Pet insurance and what to avoid

Thursday March 31st, 2011

Question:

After talking to my vet and looking at several pet insurance company web sites I am confused! What should I definitely avoid in picking a plan for my pet?

answered by Dr. Jack Stephens

Answer:

Most of the pet health insurance plans are good and provide value. But here are five things to avoid or watch out for:

Benefit schedules

That is, a method of reimbursement for claims which has set limits for each diagnosis and each diagnostic test your pet may require. The problem for you is the set limits may not be realistic for where you live, your veterinarian’s fees, or the medical problem that your pet has. After the deductible, you may be out of pocket much more than you think. In fact, on average near 50% of the medical cost may not be covered.

Chronic care

Will the plan continue to allow for chronic care after each renewal? And if so, how much? Plans have limits and if you select a low limit plan and then you’re pet acquires a chronic costly condition, you may run out of benefits. And remember, any condition present would not be eligible for switching to another company or plan.

Turnaround time for payment

In most situations with pet insurance, you will pay your veterinarian and then seek reimbursement for your pet expenses. How quickly you are paid will be very important to your budgeting. Seek a company that has a reputation for paying their claims fast, offers Direct Deposit into your account for payment, and accepts claims via fax or emailed, not just mailed. Otherwise, despite promises, you may be waiting 30 days for your payments.

Company reputation

Ask your veterinarian, the front office staff, or pet friends which companies are the best. It is easy to have a nice web site, but ask around about a company’s reputation and customer experiences. Avoid unknowns or where other veterinary clients or friends have had bad experiences.

Non-insurance options

There are clubs, plans, and discount groups that come and go and offer little value and longevity. Make sure the company you choose is licensed and admitted in your state to provide insurance.

Dr. Jack Stephens is a veterinarian and founder of Pets Best Insurance.

Tags Dog Health Health Pet Insurance Cat Health

DogTime newsletter

No comments about this page yet. Be the first!

Recent conversations on these topics

K9 Advantix Side Effects?
Today I used K9 Advantix topical flea prevention on my 40lb dog. After I put it on her, she began pacing around the house and has been completely uninterested in anybody all day, she just wants to curl up in any strange corner she can find. Why is she acting this way? Is she having an allergic reaction to this product? She acted a little strange last time but I didnt think anything of it, this time...i'm not so sure. Should I stop using this product? Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks.
Hacking
5 days ago I was surprised with a 3 month old adorable female schnauzer. Everything is going great. I took her to her kennels vet for a 72hr. follow up check and was told evertything looked good. She was hacking a lttle when I first got her, and now seems to do it more. Nothing comes up. It hasn't affected her appetite, activity, although it wakes her sometimes. When I mentioned it to the vet, he said she was getting over a cold. Will this pass or should I be concerned? I don't see it getting any better (2 days)
osteochondritis dissecans
Hi, does anyone have experience with a puppy with osteochondritis dissecans? My puppy showed intermittent front leg limping at about 4-5 months. X-rays showed osteochondritis dissecans (actually in both shoulders - although no symptoms on the other side). The vet recommended restricted activity to give it a chance to heal. 2 months later, the limping was only intermittent, and a repeat x-ray suggested the the lesion may have gotten bigger. The vet recommended let her run to see if the flap would break lose. It's since been 2 more months, and she is limping worse over the last couple days. How long is reasonable for allowing it to heal on its own? Isn't my pup at risk for arthritis if I let it go any longer? Is surgery usually successful? Any one have any experience either with conservative treatment or surgery and how did your dog do several years after?
Toe Pads "fused" - what to do?
The two center toe pads on BOTH of our puppy's front feet are fused/connected. (she is a female Akita) There is no involvement of the bones of the toe - they are separate. Its just that the the pad on these two toes is connected. I'm not referring to "webbed feet" which I'm familiar with - the toe pads are actually connected. This is obviously a congenital issues and I've never seen anything like it before (and I've "Googled" ever imaginable search term for this and keep coming up empty). Has anyone seen this before? I'm wondering if we should just leave it "as is" or surgically correct the issue. She seems to manage fine with the issue however she does get a little sensitive when touching her feet / paws. Additionally, i've noticed that she does NOT like walking up steps which obviously puts pressure on her paw pads (and the center toes don't really separate which I imagine is uncomfortable since there is essentially no "give"). We just had her spayed and the vet mentioned that she hasn't really seen this issue before however it should (theoretically) be easily corrected by simply surgically cutting/tearing the skin between the fused pads which would free them up and give her better range of motion, balance?, etc. Has anyone seen or experienced this? I'd be curious to hear from others since i'd like to make a determination now while she is still a puppy if we should just leave it as is OR have the issue corrected before she reaches full maturity (she's 6 months old now). Thoughts?

see all conversations or start your own →