

topher40 wrote:JMO, but if you cant self insure a dog you cant afford it. :roll: Insurance preys on the pet owners that would do ANYTHING to save their pet. Sometimes you have to know when to say "thats enough".

I don't think I need to defend myself, as I don't know many people who can spend $1,500 at the drop of a hat and not have it effect them. But in full disclosure, yes we can "afford it." I was just curious if the insurance was worth it or not, that's why I asked. Heck, according to the quote I got from AKC (assuming they would have actually covered the accident), I'd have only paid 10 percent of the 1,500 bill, plus a $75 copay, all for a little over $200 a year. In retrospect, that's a darn good deal. But from what I've heard from others, I may have been given the run-around regardless, thus making the insurance moot.

Post by **topher40** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:18 pm

Dont get me wrong, I couldnt afford a 1,500 dollar vet bill, although I would need a pretty "bleep" special dog to justify spending that. When I have an animal I realize that they are just that......an animal. I also assess a dollar value to that animal and know what I am willing to spend for their vet fees before I ever purchase the animal. I am different I know, but I try and run my dogs like a business.

displaced_texan · Post by **displaced_texan** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:21 pm

topher40 wrote:JMO, but if you cant self insure a dog you cant afford it. :roll: Insurance preys on the pet owners that would do ANYTHING to save their pet. Sometimes you have to know when to say "thats enough".

Can, and wanting to are two different things... Especially when treatments for accidents can run $3-5k or more...

topher40 wrote:Dont get me wrong, I couldnt afford a 1,500 dollar vet bill, although I would need a pretty "bleep" special dog to justify spending that. When I have an animal I realize that they are just that......an animal. I also assess a dollar value to that animal and know what I am willing to spend for their vet fees before I ever purchase the animal. I am different I know, but I try and run my dogs like a business.

My dogs aren't a business, they are my pets.

Post by **topher40** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:38 pm

That is why the insurance companies LOVE pet owners. Spending 3-5k on an animal is ridiculous in my opinion. There are whole industries spawned by the emotional connection between a persons pet and them self. Burials, cremations, gravestones, insurance. There is a sucker born every day. I know a guy that lost a dog, took out a loan to pay K-State, then cremated it, had a CD he PAID for to be produced professionally and even had a service. Also he ended up in a phsyc ward because of the loss of his dog. He spent over 15k on the dogs vet bills.I would like to say that he is an oddity but I can. That is more of the norm these days. Remember these are animals. I only wish people would spend this kind of energy on children. Sometimes the greatest act of compassion is to put them down.

Dont get me wrong, I love my pets and they are members of the family. Although they are animals. If I spend that kind of money I wouldn't be able to pay the vet bills on my kids when they end up in the ER. There is a balance but it seems to be that mine is further away from the fulcrum than some.

proudag08 · Post by **proudag08** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 3:37 pm

topher40 wrote: He spent over 15k on the dogs vet bills.I would like to say that he is an oddity but I can. That is more of the norm these days.

There is no way that this is the norm (see psych ward comment)... you have to admit that was a bit of exageration. First of all not everybody has that kind of money and couldnt do it if they wanted to. Second of all we wouldnt see the problems of abandonment that we do if that were the case. And finally, even for those that "have an emotional connection" $15,000 is a crap ton to spend, even for them.

No way thats the norm.

Post by **ezzy333** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:35 pm

proudag08 wrote:
topher40 wrote: He spent over 15k on the dogs vet bills.I would like to say that he is an oddity but I can. That is more of the norm these days.
There is no way that this is the norm (see psych ward comment)... you have to admit that was a bit of exageration. First of all not everybody has that kind of money and couldnt do it if they wanted to. Second of all we wouldnt see the problems of abandonment that we do if that were the case. And finally, even for those that "have an emotional connection" $15,000 is a crap ton to spend, even for them.

No way thats the norm.

I agree but closer than you think.

Ezzy

MO_GSP · Post by **MO_GSP** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:38 pm

i put my dogs on my personal article policy it will only cover the tragedy that would be my worst nightmare and only pays up to what i originally paid for the dog. never had insurance on dogs before but the ol ball and chain works in insurance so if you can have a policy on it then we sure do PAY for it

brad27 · Post by **brad27** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:23 pm

proudag08 wrote:
topher40 wrote: He spent over 15k on the dogs vet bills.I would like to say that he is an oddity but I can. That is more of the norm these days.
There is no way that this is the norm (see psych ward comment)... you have to admit that was a bit of exageration. First of all not everybody has that kind of money and couldnt do it if they wanted to. Second of all we wouldnt see the problems of abandonment that we do if that were the case. And finally, even for those that "have an emotional connection" $15,000 is a crap ton to spend, even for them.

No way thats the norm.

I know someone who payed 10K to save a dog. it happens.

sully511 · Post by **sully511** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:42 pm

I don't have insurance for my dogs and probably would never get it (to expensive in the long run), but there are companies out there that do pay out a good part of the expense if you have the correct plan. I really like and have used several times Care Credit. It's a company that issues "credit cards" that can be used for veterinary issues, human doctors/dentists, etc. They always have 6 mo. no interest on charges put on and I pay the total before the 6 months is up. I originally got it for one of my dogs that needed $1200 jaw surgery for a tumor several years ago. I kept that account open and used it recently on my GSD and having to take her to an internal medicine specialist for autoimmune problems. The only catch is some vets don't accept it, but I have found, at least in my area, all the higher end regular vet clinics, emergency clinics and referral clinics all accept it.

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:47 pm

I guess I'm a real oddity then... we did pay almost $10,000 on my pointer who had pyothorax, and we almost lost her. Original estimates were $1,500 to $3,000 - but it got worse really fast. Best money I've ever spent. A year later, she and I hunted Prairie Chickens for the first time. Two years later, shes still hunting well - and now this, her 3rd year after the surgery, we're gonna kill Sage Grouse over her this fall. It sucked for the first year after the surgery - but we sucked it up, ate beans and rice, gave up cable, restaurants and movies. It didn't kill us and we are both thankful that it worked out well for our dog.

I'm a HUGE fan of Dave Ramsey - we follow his plan and have an emergency fund. Nobody likes the $1,500 emergency, but I can say that now we're following his plan - it still hurts to have to pay that type of a bill - but it doesn't cause panic and scrambling around trying to find the money.

I'm a big fan of the dog emergency savings account - and we have one specifically for the pets. On the first day of taking the Financial Peace University course - our class leader said "you spend where your priorities are." We're lucky enough that we agree that our recreation and love of the outdoors - which translates to hunting and dogs - is our top priority. We don't spend money on other stuff that some folks do, but we do spend money on what's important to us. Everyone does the same. And though we're odd in our dog spending - we don't miss cable t.v. one bit.

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:27 am

There are also people out there that will spend thousands of dollars to buy a trained hunting or field trial dog. Are they crazy, too?

Post by **topher40** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:22 am

phermes1 wrote:There are also people out there that will spend thousands of dollars to buy a trained hunting or field trial dog. Are they crazy, too?

Only when they dont buy dogs from me!

People that pay that much for a dog are self insuring in most cases.

gittrdonebritts · Post by **gittrdonebritts** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:45 am

I used to buy insurance on my Show cattle every year really saved my butt when the one broke his leg I got reimbursed for him and a freezer full of meat

phermes1 · Post by **phermes1** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:29 pm

topher40 wrote: Only when they dont buy dogs from me! People that pay that much for a dog are self insuring in most cases.

No doubt.

My point being, Some folks will spend thousands to get a good dog. I don't see how it's much different to spend thousands to keep from losing one you already have.

displaced_texan · Post by **displaced_texan** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:10 am

phermes1 wrote:
topher40 wrote: Only when they dont buy dogs from me! People that pay that much for a dog are self insuring in most cases.
No doubt.

My point being, Some folks will spend thousands to get a good dog. I don't see how it's much different to spend thousands to keep from losing one you already have.

I think most would agree with you.

Some people just can't grasp that there might be other opinions that are equal in validity to theirs. (Not you Chris, you seem like a reasonable guy

)

1vizsla · Post by **1vizsla** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:18 pm

We carry embracepetinsurance.com. They paid out all but our deductible when our dog ate a tree seed around $2800.00-$3000.00. One year later did it again but this time whatever it was passed. Insurance is paying again. It would have taken us 8 years of putting the premiums in a savings account to pay for just the first surgery. It definitely works for us.

email me if you want to know more.

carla

jlp8cornell · Post by **jlp8cornell** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:49 pm

Spending 3-5k on an animal is ridiculous in my opinion.

Umm, if you have it or are willing to spare it, why would it bother you.

For some of us, our animals are basically our kids.You find it ridiculous? I for one would never make that statement concerning anything you spend money on...birds, trucks, quads, equip, etc....Jeesh if some of us can afford to take care of our dogs- why have an issue?

RoostersMom · Post by **RoostersMom** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:54 am

jlp8cornell wrote:
Spending 3-5k on an animal is ridiculous in my opinion.
Umm, if you have it or are willing to spare it, why would it bother you.

For some of us, our animals are basically our kids.You find it ridiculous? I for one would never make that statement concerning anything you spend money on...birds, trucks, quads, equip, etc....Jeesh if some of us can afford to take care of our dogs- why have an issue?

Yeah, I'm with you on this one. I think anyone who buys a new vehicle is just plain ridiculous. Boats, guns, etc....people spend a lot on "toys" and if you've got kids, summer camp and lots of money on multiple "team fees" and associated dues. I think those are crazy ways to spend your money..... but your living breathing pets, I do think it's a good use of your money to save their life if you can (and if it makes sense). I don't think of my dogs as kids, but I do love them and will take care of them the best I can. If it means sacrificing a bit to take care of them - I'm willing to do it. If I had kids and it was between the kids and dogs, I'd choose kids. If it was between the dog and cable t.v. or eating out.....the dog bills win out on that one.

MATT4126 · Post by **MATT4126** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:15 am

topher40 wrote:Dont get me wrong, I couldnt afford a 1,500 dollar vet bill,

Someone who makes a statement like this isn't 'self insuring' anything.

1vizsla · Post by **1vizsla** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 6:19 pm

Well, our insurance paid again. $953.00 bill for ingestion of foreign body (again), passed with fluids and meds, no surgery... insurance paid 660.00. That part was our deductible for the year and co-pay.

Carla

Post by **topher40** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:10 pm

jlp8cornell wrote:
Spending 3-5k on an animal is ridiculous in my opinion.
Umm, if you have it or are willing to spare it, why would it bother you.

For some of us, our animals are basically our kids.You find it ridiculous? I for one would never make that statement concerning anything you spend money on...birds, trucks, quads, equip, etc....Jeesh if some of us can afford to take care of our dogs- why have an issue?

Yes I find it ridiculous that someone would treat an animal as a human, like their child. We are people and they are animals. You wouldnt ever believe the folks that send dogs to me that need started as three year old animals because the only thing they know is the kitchen table, the back seat of the car, the owners bed, and the "good life". For Gods sakes people would you spoil your child like this? Oh wait a minute, that is what is wrong with our society. People cant say no to their dogs, cats, gerbils, or even kids. Just because you think they are a member of the family doesnt mean you have to treat them as such, you are doing them a HUGE dis service. Kids and dogs both need to know their place!

crazyboy · Post by **crazyboy** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:22 pm

If, god forbid, anything were to happen to my buddy my plan is to put it on the credit card/cards. I figure if I pay as much as I can, even if I have to pay some interest, I "should" still end up ahead rather than paying every month.

jlp8cornell · Post by **jlp8cornell** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:54 am

Yes I find it ridiculous that someone would treat an animal as a human, like their child. We are people and they are animals. You wouldnt ever believe the folks that send dogs to me that need started as three year old animals because the only thing they know is the kitchen table, the back seat of the car, the owners bed, and the "good life". For Gods sakes people would you spoil your child like this? Oh wait a minute, that is what is wrong with our society. People cant say no to their dogs, cats, gerbils, or even kids. Just because you think they are a member of the family doesnt mean you have to treat them as such, you are doing them a HUGE dis service. Kids and dogs both need to know their place!

Chris: We are talking vet care here, not spoiling behaviors. You are addressing issues that aren't even part of the original post. Yeah, I like to teach a kid or dog to "know their place" by withholding health/vet care. Please.....

I guess if you consider providing vet care/ health care (since you brought up kids) to be an act of spoiling, then there is no reasoning with you. End of discussion on my part....

mcbosco · Post by **mcbosco** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:31 am

I would spend the money as well. I am strong believer in the perpetual chain of reincarnation as taught by Hinduism. At some point you will be the wire-haired with long ears wondering if someone will care for you.

It is called Samsara.

Post by **Sharon** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:55 pm

crazyboy wrote:If, god forbid, anything were to happen to my buddy my plan is to put it on the credit card/cards. I figure if I pay as much as I can, even if I have to pay some interest, I "should" still end up ahead rather than paying every month.

Now that's a plan I like. Get that credit card going. Can I show my husband your post? He still doesn't get putting it on your credit card at the vet.

Post by **Sharon** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:59 pm

mcbosco wrote:I would spend the money as well. I am strong believer in the perpetual chain of reincarnation as taught by Hinduism. At some point you will be the wire-haired with long ears wondering if someone will care for you.

It is called Samsara.

Do I have to be a wire-haired with long ears? I rather be a setter please.

That belief could cost you a LOT of money over the years.
Have you ever chosen to put a dog down?

These are ethical decisions that only the person can make.
I put a dog down who was going to cost me $4000. for surgery with no promises of continued health.
These are decisions that only the owner and the vet can make.
I had a vet who would never put a dog down.

The second vet's policy was, "It's your dog. I will give you my best advice but the decision is yours."

Gun Dog Forum

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