# Dog Health Insurance?



## cory (Feb 7, 2010)

What do people think of health insurance for dogs? We just received an e-mail from the AKC promoting its AKC Pet Healthcare Plan. Our vet told us that the post popular plan among the dogs he sees is VPI. Has anyone had positive or negative experience with health insurance? Would you recommend for or against certain types of coverage? We're new to this.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

This is always a peace of mind type thing. I have insurance . It doesn't take much to rack up a $2000 bill at the vets these days. A broken leg can be that. If you would be financially strapped if an accident or something happened then you might want it. I've had it five years and never used it ,but it's nice to know that you have it if you need it. If you are not good at putting money away for an emergency fund then I would consider it. JMO


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## boo2352 (Dec 18, 2006)

We have VPI and they paid for over half of MacGyver's vet bills for his leg surgery.


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## Milo's Mom (Aug 31, 2008)

Milo has the ASPCA insurance. I got Brook Pet Plan insurance because it includes congenital issues as well. When Milo had his surgery for Leggs Calves disease, none of it was covered because it was considered congenital. I will switch him over when it's time to renew. I would consider that carefully when picking a plan.


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

I don't have any insurance but I think it is a personal decision you have to make. If you can put away more or have money in case of something happening. I think if I add up how many years (ages 8, 5, and going on 3 for my own dogs). It would probably cost for all 3 over $100 per month? That would be a lot of money in insurance. Then when you take in consideration what some insurances don't cover as well. I have had my dogs and had no major issue arise- maybe part of it is luck, part genetics, etc. It was just something I decided wasn't the best for me and my dogs. Just wanted to offer you the other side as well.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

We had a scary thing happen to Cash when he was just over a year old. Up until then he had a few puppy things like spraining an ankle and eating something he shouldn't and a few infections, which landed us with a few 500 dollar bills-- so we got VPI for the boys at $22 dollars a month each. It is just for emergencies and serious ailments...not routine care. But when Cash got sick, on Tuesday he had a fever, by Friday he was lame. There were several vet visits including emergency between tuesday and friday and on friday they pulled out the big guns. All totaled we had $3500 dollars in vet bills. VPI re-imbursed 2200 of it. because of the timing of this, I feel it has already paid for itself for many years...and we would have not saved that much so early on, nor would I be certain we would have had the discipline not to dip into "the boys" account when some expense came up in our life. We'll see how they deal with Jasper's eye and Cash's ear with an obsessed (or greedy) Dermatologist with a $700 bill. We just submitted that claim. 

So for us it has worked. I called all the vets around here and asked who was the easiest and best to deal with. They all said VPI-- but that was almost 3 years ago.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I thought it might help to see how a claim is processed
Jasper's was a little more complicated and the vet needs to send written records but Cash's was pretty straight forward and I am happy with the reimbursement. They pay on the eligible amount based on the average across the country. for us our vets are usually more expensive in New England. But we submitted 382.09 and are getting 248.40 back. Now whether or not he has atopic dermatitis is another story... my vet thinks this specialist overreacted. But I was happy to have insurance

Cash's Claim Detail


Diagnosis Code----------submitted---eligible--deductible--reimbursement 
Description---------------expense-----amount--------------amount

Primary Diagnosis

ATOPIC OR ALLER DERM $163.09 - $107.00 - $50.00 - $51.30 
Testing $125.00 - $125.00 - $0.00 - $112.50 

Secondary Diagnosis

OTITIS EXTERNA $66.00 - $66.00 - $0.00 - $59.40 
SECONDARY TESTS (EAR) $28.00 - $28.00 - $0.00 - $25.20


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

I had VPI but switched to ASPCA due to cost. I just got a emailer about Companion Pet Insurance and am researching that. I don't have well care with ASPCA, just for emergencies/accidents and illness. Even though the claims I've submitted so far have been minor, I've been satisfied with ASPCA so far.


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## dbeech (Jun 16, 2009)

I had VPI last year, but never used it. I recently switched to Pet Plan because it had better reviews and it was also cheaper.


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## cory (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks for all of the input. It is all helpful. I think we probably will purchase some kind of plan, just to be safe. We need to decide which company is the best, and what type of coverage makes sense.


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

I wanted to add one thing about pet insurance. I believe it is important to ask your vet if they will help you/or in fact fill out the paper work. Ask them if they have a better relationship with one provider than the other. Much of the reimbursement is based on diagnosis and therefore your vet can help maximize your benefit. 

I gave the example above of Cash cause it was straight forward. On Jasper the claim didn't even reference what I went in for (the lesion around Jasper's eye) So, VPI asked that I have hand written record faxed over from the two specialists. I called both Vets, they did it, and I am getting an additional $200 dollars back from VPI. So all said and done, between both dogs, I submitted aprox. $800 dollars worth of claims, and with a bit of back and forth (about 15 minutes worth of calls) We are getting a little over $600 back. $400 we received in less than 2 weeks. 

I am a fan! I do not use it for everything... for instance Cash just had an eye infection-- the vet visit and meds cost $100, I consider that routine maintenance and with a $50 dollar deductable and them paying on the customary cost, I assumed I would only get $30 back...to me it is not worth stressing the system or my vet every time I go in for something minor. I don't know, but I assume like car and house insurance, they may get difficult if you claim too much...but I love having it for the big things.


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## marjrc (Jan 13, 2007)

Here are quite a few threads on the subject already... hope it helps! 

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=9931&highlight=health+insurance

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=384&highlight=health+insurance

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=289&highlight=health+insurance

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=10249&highlight=health+insurance

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=4982&highlight=health+insurance

http://havaneseforum.com/showthread.php?t=4122&highlight=health+insurance

..... and then some.......


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Has anyone actually sat down and figured out if this is worth it? Especially with multiple dogs?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

*FOOD FOR THOUGHT*

I decided to get Petplan. I was trying to figure out if insurance was worth it. Weighing out what people said about just putting money away or getting a plan. Someone brought up a good point to me. It's worth it, depending on how much you're willing to spend to save their life. I know I would easily spend 10,000 and I would strongly consider 15,000. That being said, I'm going with the health insurance! It's just a gamble.


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## Ellie NY (Aug 27, 2010)

I purchased ASPCA insurance Level 3 with continuing care. It's a bit expensive but I thought I would go with a more comprehensive package the first year when puppies are most rambunctious and liable to get into trouble. We already had one emergency vet visit, several wellness visits and one sick visit. We also have neuturing coming up so I think the plan will pay for itself in the first year. After he's a year old I may consider downsizing to an accident only plan as he will not need as much preventative care at which point it doesn't make economic sense.


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## CarolZ (Aug 12, 2010)

*Exlusions?*

I've been reading all the posts about health insurance as after paying almost $4000 in the last few weeks for Julie's injury...I think it's time to purchase a policy..now need to decide which one and will talk with my vet first as suggested. Does anyone know if pet policies exclude pre-existing conditions?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I'm pretty sure they all exclude pre-existing condition. 

I got Pet Plan. I really liked Trupanion, but they were more money.


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