New puppy - pet insurance a good idea?
Hey everyone,
I'll be a new Corgi puppy owner starting in November. I was trying to do a little research about pet insurance but am finding the process a little overwhelming. I could use a little help.
Can ya'll share your thoughts, experiences with pet insurance and are there any specific companies you would recommend or advise I avoid? And do you think it's a good idea now (my puppy will be 8 weeks when I get him) or is it something that's better for older dogs?
Thanks much!!
I'll be a new Corgi puppy owner starting in November. I was trying to do a little research about pet insurance but am finding the process a little overwhelming. I could use a little help.
Can ya'll share your thoughts, experiences with pet insurance and are there any specific companies you would recommend or advise I avoid? And do you think it's a good idea now (my puppy will be 8 weeks when I get him) or is it something that's better for older dogs?
Thanks much!!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cindi on
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Jenny, this is one of those things that folks disagree on. If you are like many of us and have a hard time coming up with chunks of cash (like for shots, spay/neuter, etc.) then an insurance program is helpful. It allows you to have a small payment taking out of your checking account/against a credit card, each month to offset the cost of services. The big question for me is will your vet accept it, or will you have to pay your vet and then file against the insurance? Working for PetSmart, many of our stores have a franchised vet inside the store, Banfield. They offer a really good wellness program with several levels of treatment coverage. We have one of The Clan on the program now and another to add in a month or so. It's worked very well for us. This past year I saved over $400 on Maddie's treatment alone. So...
You have to look at the programs, get all the options, talk to your vet before you decide. Be a smart consumer and it may be a great help for you.
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Permalink Reply by MagnoliaFly on
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I thought about doing the Bansfield insurance program when I first got Bernie and ran the numbers - it was going to be more expensive by a few hundred dollars more to do Bansfield rather than just paying out of pocket when the services were done by my local high-end vet. I could have saved even more by going to a spay/neuter clinic and just having the shots done there but I don't have one locally.
Be careful to see what is covered and what is not covered by these plans. See if any genetic conditions (like hip dysplasia) are covered or not. You may find it isn't worth it. I haven't heard of a good plan or I'd recommend one but I'm sure others have found something that works.
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Permalink Reply by Vladimir on
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Pet Insurance is almost a MUST in my book. Its saved my butt so many times on the dogs and my cat. Sure, it cost a lot to get it at first (first months and the subscription payment) it cost me around 200-300 dollars to get my dog insured, plus that much for my cat (I did it like a year apart) and it was 21 bucks a month after that. My cat needed to get her teeth cleaned and so we did and the bill came up to 790 dollars but her insurance covered it and I didn't have to pay a dime on it. It's a lot of money to start with but it's so worth it. I use Banfield Pet Insurance.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah C. on
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Be mindful that if your dog dies/switches owners/becomes lost you are often locked into the contract. My friend is paying, a year and a half later, for a dog that she no longer owns. It's costing her more than it ever ever saved her.
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Permalink Reply by Sam & Maximus on
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We debated on insurance as well. When we registered Max with the AKC there was an option for a 30 day trial of accidental coverage. During that period he was injured doing "puppy stuff" and accumulated a $300.00 bill. The trial coverage reimbursed us almost $200.00 of that. After that I signed him up for coverage at $35.00 per month. This coverage did not cover his neuter fee, but I took him to the SPCA office and it was less than $100 for both neuter and chip. The vet quoted me $300.00 minimum. We have used the insurance a few times since and it has really paid off. With this coverage you can use any vet you want, the catch is that you have to pay up front, but they were very quick to send a check. It also gives me peace of mind knowing that we have coverage for him if something does happen. He's a bit of a mischief man and seems to find trouble. The AKC website has a link for their coverage plans if you want to check it out. Hope this helps.
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Permalink Reply by Katie on
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We have VPI pet insurance and we have really liked it. It only cost $18 per month and there were no start up costs or fees. Also, you can get out of the contract any time you want without any termination fees. We felt better having insurance during the puppy years because puppies often eat things they shouldn't. They can eat a plant or bug that makes them sick, or they could eat a foreign object and need surgery to get it out (A $2,000 surgery according to my vet).
The insurance already covered us when our puppy had a urinary tract infection. I think it is all a matter of personal preference, but that $18 a month helps me sleep better at night knowing I can take my dog to the vet anytime she needs to go without worrying about cost.
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You may want to check with your employer. Some employers provide pet insurance as a benefit. I get mine through work and it saves me about 4 or 5 dollars per month.
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Permalink Reply by Julie on
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I have VPI, and I have the "covers just about everything" plan. It's the most expensive plan, and I will admit, it's probably overkill, but it makes me feel better and the reimbursement process is completely painless. It's a gamble either way: the worst case scenarios are either you get insurance, pay an arm and a leg and don't ever really need it; OR you don't get insurance, and later you realize you could have REALLY used it. Caleb comes to work with me, goes to doggy daycare and dog parks, plays with much larger dogs frequently, and is generally in new situations most of the time, so I think there may be an increased possibility of an accident / eating something he shouldn't / playing too rough with another dog, so that's why I got the "covers just about everything" plan.
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Permalink Reply by Julia on
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Hey Jenny,
I am glad that you are considering the pet insurance. We have been looking into it ourselves. We have had a few incidences and it was a little scary. We found out the Nick is alergic to the flavoring of the chew bones the hard way. He was puking and had diareah (sp?) & we had to call the emergency vet and he told us that we needed to give him a benadryl and some pepto to help him out. Then he took a flying jump off the stairs and sprained his back leg and we had to give him doggie advil. This was all in the course of two months. So, I would strongly suggest it. We have found that there are companies out there and we found some on the AKC website. I just have not had a chance to get it yet. I would check with your vet and your breeder. Hope this helps. :O)
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Permalink Reply by Gracii on
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We have PetCare, which has a few tiers of coverage to choose from. We decided to get it at the recommendation of our dog behaviorist. However, PetCare (http://www.petcareinsurance.com/) only insures dogs up to 6 years old.
The other thing to note is that once you sign up for one, it is VERY difficult to change unless your dog has had no preexisting conditions. Do a lot of research before you buy!
And you need to be careful of contracts - ours is for 1 year.
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