# Sticky  The Importance of Pet Insurance



## Bailey&Me

Hello everyone! For a while now, I have been meaning to post about the importance of pet insurance, and how it much it has helped me with Bailey. As some of you may know, Bailey got very sick in January of this year. He had some severe symptoms which started off with loose stools but escalated quickly, within about a day (throwing up, very blood stools, not eating, pain) so I was petrified and had to rush him in to the vet. He had numerous tests done, including a blood panel, normal x-rays, barium x-rays, stool sample, a test for pancreatitis, etc. Everything led to his vet suspecting that he had ingested something and had a foreign object in his stomach. He had to be hospitalized overnight at an emergency clinic and was scheduled for an exploratory abdominal surgery the next day. Well, when they did the surgery, they did not find any foreign objects in there – either he had passed it by then or it had been something else that had caused him to be so sick. So unfortunately, we did not get any answers. For about a week after that, he was still very sick – he wouldn’t eat anything and even when I got him to eat/drink something, he would throw up. He couldn’t even keep down his pills. He had to be kept at the vets office all day for about 3 days after surgery so they could monitor him, give him his medications by injection, keep him on fluids, etc. He got better slowly after about a week. We never did figure out what exactly caused him to get so sick. And although I still question if I did the right thing by rushing in to surgery, I did what I thought was best at the time, based on the vet’s recommendation. 

As you can imagine, this was an extremely expensive ordeal for us. Between all the tests, the surgery, the overnight stay at the emergency clinic, all-day hospitalization, medications, etc, I paid about $3,500. Luckily, I had pet insurance! When I first adopted Bailey, I wanted to make sure that if there was ever an emergency, I would be able to pay huge vet bills – so getting pet insurance was one of the first things I did after Bailey came home. I got the basic PetPlan insurance which covers, I believe, 80% of your costs up to $8,000 a year. It cost about $12 a month when I first signed up (it’s a bit higher for Maltese – Bailey is a mixed breed pup). After I submitted my claim and PetPlan sent me my reimbursement, this whole ordeal ended up costing me only about $500. That is a HUGE difference from approximately $3,500! (I don’t remember the specific amounts though)

I am so extremely thankful that I had pet insurance at the time that Bailey needed urgent vet care. When I was trying to decide whether to do the exploratory surgery, the vet told me about other cases she’s had in which she had suspected a foreign body blockage but the owners did not have money to do surgery (or even do the appropriate tests, in some cases) so the dogs ended up getting worse and worse – and by the time the owners did decide to move forward with surgery, the foreign object had done so much damage to the intestines, that it required extremely complicated and risky surgery to save their lives. In some cases, the dog didn’t make it. That scared me. Even though I knew that we did not have a definite diagnosis in Bailey’s case, and that this was just an exploratory surgery that could turn up nothing (which it did!), I decided not to take any chances. That decision was easier to make because I knew I would be covered financially, for the astronomical costs of the surgery. Had it turned out to be a blockage and I had elected not to do the surgery because of financial reasons, I never would be able to live with it. 

I wanted to share this story with others in order to convey how important it is to have pet insurance or some other in-case-of-emergency plan to account for large, unexpected vet bills. Of course, there are some who can afford to pay thousands of dollars in the event of an emergency and they might feel that insurance is not necessary – I am not one of those people. While I will do anything and everything for my dog to make sure he gets the vet care he needs – it would be hard for me to come up with thousands of dollars at such short notice. Having pet insurance gives me the peace-of-mind and comfort of knowing that I can provide for any kind of vet care Bailey may need in the future – whether that’s an emergency or an illness. This will be especially important as he gets older. I never want to be in a position where I have to decline medical care for Bailey because I can’t afford it. 

So – for all the new pet owners out there, please, please consider either getting pet insurance OR making arrangements otherwise so you are prepared to deal with any unexpected medical costs (a separate savings account or credit card, etc). It can make the difference between life and death for your pet. You might not think your young, healthy pet will ever have a need for costly vet care but it’s a good idea to be prepared, just in case! Also, if you decide to get pet insurance, it’s best to do so when your pet is young and healthy – your rates will be lower and you won’t have to worry about any pre-existing conditions not being covered. 

I am sharing this story in hopes that it will help someone. I hope that other members who have pet insurance will share their experiences here as well. You can always PM me if you want any further information. 

Thanks for reading this LONG post!


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## edelweiss

I am overseas but still interested in what plans people prefer & why so this is a GREAT thread Nida. I may try to insure Kitzi for care in the US when I am state-side. So come on folks who have insurance, which company, why, costs per year, what it covers & to which percent?
Thanks!


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## Snowbody

Nida - So glad you posted this after seeing that a lot of newbies and oldies lately have faced costly medical procedures. I feel absolutely the same way. I got PetPlan shortly after I got Tyler. I thought of it more for catastrophic instances. My plan doesn't include wellness visits which is fine. Those normal visits are usually around $100-$200 a year. What I worried about it something that could cost thousands and also worrying that I can't give Tyler any care he needs because it costs too much.

Well, last year as some of you know, I left town for CA and my DH was putting Tyler down off the couch when he leapt out of his hands. He called me to say that Tyler "landed kind of funny" :w00t: and that he was limping. I told him to wait until the next morning and he was still limping so he took him to the vet. They ran x-rays and luckily nothing was broken. But this was one of those unforeseen cases where in the blink of an eye you start running up expenses. It cost somewhere around $350. So I got back about $130 from that one visit.

I picked Pet Plan because they don't exclude hereditary health issues like the other plans, that are common to your breed. I have a $20,000 annual max policy with a $200 deductible per illness or injury (if you go back about the same condition it's a zero deductible) and I think a 20% co-pay. It also has advertising and reward $, vacation cancellation of $1000 if you can't go away because your pet is ill, theft or lost pet $ and $1000 death payment if you dog dies from injury or illness. I pay about $300 a year but they have all kinds of variables in what you can set up and you can even change your policy. They were prompt and you can always get someone on the phone. If anyone wants anymore info you can PM me. 

I just feel like I would never let my skin child or myself go without insurance, why would I let my pet? The old days of low tech pet care is gone - our pets have procedures similar to our own with diagnostics and hi tech surgery and the costs are very high. 

Hope this helps so that you don't have to decide if your fluff can get a procedure or not, just because of finances.


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## Lacie's Mom

Nida -- thanks for posting this. I did *NOT* have pet insurance when Tilly got HGE and had a $1,500 overnight stay at the ER clinic. This was about 3 1/2 years ago.

Right after that I found that the company that I work for offers VIP Pet Insurance as a benefit. Employees not only receive a 20% cost reduction on the insurance, but we also can opt to have the monthly premiums come out of our paychecks (which is what I do). It seems painless because it's just another deduction from my check.

Secret's teeth extraction was a pre-existing condition, however, everything else is covered for all 3 girls (no other pre-existings). I use it for their annual vet visits, heartworm tests, vaccinations, heartworm meds, dentals, etc. 

But primarily I have it for peace of mind for catastrophic expenses that might come up. I would never want to decide about treatment for my babies based on expense.

I use VIP because of the ease I have due to my company, however, I have reviewed a number of plans and pet insurance continues to get better and better. There are several good ones to consider that, imho, aren't all that expensive.

I probably do a littler better than "break even" between the premiums I pay and the annual items that the insurance covers, however, should anything major happen, the insurance would be a lifesaver!!!

I would also encourage new pet owners to check out the plans that are now available. Even AKC has a good plan. 

Nida -- thanks for the reminder.


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## furevermy2luvs

So glad to see this thread! After reading this I enrolled in Pet Plan. It is not expensive and gives you peace of mind should anything major happen. We have been lucky with Buddy so far, but you never know what might happen. It's good to have the recommendation of this company, knowing that it actually does pay off and is not a rip off or a scam. We love Buddy so much that I guess we would sell our home if we had to pay for thousands of dollars in Vet bills, but it's good to know that we would not have to do that. Thanks so much for posting this thread!


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## pammy4501

I could not agree with you more! As you know my Lola has GME. AKC Petplan has paid about $5000.00 just to the GME claims thus far. I simply would not have been able to afford to treat her without the insurance. Simple as that. She is doing well for now. They continue to pay for her meds, and have covered her yearly blood panel, flea protection, teeth cleaning and all the other little things. I have policies on all three of mine. Is it costly? Not nearly as costly as one big event! I never want to deny my dog good medical care in the event of and illness or injury! I know some here say that they put aside an amount of money for vet care if they need it. That is fine, but you better be able to come up with at least $3000 - $5000 per pet. Vet care today is nearly as costly as human care.


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## furevermy2luvs

Pammy, is the AKC Petplan different than just Pet Plan? The reason I ask is that from what I read online they don't cover routine dentals, only extractions and root canals and such. Also, do they really pay for the flea protection? That would be great!


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## pammy4501

mybudboy said:


> Pammy, is the AKC Petplan different than just Pet Plan? The reason I ask is that from what I read online they don't cover routine dentals, only extractions and root canals and such. Also, do they really pay for the flea protection? That would be great!


 Detailed Plan Comparison - AKC Pet Healthcare Plan

Check the two prevention plans. They cover dental, flea, titre testing and more.


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## Snowbody

Just to clarify, Petplan and the AKC Plan which is called AKC Healthcare Plan are two different plans.


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## furevermy2luvs

Thank you Susan. I just realized that. What I signed up for is Pet Plan and they don't cover preventive.


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## Snowbody

pammy4501 said:


> I could not agree with you more! As you know my Lola has GME. AKC Petplan has paid about $5000.00 just to the GME claims thus far. I simply would not have been able to afford to treat her without the insurance. Simple as that. She is doing well for now. They continue to pay for her meds, and have covered her yearly blood panel, flea protection, teeth cleaning and all the other little things. I have policies on all three of mine. Is it costly? Not nearly as costly as one big event! I never want to deny my dog good medical care in the event of and illness or injury! I know some here say that they put aside an amount of money for vet care if they need it. That is fine, but you better be able to come up with at least $3000 - $5000 per pet. Vet care today is nearly as costly as human care.


Pam - it's interesting that AKC covers the GME thankfully. I was just looking at the link you sent and clicked on what is NOT covered and here's what they have:
_What's Not Covered

Pre-existing conditions are always excluded. We define Pre-existing conditions as any disease, illness or injury which occurred or existed prior to the original effective date of the policy
Illness that occurs or shows symptoms during the first 30 days of your policy unless you have continuous coverage with us
Diagnostic test(s) and treatment(s) for conditions excluded or limited by this policy and complications of conditions excluded or limited by this policy
ACL are considered bilateral conditions; one covered per life of the dog
Elective treatment, including but not limited to: vaccine titers, cosmetic dentistry, docking of tails, cropping of ears, microchips, removal of dewclaws, removal of eyelashes, declawing, or tenectomy that you choose to carry out that is not directly related to a current covered illness or injury.
Breeding your pet, pregnancy, and any treatment in connection with pregnancy or giving birth
Grooming and nail clipping
Conditions always excluded: congenital/inherited conditions; eye conditions including aberrant cilia, dermoid, distichiasis, entropion/ectropion; CDRM; chronic renal (kidney) failure; deciduous teeth; diabetes (insipidus or mellitus); elbow dysplasia (OCD, FCP,UAP); hemophilia; congenital heart problems including murmurs, failure, cardiomegaly (enlargement of the heart); hip dysplasia; *congenital liver conditions;* obesity (not due to an underlying medical condition); OCD (including but not limited to the hock, elbow, carpus and shoulder); osteoarthritis; congenital shunts to include portostymic shunt; elongated soft palate; stenotic nares; spondylosis; von Willebrand disease; *luxating patella*; and umbilical hernia
Food, vitamins and nutritional supplements
Alternative medicine including holistic, herbal, homeopathic, acupuncture or chiropractic treatments_

I put in bold the liver conditions (I thought that's what GME is but I might be wrong) and also luxating patella which is very common for our guys and girls. That's why i didn't go for the AKC plan.

This is what PetPlan DOES cover:
_Petplan policies provide reimbursement for all veterinary fees relating to treatment administered by a licensed veterinarian for any illness or injury (provided that it is not pre-existing), including the following:
Hospitalization - including emergency treatment
Diagnostic testing - such as MRIs, x-rays, endoscopy
Surgery - including cruciate ligament surgery and organ transplants but not spay/neuter
Cancer treatment - regardless of the type of cancer
Non-routine dental treatment - such as tooth extraction, root canal but not routine teeth cleaning
Prescription medications
Referral and specialist treatment
Alternative and complementary treatments - such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy or chiropractic treatment

Reimbursement is based on what your veterinarian actually charges. It is not based on what a benefit schedule dictates or a "usual or customary" fee determined by the insurance company._

I think anyone looking for insurance has to compare what works best for him or her but the main thing is to consider having insurance for those instances like Nida went thru with Bailey.


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## pammy4501

Yup Susan, it does not cover quite a few "hereditary" conditions. But GME is not considered inhereted. And not too surprising that they don't cover pre exsistings. It is also not a liver condition, it is auto immune neurological encephalitis. But when the treatment for the GME put her into liver failure (temporarily thank goodness) it paid for all of the treatment. I also think everyone needs to do research and choose what works best for them. I do like the feature of titre testing, dentals, flea prevention.


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## Snowbody

pammy4501 said:


> Yup Susan, it does not cover quite a few "hereditary" conditions. But GME is not considered inhereted. And not too surprising that they don't cover pre exsistings. It is also not a liver condition, it is auto immune neurological encephalitis. But when the treatment for the GME put her into liver failure (temporarily thank goodness) it paid for all of the treatment. I also think everyone needs to do research and choose what works best for them. I do like the feature of titre testing, dentals, flea prevention.


Thanks, Pam for the info. I get confused sometimes about GME and being an autoimmune disease, since it seems that some postings wondering if their pups had liver disease were told to check if it could be GME. I also didn't know it isn't a hereditary disease. I think we're both agreed about doing homework on all the plans.


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## edelweiss

OK---you guys are encouraging me. . . I looked into Pet Plan & they have 3 programs w/various deductibles & percentage of reimbursements. 
Question: is the deductible per calendar year or per service?


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## Snowbody

edelweiss said:


> OK---you guys are encouraging me. . . I looked into Pet Plan & they have 3 programs w/various deductibles & percentage of reimbursements.
> Question: is the deductible per calendar year or per service?


The deductible is per illness/injury. So say if I go to the vet today for Tyler's tear staining there will be the deductible (and co-pay if you pick a plan with one) but then any subsequent visits about that condition - no deductible. It also depends on what plan you sign up for. I have the $200 deductible to keep my premium down and figuring it more as catastrophic insurance. Another thing is that it isn't like our people plans where the insurance company says "We allow $30 for that procedure" when the vet charges $100. Reimbursement is based on what you actually pay. You do have to pay upfront and be reimbursed.

None of the plans (I don't think anyone's plan) allows for pre-existing injuries or illnesses that took place before you have insurance. And you do have to send your vet records to them. BTW, my neighbor with the Havanese (BYB) signed up for insurance after I told her about it. Well that dog's needed it for everything...can't believe how many illnesses he's had - parasites, limping, allergies, severe bite abnormalities, etc and she keeps saying how happy she is with her coverage.

Is it international, Sandi?


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## Bailey&Me

edelweiss said:


> I am overseas but still interested in what plans people prefer & why so this is a GREAT thread Nida. I may try to insure Kitzi for care in the US when I am state-side. So come on folks who have insurance, which company, why, costs per year, what it covers & to which percent?
> Thanks!


Sandy, I'm so glad you're considering insurance for Kitzi - I'm not sure what the policies are regarding overseas coverage though. You do have to send in extensive vet records and keep in mind, anything pre-existing won't be covered at all. Also there are some other exclusions - like I had read somewhere (but I'm not 100% sure), if a pet gets a disease that can be prevented by a routine vaccine which the owner had declined, then that disease won't be covered. And if Bailey had repeat incidents of eating bad stuff that has to be surgically removed, then at some point, that won't be covered either (I need to ask Pet Plan to confirm this though)

So if you're interested, just be sure to read the policy carefully so you know what you can expect to be covered and aren't caught off guard!!


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## uniquelovdolce

ok i NEED to get the ball rolling with this and get to it , but i am clueless as to what exactly should i be getting , so to all u knowledgable ppl pls help , i simply am clueless when it comes to things like this. so advice advice advice , and in english please lol


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## Bailey&Me

Snowbody said:


> Nida - So glad you posted this after seeing that a lot of newbies and oldies lately have faced costly medical procedures. I feel absolutely the same way. I got PetPlan shortly after I got Tyler. I thought of it more for catastrophic instances. My plan doesn't include wellness visits which is fine. Those normal visits are usually around $100-$200 a year. What I worried about it something that could cost thousands and also worrying that I can't give Tyler any care he needs because it costs too much.
> 
> Well, last year as some of you know, I left town for CA and my DH was putting Tyler down off the couch when he leapt out of his hands. He called me to say that Tyler "landed kind of funny" :w00t: and that he was limping. I told him to wait until the next morning and he was still limping so he took him to the vet. They ran x-rays and luckily nothing was broken. But this was one of those unforeseen cases where in the blink of an eye you start running up expenses. It cost somewhere around $350. So I got back about $130 from that one visit.
> 
> I picked Pet Plan because they don't exclude hereditary health issues like the other plans, that are common to your breed. I have a $20,000 annual max policy with a $200 deductible per illness or injury (if you go back about the same condition it's a zero deductible) and I think a 20% co-pay. It also has advertising and reward $, vacation cancellation of $1000 if you can't go away because your pet is ill, theft or lost pet $ and $1000 death payment if you dog dies from injury or illness. I pay about $300 a year but they have all kinds of variables in what you can set up and you can even change your policy. They were prompt and you can always get someone on the phone. If anyone wants anymore info you can PM me.
> 
> I just feel like I would never let my skin child or myself go without insurance, why would I let my pet? The old days of low tech pet care is gone - our pets have procedures similar to our own with diagnostics and hi tech surgery and the costs are very high.
> 
> Hope this helps so that you don't have to decide if your fluff can get a procedure or not, just because of finances.


Thanks Sue for sharing your experience with pet insurance. I do remember you saying it had helped so much when Tyler had his fall. I'm glad he was okay!! 

I also chose Pet Plan for the same reasons you mentioned above. They didn't seem to have quite as many exclusions as other plans, and they were reasonably priced. For me, it was more important that I was covered in the event of an emergency - the cost of routine vet care, I can manage on my own. I just have the basic plan though - just $8,000 per year, 20% co-insurance and a $200 per incident deductible. I figured Bailey's young and healthy so that's all I needed for now - I do plan on increasing my coverage as he gets older though. 



Lacie's Mom said:


> Nida -- thanks for posting this. I did *NOT* have pet insurance when Tilly got HGE and had a $1,500 overnight stay at the ER clinic. This was about 3 1/2 years ago.
> 
> Right after that I found that the company that I work for offers VIP Pet Insurance as a benefit. Employees not only receive a 20% cost reduction on the insurance, but we also can opt to have the monthly premiums come out of our paychecks (which is what I do). It seems painless because it's just another deduction from my check.
> 
> Secret's teeth extraction was a pre-existing condition, however, everything else is covered for all 3 girls (no other pre-existings). I use it for their annual vet visits, heartworm tests, vaccinations, heartworm meds, dentals, etc.
> 
> But primarily I have it for peace of mind for catastrophic expenses that might come up. I would never want to decide about treatment for my babies based on expense.
> 
> I use VIP because of the ease I have due to my company, however, I have reviewed a number of plans and pet insurance continues to get better and better. There are several good ones to consider that, imho, aren't all that expensive.
> 
> I probably do a littler better than "break even" between the premiums I pay and the annual items that the insurance covers, however, should anything major happen, the insurance would be a lifesaver!!!
> 
> I would also encourage new pet owners to check out the plans that are now available. Even AKC has a good plan.
> 
> Nida -- thanks for the reminder.


Thanks Lynn! Wow, I didn't know Tilly had HGE - that must have been so scary! Yeah, the emergency clinic here is EXTREMELY expensive as well. They monitored Bailey for one night before he had his surgery - he just needed fluids and some meds through IV - and that cost about $600 just by itself! If I ever needed to take Bailey in to the ER for an emergency that he had to get treatment for there, the cost could very easily be in the thousands. 

I remember looking in to VPI as my employer offers a discount on it too - not nearly as much as yours though! I know it's a pretty popular plan too. I think I remember VPI only allotting certain $ amounts for each procedure, right? Like an X amount for blood panel, X amount for dentals...is that right? Vet care is VERY expensive in my area, much higher than in others, so I figured that wouldnt work for me. So I chose to go with PetPlan instead because I just wanted emergency coverage, and wanted a plan that would reimburse based on actual costs. I think VPI is pretty good though and I'm glad it's been working so well for your three!



mybudboy said:


> So glad to see this thread! After reading this I enrolled in Pet Plan. It is not expensive and gives you peace of mind should anything major happen. We have been lucky with Buddy so far, but you never know what might happen. It's good to have the recommendation of this company, knowing that it actually does pay off and is not a rip off or a scam. We love Buddy so much that I guess we would sell our home if we had to pay for thousands of dollars in Vet bills, but it's good to know that we would not have to do that. Thanks so much for posting this thread!


Thanks for your post - I'm so glad we could help!!! I agree, the monthly cost is not that much - definitely worth the peace of mind!!! I think it's great you enrolled Buddy now, when he hasn't had any issues, because you don't have any pre-existing conditions to worry about!! And yes, I can definitely recommend Pet Plan because I've had a great experience with them - and they have very good customer service too!


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## Bailey&Me

pammy4501 said:


> I could not agree with you more! As you know my Lola has GME. AKC Petplan has paid about $5000.00 just to the GME claims thus far. I simply would not have been able to afford to treat her without the insurance. Simple as that. She is doing well for now. They continue to pay for her meds, and have covered her yearly blood panel, flea protection, teeth cleaning and all the other little things. I have policies on all three of mine. Is it costly? Not nearly as costly as one big event! I never want to deny my dog good medical care in the event of and illness or injury! I know some here say that they put aside an amount of money for vet care if they need it. That is fine, but you better be able to come up with at least $3000 - $5000 per pet. Vet care today is nearly as costly as human care.


Pam, I do remember reading your posts about Lola's GME and how much your insurance had helped you with her medical costs - I was hoping you'd post and share your experience here! Thanks!! I've looked in to the AKC plan and I like the fact that it provides wellness coverage as well - including titers and flea prevention! When I signed Bailey up, I was more concerned about emergency costs so I chose PetPlan. At the time, I had Bailey enrolled in Banfield's wellness plan which covered all routine costs...well, I have cancelled that since then, so I'm on my own for his routine costs now. I figure I could plan for those...but I am intrigued by the AKC plan. For me, the monthly cost is a little high - the quote I got was $100+ vs the $18 I pay now with Pet Plan. But then again, I do like that it covers all routine costs...I think maybe for my next puppy, I might look in to this plan, since it covers spay/neuter as well. And dentals! The hereditary conditions not being covered would be an issue for me, since some of those can be the most costly to care for! I'm definitely interested enough that I'm going to keep looking in to the AKC plan further...Thanks!!!


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## kodie

I need alittle help understanding the petplan... I read some of the excludes... and they exclude congential problems... so that includes MVD and a malformation like kodie has since it has existed since birth ??? I guess i'll never be able to get insurance for my little guy.. 

and Kodie's meds are about $40 a month...

wait a sec... i was reading the ACK petplan... i'm gonna look at the pet plan i just googled... i hope its better than the last plan i read about...


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## kodie

I just looked over petplan... any pre-existing conditions are not covered. So they wont cover kodie's meds since hes already on them, huh? AND they will not cover any treatment for follow up appointment for kodie since hes already diagnoised with his issues...  ??


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## edelweiss

Snowbody said:


> Is it international, Sandi?


Sue, I think they have PetPlan in the UK but certainly not here in Greece. I am mainly thinking of taking it out for when I am stateside. We are thinking that we will spend 1/2 yr. in the US when we can arrange our schedule to do that. We need to get our house ready to put on the market at some point! We would spend the majority of those 6 months in TX.

Regarding pre-existing---I am not sure how to define that as we have no conclusive diagnosis for Kitzi's limp. 4 orthos & not one agrees w/the other. Most say the LP isn't bad enough to do surgery, but can't explain the limp. One said possible ACL but nothing conclusive. I do think we would just pay for that surgery out of pocket IF we can ever get a diagnosis! 
My real problem is I have no vet reports in English---only Greek or German! All of his blood work is fine so far (haven't done the tick-borne test yet!) so nothing there. I don't mind giving his history honestly--outside of the neuter/teeth (baby) removed, poison episode & limping there isn't much to tell. But then he is only 1 yr. old! :HistericalSmiley:


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## Bailey&Me

uniquelovdolce said:


> ok i NEED to get the ball rolling with this and get to it , but i am clueless as to what exactly should i be getting , so to all u knowledgable ppl pls help , i simply am clueless when it comes to things like this. so advice advice advice , and in english please lol


Hi Liza - I can try and help you. I don't know much about the other plans because I did my research a while ago, but I can tell you a bit about how PetPlan works, if you're interested. 

Here is a chart that lists their three different plans: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Petplan's Flexible Dog Insurance Policies

I have the Bronze plan which means I can get a maximum of $8,000 a year in reimbursements. The Silver plan is $12,000 a year and the Gold is $20,000 a year. 

Once you choose the plan you want, you have to select a level of Co-Insurance and Deductible. Both of these are the amount YOU are responsible for paying. 

A deductible is the dollar amount you pay for each incident before Pet Plan will reimburse you. I chose a $200 deductible for each incident/condition. So, for example, let's say the total cost of this incident with Bailey was $1,000. Straight off the bat, I was responsible for $200 of that. So that leaves $800. 

The co-insurance is the percentage of the costs that you pay after the deductible has been met. I chose a 20% coinsurance. So, in Bailey's case, if the total was $1,000 minus the $200 deductible, that leaves me with a total of $800. I am responsible for paying 20% of this $800 which is $160 and Pet Plan will cover the rest. 

So, from the $1,000 total vet bill, I have paid $200 for the deductible and $160 for my 20% co-insurance. Pet Plan will pay the rest, which is $640. 

Once you choose which plan you want - the Bronze, Silver or Gold, you then have to decide what you want your deductible and co-insurance to be. You can choose your deductible to be $50, $100 or $200. You can choose your co-insurance to be 0%, 10% or 20%. Your monthly cost of the plan will change based on the co-insurance and deductible you choose. I chose the plan with the least coverage - Bronze, with the highest deductible of $200 and the highest co-insurance of 20% - because the monthly cost was really inexpensive. You can choose a lower co-insurance and lower deductible if you can afford higher monthly costs - then your coverage will be better than mine and you will be responsible for less of the total cost than I described in my example above. 

*** Please keep in mind that you are responsible for paying ALL costs up front. You can then submit a claim and Pet Plan will reimburse you as per the plan you have chosen. 

Hope that helps!!!


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## Bailey&Me

kodie said:


> I just looked over petplan... any pre-existing conditions are not covered. So they wont cover kodie's meds since hes already on them, huh? AND they will not cover any treatment for follow up appointment for kodie since hes already diagnoised with his issues...  ??


Yes, that is right - Pet Plan will not cover any pre-existing conditions for Kodie. I don't think ANY pet insurance covers pre-existing conditions. Sorry it won't be of more help to you  I learned about pet insurance way too late for my cat as well...he was older and already had some conditions so I couldn't really get a plan for him...but for all future pets, I will be enrolling them in a plan as soon as I bring them home, so I don't have to worry about pre-existing conditions not being covered. 

For everyone - All pet insurance plans have a long, detailed list of what's covered and what's not (toooo much info than we can post here, hehe!) so it's important to read over it carefully before you enroll. 



edelweiss said:


> Sue, I think they have PetPlan in the UK but certainly not here in Greece. I am mainly thinking of taking it out for when I am stateside. We are thinking that we will spend 1/2 yr. in the US when we can arrange our schedule to do that. We need to get our house ready to put on the market at some point! We would spend the majority of those 6 months in TX.
> 
> Regarding pre-existing---I am not sure how to define that as we have no conclusive diagnosis for Kitzi's limp. 4 orthos & not one agrees w/the other. Most say the LP isn't bad enough to do surgery, but can't explain the limp. One said possible ACL but nothing conclusive. I do think we would just pay for that surgery out of pocket IF we can ever get a diagnosis!
> My real problem is I have no vet reports in English---only Greek or German! All of his blood work is fine so far (haven't done the tick-borne test yet!) so nothing there. I don't mind giving his history honestly--outside of the neuter/teeth (baby) removed, poison episode & limping there isn't much to tell. But then he is only 1 yr. old! :HistericalSmiley:


Sandi, I believe Kitzi's limp will definitely be considered a pre-existing condition because he has had symptoms of it for a while. Even if no confirmed diagnosis has been made, if the medical history lists any symptoms of a condition that started before you enrolled in a plan, that won't be covered. That is my understanding, anyways. 

Hmmm...the medical records being in Greek could pose an issue. I would give Pet Plan a call or email them to explain your situation and see how they would handle it...?


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## uniquelovdolce

nida u explained it beautifully , u even explained the deductable part that i still didnt understand about my insurance lol .im definitely going to look into this now , because it definitely scares me that something could happen and i wouldnt have the money , because some ppl can do it but i basicaly live paycheck to paychk u knoe .. thanks for explaining ! :wub:


Bailey&Me said:


> Hi Liza - I can try and help you. I don't know much about the other plans because I did my research a while ago, but I can tell you a bit about how PetPlan works, if you're interested.
> 
> Here is a chart that lists their three different plans: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Petplan's Flexible Dog Insurance Policies
> 
> I have the Bronze plan which means I can get a maximum of $8,000 a year in reimbursements. The Silver plan is $12,000 a year and the Gold is $20,000 a year.
> 
> Once you choose the plan you want, you have to select a level of Co-Insurance and Deductible. Both of these are the amount YOU are responsible for paying.
> 
> A deductible is the dollar amount you pay for each incident before Pet Plan will reimburse you. I chose a $200 deductible for each incident/condition. So, for example, let's say the total cost of this incident with Bailey was $1,000. Straight off the bat, I was responsible for $200 of that. So that leaves $800.
> 
> The co-insurance is the percentage of the costs that you pay after the deductible has been met. I chose a 20% coinsurance. So, in Bailey's case, if the total was $1,000 minus the $200 deductible, that leaves me with a total of $800. I am responsible for paying 20% of this $800 which is $160 and Pet Plan will cover the rest.
> 
> So, from the $1,000 total vet bill, I have paid $200 for the deductible and $160 for my 20% co-insurance. Pet Plan will pay the rest, which is $640.
> 
> Once you choose which plan you want - the Bronze, Silver or Gold, you then have to decide what you want your deductible and co-insurance to be. You can choose your deductible to be $50, $100 or $200. You can choose your co-insurance to be 0%, 10% or 20%. Your monthly cost of the plan will change based on the co-insurance and deductible you choose. I chose the plan with the least coverage - Bronze, with the highest deductible of $200 and the highest co-insurance of 20% - because the monthly cost was really inexpensive. You can choose a lower co-insurance and lower deductible if you can afford higher monthly costs - then your coverage will be better than mine and you will be responsible for less of the total cost than I described in my example above.
> 
> *** Please keep in mind that you are responsible for paying ALL costs up front. You can then submit a claim and Pet Plan will reimburse you as per the plan you have chosen.
> 
> Hope that helps!!!


----------



## Bailey&Me

uniquelovdolce said:


> nida u explained it beautifully , u even explained the deductable part that i still didnt understand about my insurance lol .im definitely going to look into this now , because it definitely scares me that something could happen and i wouldnt have the money , because some ppl can do it but i basicaly live paycheck to paychk u knoe .. thanks for explaining ! :wub:


 You are very welcome, Liza!!! I'm glad I could help and if you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.


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## Bailey&Me

Not to completely flood this thread with my posts, but I wanted to add one more thing. I forgot to mention that at the same time that Bailey got sick, I had a senior cat who was going through major medical issues. Isaiah had been sick for several months and we had been going through constant vet and specialist visits, numerous tests, medications, etc to get a diagnosis. I had already spent thousands of dollars on Isaiah’s issue so when Bailey got sick, I really could NOT afford another $3,500!!! That is why I am SO glad I had gotten insurance for him. Isaiah did NOT have insurance so I had to pay for all his medical costs out of pocket – when we finally did get a diagnosis, we found out it was advanced cancer with really no treatment options, so we could just kept him comfortable for the time he had left. We paid for in-home vet care which included weekly visits by a vet for “hospice” care, and daily visits from a vet tech to give him all his medications, plus the cost of all his medications. Roughly, I was paying $200-$300 A WEEK for Isaiah’s medical care – for about 3 months (this is just after the diagnosis, not even counting the thousands of dollars leading up to it). 

So, Bailey’s illness came at a really difficult/bad time for me. This is why I think it’s important for especially people with multiple pets to have insurance – you never know when more than one of your pets could get sick/injured at the same time! Between Bailey and Isaiah, my vet care costs for those couple of months easily added up to about $10,000. I’m just glad at least some of it was covered through insurance – without it, I may not have been able to provide the same level of medical care for both of them.


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## Lacie's Mom

Thanks Lynn! Wow said:


> VPI contacted my Vet's office directly for the data/records that they needed. I know that they do not take on any dogs age 10+ so I was lucky that I got Secret on this year. Actually the plan that Secret has is the newest VPI plan and is much better than the one that Lacie and Tilly have (but same cost). It covers a lot more. I will not be able to change Lacie and Tilly's plans until December (anniversary date of their insurance) but then all 3 will be on the new plan. I believe that they have 3 different plans. The one I have is for catastrophic and then you put a rider on for the annual items. They pay like clockwork. I'm reimbursed within a week of submitting my claim and am able to fax my claim to them. Since having VPI, however, I have not had anything MAJOR to be covered -- just annuals and dentals. But in the long run, I think the 3 insurance companies that have been mentioned here are all very good and that having catastrophic coverage (in particular) is extremely important.
> 
> (And, Nida, I was terrified when Tilly got HGE. Luckily DH had not gotten sick yet and was home. The thing that really got to me is how quickly this progressed. I believe that she would have died if I had been at work all day and she hadn't gotten vet care until I arrived home. Actually, our Dr. Jaimie is the one that calmed me down and helped me get through it. Just as quickly as it came on, it left. She was completely find within 2 days.)


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## Bailey&Me

My goodness, Tilly's HGE episode sounds awful. How firtunate that your DH was home with her and got her the care she needed immediately! Poor Tilly! HGE was one of the possibilities someone had mentioned to me when Bailey got sick. I need to do some more research on it so I'm aware of the symptoms because it sounds like it's important to recognize the signs asap. 

VPI does sound pretty good...I havent looked at it in a while, but when I get my next puppy, I am going to look in to all the different insurance companies again as I know there will have been changes to their plans since I first did my research. I won't have any pets without pet insurance again...even cats...because even though I barely had to spend any money on vet care for my cat for most of his life, outside the routine things, his last few months were very, very expensive. So to me a small payment each month is worth it...even though yes, it's another monthly bill which is a pain...but it's those huge unexpected emergency/major illness vet bills that would be a real issue.


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## SammieMom

Thank you for your post. I am going to get pet insurance next week for Sammie.


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## Bailey&Me

Sammie said:


> Thank you for your post. I am going to get pet insurance next week for Sammie.


Glad it helped you, Kandis!


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## RudyRoo

I just want to say THANK YOU all again for your advice. This forum, and all of your advice, has been so helpful in so many areas since I am a new dog mom with a ton of questions. I am looking into pet insurance for my Rudy now and, sure enough, all I had to do was a google search on this forum to find the answers I needed. You are all so great. I am looking into Pet Plan and VPI. I read through all of the posts and I see that most people have gone with PetPlan or the AKC, and I was curious if there were reasons why people didn't choose VPI?


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## Lacie's Mom

FYI -- VPI changed their plan this year and now offer a much better plan for the same price. This may have had something to do with the PetPlan choice. I would investigate all of the plans that have been mentioned here in a positive way.


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## Butterfly

Hii!

I purchased Trupanion for Alykai. I have a 0 deductible with a 10% co-insurance and no limits plan. The policy premium doesn't increase with age. I pay $39 a month.

I know that $39 is a little high, but I just didn't want to have to pay a deductible each time I go to the vet.

I hope Trupanion is a good insurance! I was on the fence between Trupanion & PetPlan.


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## Snowbody

Happy you got insurance. The plan looks good. What threw me is on the comparison chart it showed PetPlan charging over $60 a month for a dog. I only pay around $35 a month. Not sure although I'm on a $200 deductible plan. I might have to check TruPanion next time. I don't remember seeing them when I first got Tyler his insurance. Anyone you know use them?


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## Katsgirls

We didn't have insurance on either of our Maltese. Then last year when we got a Shih tzu I decided to do my homework & get them covered. So after a high recommendation from my brother I put Izzy (shih tzu) on it with V.P.I. When I tried to put Kiwi our 9 yr old maltese on they turned her down. She had had a tiny benign tumor removed almost 2 years ago. I was able to get her covered with the ASPCA insurance. I have no idea how they'll work out but I hope they cover her if she needs it! No one will cover Tassy at 14 1/2 years old so the expense for cushings diagnosis & treatment are getting expensive. I would highly recommend getting insurance while they are still puppies....very well worth it!!


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## Butterfly

Snowbody said:


> Happy you got insurance. The plan looks good. What threw me is on the comparison chart it showed PetPlan charging over $60 a month for a dog. I only pay around $35 a month. Not sure although I'm on a $200 deductible plan. I might have to check TruPanion next time. I don't remember seeing them when I first got Tyler his insurance. Anyone you know use them?


I did a lot of research and felt that Trupanion was the best choice for me. I don't know anyone personally who has it. :/


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## Lacie's Mom

I've never heard of Trupanion but will certainly look at it.


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## Butterfly

MallyMaltese said:


> How much do you pay your pet insurance? I'm afraid I'll get scam that's why I don't get any pet insurance for my dog. Do you know any reliable pet insurance company?


I purchased Trupanion for Alykai. I have a 0 deductible with a 10% co-insurance and no limits plan. The policy premium doesn't increase with age. I pay $39 a month.


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## RudyRoo

*I went with Pet Plan*



> Originally Posted by *MallyMaltese*
> _How much do you pay your pet insurance? I'm afraid I'll get scam that's why I don't get any pet insurance for my dog. Do you know any reliable pet insurance company?_


I spent a lot of time researching and reading customer feedback. I ultimately went with Pet Plan for a few reasons. I pay $322 a year (roughly $80 quarterly or $23 monthly). 


They cover *damage or rupture of cruciate ligaments or defects of the patella* as long as you get a vet to document _within the first 30 days of coverage_ that these conditions do not currently exist so it would therefore not be considered a pre-existing condition.
They do not put caps on expenses per injury or illness (i.e., they don't use a benefit schedule). They use the "what is reasonable and acceptable" policy, which basically means that as long as your vet is not charging outrageous prices in comparison to other vets in your area then it will be covered.
You can choose your deductible and coverage amount to fit your needs, and you can change this if necessary.
Injury coverage begins 24 hours after policy effect date. Regular coverage begins within 14 days (some insurance companies make you wait 30 days, which basically means you are paying for a month that you cant use).
They will never raise premiums based on the amount of claims used in the previous year.
You only have to pay the deductible once per illness. So if it is something chronic you don't have to worry about that each time a visit or treatment is needed.
They give a 10% discount if your pet is microchipped, and a 5% discount if you buy the policy online.
They cover dental as long as you have had a vet check dental within the past 12 months and document no problems.
They offer advertising and reward coverage for lost pets, coverage for the amount paid for pet in the event of death from illness or injury, or if lost or stolen _(god forbid!)_, vacation cancellation coverage if you can't go on a scheduled vacay due to pet illness, and emergency boarding/kennel costs.
I know there are other reputable companies out there. Pet Plan just felt right for us. When looking for a company make sure you specifically ask the following questions: 


Are they appointed in all 50 states including Washington DC?
Do they employee Property Insurance Experts (i.e., with a license for property insurance sales)?
Do they have an A+ rating in all 50 states + Wash DC?
Some companies will only have appointments in certain states or only have an A+ rating in certain states. This could mean trouble if you are traveling. Hope that helps!


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## DiamondsDad

We just bought Trupanion insurance for Diamond. We live in Canada (Toronto) so our choices in pet insurance are somewhat different and the premiums are probably different as well. We pay about $40 a month premium. We chose Trupanion because it will cover things like luxating patellas. The deductible is per condition, not per incident, they don't exclude conditions common to the breed (e.g. luxating patellas), and there is cap per injury or illness. The conditions actually seem a lot like Pet Plan above, but pet plan isn't offered in Canada.


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## MalteseJane

Snowbody said:


> Pam - it's interesting that AKC covers the GME thankfully. I was just looking at the link you sent and clicked on what is NOT covered and here's what they have:
> _What's Not Covered
> 
> Pre-existing conditions are always excluded. We define Pre-existing conditions as any disease, illness or injury which occurred or existed prior to the original effective date of the policy
> Illness that occurs or shows symptoms during the first 30 days of your policy unless you have continuous coverage with us
> Diagnostic test(s) and treatment(s) for conditions excluded or limited by this policy and complications of conditions excluded or limited by this policy
> ACL are considered bilateral conditions; one covered per life of the dog
> Elective treatment, including but not limited to: vaccine titers, cosmetic dentistry, docking of tails, cropping of ears, microchips, removal of dewclaws, removal of eyelashes, declawing, or tenectomy that you choose to carry out that is not directly related to a current covered illness or injury.
> Breeding your pet, pregnancy, and any treatment in connection with pregnancy or giving birth
> Grooming and nail clipping
> Conditions always excluded: congenital/inherited conditions; eye conditions including aberrant cilia, dermoid, distichiasis, entropion/ectropion; CDRM; chronic renal (kidney) failure; deciduous teeth; diabetes (insipidus or mellitus); elbow dysplasia (OCD, FCP,UAP); hemophilia; congenital heart problems including murmurs, failure, cardiomegaly (enlargement of the heart); hip dysplasia; *congenital liver conditions;* obesity (not due to an underlying medical condition); OCD (including but not limited to the hock, elbow, carpus and shoulder); osteoarthritis; congenital shunts to include portostymic shunt; elongated soft palate; stenotic nares; spondylosis; von Willebrand disease; *luxating patella*; and umbilical hernia
> Food, vitamins and nutritional supplements
> Alternative medicine including holistic, herbal, homeopathic, acupuncture or chiropractic treatments_
> 
> I put in bold the liver conditions (I thought that's what GME is but I might be wrong) and also luxating patella which is very common for our guys and girls. That's why i didn't go for the AKC plan.
> 
> This is what PetPlan DOES cover:
> _Petplan policies provide reimbursement for all veterinary fees relating to treatment administered by a licensed veterinarian for any illness or injury (provided that it is not pre-existing), including the following:
> Hospitalization - including emergency treatment
> Diagnostic testing - such as MRIs, x-rays, endoscopy
> Surgery - including cruciate ligament surgery and organ transplants but not spay/neuter
> Cancer treatment - regardless of the type of cancer
> Non-routine dental treatment - such as tooth extraction, root canal but not routine teeth cleaning
> Prescription medications
> Referral and specialist treatment
> Alternative and complementary treatments - such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy or chiropractic treatment
> 
> Reimbursement is based on what your veterinarian actually charges. It is not based on what a benefit schedule dictates or a "usual or customary" fee determined by the insurance company._
> 
> I think anyone looking for insurance has to compare what works best for him or her but the main thing is to consider having insurance for those instances like Nida went thru with Bailey.


They would not have paid for Alex's heart murmur !! and not for the repair of his patellas !! that's the only two things I would have needed insurance for Alex.


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## satrano

thank you for starting this thread. I'm not sure why i never looked into getting my little guy pet insurance (im such a worrywart and take him in for everying) but i'm researching now! Hopefully it's not too late!


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## Oscar

I so wish I had seen this post $10,000 ago! Oscar had a bladder stone surgery and 6 weeks after the surgery, he couldn't hold his urine. The vet kept telling me "it is normal" "it takes time" but people I spoke to whose dog had bladder stone removed said it wasn't normal! I finally listened to my gut instint and went to a specialist. The ultrasound showed he had a lot of inflamation at the surgery site. So much, that his baldder was getting glued to his colon. Talking about this makes me so MAD! I've Never seen so many incompetent vets in my life! He had emergency surgery and had part of his "rotting" bladder removed. As it turns out, it was MRSA! Ofcourse, the specialist said it was an "Allergy" reaction to the sutures and the orginal vet was not at fault. But the Lab came back positive for MRSA (it would have killed my baby). 4 months later, his anal glands had to be removed. (another major, expensive surgery). They kept getting infected/packed up w.i 3 weeks of being extracted and it was painful. I still believe the gland problem is a result of the first botched surgery. I believe ALL the inflammation and infection/bacteria ended up in his anal glands. We have applied to PetPlan but need to wait to see whether or not they'll accept him. The thing that bothers me, is that my husband is a big believer in Insurance (for everything--even jewerly). He kept bugging me to get it and I kept saying: Nah, he is healthy! (which he was). PLEASE: Take it from us. GET INSURANCE AND BE SURE TO READ THE FINE PRINTS! VIP INS. I FOUND OUT THEY WILL ONLY TREAT A CONDITION IN ONE YEAR. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, IT BECOMES A "PRE-EXIST." CONDITION (A NEIGHBOR LEARNED THE HARD WAY). I SPENT HOURS READING FINE PRINTS OF MAJOR PET INS. CO.'S AND I CHOSE PETPLAN! I WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER PET W/O INSURANCE!


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## Summergirl73

Hmmmm... We have Pet Plan for Bella. I wonder if they will cover her spaying and/or have 4 teeth extracted?


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## Snowbody

Summergirl73 said:


> Hmmmm... We have Pet Plan for Bella. I wonder if they will cover her spaying and/or have 4 teeth extracted?


Not sure about the spay since it covers accidents and injury but if the teeth are a problem issue like gum inflammation or something like that, and the vet writes it up that way, they should cover the extractions. They've been very good about reimbursing us for injury and illness.


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## Summergirl73

Thanks SO much for that info. I'll have to do some research and see if we can get it covered. I think these 4 teeth that they want to extract are growing in the wrong way. It would be great to have at least some of that expense reimbursed. Fingers crossed.


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## Ladysmom

Summergirl73 said:


> Hmmmm... We have Pet Plan for Bella. I wonder if they will cover her spaying and/or have 4 teeth extracted?


Pet Plan didn't cover Bailey's neuter as it was not a result of an injury or illness.


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## Jdfitzwater

All three of mine are on Trupanion. No lifetime maximum, and they even cover hip dysplasia. You can also ask to get procedures pre-approved and prepaid so you only have to come up with the deductible.

All three of mine are also on a Banfield Wellness Pan that has saved me $3,000 to date.


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## ckanen2n

So which is best?


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## maltese manica

All the insurance companies for pet here in Canada really are bad. They dont even give you a discount on two dogs. I sell insurance for a living and believe in it, but not when they are so ambigious. I have been told to be aware from my vet about trupanion. there was an article about how they were really bad to this one guy. My vet also told me they gave hassles to the other clients he deals with. There is a plan called pet assure only available in the states. Theydo not care if your dog has pre exisiting conditions, they give you a card and you present it to the vet and thye give you a certain discount off the price of the medication,etc;........ looks pretty good but here in Ontario there is none of them I felt right with.


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## piratelover

When we first got our two dogs, we thought we would play it safe and have insurance on them even though everyone thought we were crazy. This was about 10 years ago. We paid about $30 a month for it. After a year we dropped it. It was not worth it to us. We figured it up and ended up losing money on it. Even though our younger dog got hurt and had to have xrays. You would have thought that it would have paid in this instance and for him it did, but over all we lost money between the two.


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## Just A Girl

I would loooove to get health insurance for my dogs. Unfortunately, I can't get my husband on board with it. He thinks it's unneccessary. Ugh! We had a miniature poodle/shih tzu mix that passed away 5 years ago at the age of 12. He had something going on, but all of his bloodwork was negative. The vet recommended an exploratory CT scan, which would have cost around $1700, & still might not be conclusive. At the time his troubles started, our little Trooper was around 10 yrs old & hubby just was not willing to spend the money, & I wasn't working at the time, so I wasn't bringing in any income. I hate it when I think back on all of it. And it makes me so mad that he STILL refuses to get insurance! 
Did anyone else here successfully persuade their spouse to see the practicality of it? Because even after that, mine still doesn't. SMH! And with Cupcake being a mill dog, it's a chance I don't want to take. Especially because her legs are so bowed from being in a crate her whole life. I'm sure she'll have joint issues in her future :crying:
And not to mention, my mini schnauzer is almost 13, & Daisy is a BYB dog, so who knows what problems she may encounter...and off topic, I was in Petco the other day & they had all these different breed books, & I'm more convinced than ever that Daisy is a bichon mix. And I'm not sure anymore that she's even part maltese. I'll never know! But I still love her to bits, of course!


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## Lynzodolly

I have only paid one petplan payment and Albert became diagnosed with IMHA disease his treatment so far has cost almost £4000 pounds and he is covered with it all !!! I am so so great full to petplan right now !!...


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## Furbabies mom

Lynzodolly said:


> I have only paid one petplan payment and Albert became diagnosed with IMHA disease his treatment so far has cost almost £4000 pounds and he is covered with it all !!! I am so so great full to petplan right now !!...


I am so glad to have it too!


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## Zoe's Mom88

Furbabies mom said:


> I am so glad to have it too!


Me too! It seemed to be the best and most simple plan. :thumbsup:


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum

I also want to encourage anyone who doesn’t yet have insurance to GET IT!

I have just paid $6,800 for Dakota’s slipped disc – we still have a follow up appointment with the surgeon to come, so I’m expecting the total cost to hit $7,000. Slipped discs can happen at any time, they can happen to a dog just sitting there minding their own business – they don’t even have to be running or jumping for this to happen.

I applied on Monday for insurance – Dakotas back wont be covered obviously, however, in 18 months time, I am able to have her checked over by the Dr who originally treated her, and then apply for a waiver. If my application for the waiver is approved, they will remove the ‘pre-existing condition’ from her policy.

I also need to get Harley covered before he turns 9 in April. He will then be given lifetime cover.

They also have a 6 month waiting period to be covered for crucial ligaments – but I can also have them checked over by our vet & apply to have that waiver removed from their policies – which I plan to do as they are almost due for their yearly check up anyway.

The insurance cost for both will be just under $80 per month, I co-pay 20% and have a $100 deductible for any claims. There is no way I could cover another $7,000 incident, and I am just so glad I was able to cover it this time!!


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## Mindy's Mom

Thanks for posting, I will do research and choose one tonight.


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## Cyndilou

We also got put Ace on petplan within a month of getting him. We choose the $100 deductible with 90 percent rembursment. It is $21 and some change a month. Well worth my piece of mind.


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## StevieB

I have Petplan, the same plan as Nida. Thankfully I have never had to use it. It was less than $200 for the year (it's about time for me to renew, not sure if it will go up or not). It's very important to sign up asap, BEFORE your dog is diagnosed with anything that could indicate a pre-existing condition. I know April had an issue with that. I think the peace of mind is so important. If anything ever happened and Steve racked up a huge vet bill, I would have a very difficult time with my husband about it (he's the breadwinner, and Steve is pretty much MY dog . I know we'd end up paying for whatever he needed, but it would be tough, and not to mention would put a huge financial strain on our family. So for me, $200/year is a small price to pay so I never have to have that discussion!


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## KCY

I'm glad I read this. I have Trupanion and could not decide to keep it or cancel. Majority of ppl I have spoken to dont have insurance. I've even read a few articles that say it is a waste of money.. but I think I will keep it. Mortgage, bills etc, there's no way we can afford to shell out 7K and not get it back..


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## StevieB

Just A Girl said:


> I would loooove to get health insurance for my dogs. Unfortunately, I can't get my husband on board with it. He thinks it's unneccessary. Ugh! We had a miniature poodle/shih tzu mix that passed away 5 years ago at the age of 12. He had something going on, but all of his bloodwork was negative. The vet recommended an exploratory CT scan, which would have cost around $1700, & still might not be conclusive. At the time his troubles started, our little Trooper was around 10 yrs old & hubby just was not willing to spend the money, & I wasn't working at the time, so I wasn't bringing in any income. I hate it when I think back on all of it. And it makes me so mad that he STILL refuses to get insurance!
> Did anyone else here successfully persuade their spouse to see the practicality of it? Because even after that, mine still doesn't. SMH! And with Cupcake being a mill dog, it's a chance I don't want to take. Especially because her legs are so bowed from being in a crate her whole life. I'm sure she'll have joint issues in her future :crying:
> And not to mention, my mini schnauzer is almost 13, & Daisy is a BYB dog, so who knows what problems she may encounter...and off topic, I was in Petco the other day & they had all these different breed books, & I'm more convinced than ever that Daisy is a bichon mix. And I'm not sure anymore that she's even part maltese. I'll never know! But I still love her to bits, of course!


Your hubs sounds like my hubs! I just signed up for it online one day and told him about it later. It was less than $200 for the year, that's like a grocery bill for us, so I just went with the whole "don't ask for permission ask for forgiveness" train of thought!. :HistericalSmiley: He just rolled his eyes. But he did agree that he probably wouldn't willingly cough up thousands for a vet bill so he didn't fuss about it. I would look into it for your younger dogs b/c you probably couldn't get insurance on your 13 y.o. dog, and maybe not on Cupcake depending on how old she is (I think there's an age cutoff). I signed Steve up as a maltese mix since he's from a rescue and doesn't have papers, and frankly he looks like a mix! It was a little cheaper than purebred maltese.


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## StevieB

KCY said:


> I'm glad I read this. I have Trupanion and could not decide to keep it or cancel. Majority of ppl I have spoken to dont have insurance. I've even read a few articles that say it is a waste of money.. but I think I will keep it. Mortgage, bills etc, there's no way we can afford to shell out 7K and not get it back..


Insurance IS a waste of money until you need it! Probably too depends on what type of dog you have. Some dogs are just more prone to problems/injuries than others don't you think?


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## pippersmom

KCY said:


> I'm glad I read this. I have Trupanion and could not decide to keep it or cancel. Majority of ppl I have spoken to dont have insurance. I've even read a few articles that say it is a waste of money.. but I think I will keep it. Mortgage, bills etc, there's no way we can afford to shell out 7K and not get it back..


I also have Trupanion. Just signed up for it a month ago. Its about all we have here in Ontario. I was given a brochure of it from the vet when I first got Pipper but I didn't take the insurance then. Now I'm sorry since he has asymptomatic LP that is now pre existing so he won't be covered for that if it causes him problems. I just pray I NEVER need to use the insurance for any reason but I like the peace of mind that it gives me.


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## KCY

StevieB said:


> Insurance IS a waste of money until you need it! Probably too depends on what type of dog you have. Some dogs are just more prone to problems/injuries than others don't you think?


 

Exactly. When problem arises and don't have insurance, you wish you did. So, I think its worth it. My pup jumped off the couch and he hurt himself.. was limping for a few days. Thank God it was not serious and xray was not needed. However, Trupanion covered the medicine.


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## RE823

Bentley has VPI. Right now we are battling liver issues and I sleep at night knowing I will get reimbursed. So far I have spent $900 this week and doesn't include the 1 month follow up. 

I chose VPI because of the rider for wellness. He is just a year so I got it knowing I want to get chip chipped and we have flea issues so some of that is covered

So glad I bought it





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## Snowbody

Just found out one of my friend's daschund's had a bad back problem needing lots of diagnostics and meds and then found a lump on her other one which was operated on and cancer She is racking up huge bills and has no insurance it all happened in a heartbeat. We never know! Hey i didn't expect to injure my knee so badly and with deductible and co-insurance owe $7000. Without insurance it would be around $80,000. I'm a believer in insurance!


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## S&LP'S Mommy

I so wish I would not have only thought of getting it for Lola but actually have gone through with it. I had it in Florida for Sasha until we moved to NYC and lost our insurance. At the time she was 10 so no insurance would accept her. Now with Lola's condition I don't think we will be able to get her insured. Please learn from my mistake and get your dogs insured, had it been something worse who knows how much I would owe, are bills were expensive but still somewhat affordable for us.


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## Mindy's Mom

Due to reading these posts last week I bought Mindy pet insurance with Trupanion! My vet said out of all of them she like this the most.
- Provides 90% coverage for treatments of injuries & illnesses 
- Has no financial limits: Per year, per illness or per pet
- Covers approved surgeries, diagnostic tests, medications & hospital stays 
- Covers therapeutic pet foods & dietary supplements 
- Pays customer based on actual veterinarian bill – NOT on pre-determined benefits schedule
- Pays customer based on actual veterinarian bill – NOT on pre-determined benefits schedule
- Allows customers to choose their own deductible amount (including a $0 deductible)


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## BentleyG

After reading this I am going to get pet insurance for Bentley. Thank you for sharing.


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## Betty Johnson

I just got VPI for my three girls. Wish I had done it sooner. After I saw the vet bill for Beth's spay I decided it was a good idea. It was too late for her bills, but it sure will help with the other two's spays. I opted for the higher end plan and added the wellness program. Looks like is going to run me about $140 a month for all three. I haven't told my husband...he thinks it is a waste of money. He has no clue what vet bills over the last year have totaled...


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## nwyant1946

*When I tell people that I have medical insurance on Mia they says I'm going overboard. She also has her own credit card...used only for her for the vet's office. It even has her picture on it. 
*
*But, if I ever need it, that insurance will come in handy. I have Pet Plan...$200 deductible and 100% reimbursement plan.
*


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## Mason Mom

Before I brought Mason home, I looked at a few plans but opted out when I signed up for the plans with PetsMart. February of this year Mason was bitten by a German Sheppard at daycare which resulted in a collapsed lung and fractured rib. My baby flat-lined at one point. His sitter had insurance with Dogvacay but I had to be reimbursed which is fine. However I had to pay his $1700 bill before he could be released. I say that to say this...what if I didn't have the money to pay it.....what if she didn't have insurance and there was no reimbursement? Reading through the comments I will surely get some insurance TODAY.


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## Furbabies mom

My Violet had pancreatitis this winter. Her vet bill was 1,800 at the pet ER and 200.00 at the regular vet. I was reimbursed over 1,500 with Pet Plan. I did have to pay first, but the reimbursement didn't take too long.


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## Betty Johnson

Beth's annual exam, 6 month of ComboGuard and shots were $399 and VPI covered $140.


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## sherry

When I got Riley I got VPI with the wellness program. It runs 35. a month it has so far paid for all his vaccinations, his blood work when he was neutered, $20. on his microchip, and it pays for his heartworm protection. Gotta call tomorrow and get it started on Sissy!


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## Betty Johnson

I got my insurance in June...it includes the wellness program. All three girls are now covered.


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## Kathy Tobacco

We just paid a small fortune to try to save my maltese Paris's life to no avail and I thought about pet insurance but a friend who works in a vets office told me consumer reports groups say it is a poor value. We looked into it and in the past 10 years it would have cost us more money than we paid even with Paris's last expenses. With insurance you are always betting against yourself to some extent, so there is the chance you will spend more on insurance than on claims. Still after crunching the numbers for our three pets, we are going to just stay self- insured. The analogy between having people and pets insured isn't exactly perfect either. Dog surgeries and medical cost hurt sure but wouldn't break us as could cost with our human children. Humans can intellectualize the extreme measures that are so often so expensive in medicine. For example, I wouldn't put a pet through stem cell cancer treatment even if it were free (I doubt many pet insurance plans would pay out a million anyway) but I would want it for my human family members who could understand the suffering is worth the payoff. Or even for a child who could maybe understand it someday. I wouldn't do it to a dog, but that is just me. So it is good to consider but it is good to really crunch the numbers too and do what is best for your individual financial situation.


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## Cyndilou

We also have pet plan. Haven't had to use it yet grateful I have it though.


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## BeBe N Lolli

Has anyone tried ASPCA Pet Insurance? I'm looking into it and it seems the profits would go somewhere beneficial.


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## greczv

Hi guys. Just wondering what type of proof of breed a company like Pet Plan needs? Both of my boys are rescue so there isn't any "bloodline" paperwork or official breeder information for them.


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## StevieB

I have Pet Plan, my guy is a rescue. I signed him up as a maltese mix (which was cheaper than maltese, and I am pretty sure he is a mix with poodle or bichon), and they never asked for proof of breed. I have never made a claim though. I would guess if it was an issue they'd ask the vet?


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## SammieMom

Celeta is right as far as PP. They never ask for proof of anything. just sign up and pay a premium. And if you file a claim, everything is communicated/verified by the vetenarian. 

PS-I ask vets office to submit everything to PP. (I gave a blank unsigned claim form to vet to scan in their system). Just need to remind them ea time.


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## Hi-5

Hi! I am getting pet insurance for my pup when I get him, because of pre-existing conditions exclusions. But I am concerned, what if I decide to switch insurance plans? Will previously illness covered by a plan be considered pre-exisiting if I ever change plans?


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## Dominic

Hi-5 said:


> Hi! I am getting pet insurance for my pup when I get him, because of pre-existing conditions exclusions. But I am concerned, what if I decide to switch insurance plans? Will previously illness covered by a plan be considered pre-exisiting if I ever change plans?



If you switch insurance companies they will consider previous illness as pre-existent conditions. We had VPI for the boys since day 1 and I switch it over to Healthy Paws but had to keep Ben on VPI as he has been diagnosed with level 1 LP and anything related to it would not be covered on Healthy Paws. 

I have Dom and Elena on HP and Ben on VPI. Here is a link you might like to read about our choice on the insurance companies. I'm happy with both companies but believe HP has a few better benefits. 

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194218

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## espresso

Funny thing as we are about to get our Snoopy in August. My wife works for CVS pharmacy and she just received some promo ad that pet insurance can now be take out of her check. Has anyone dealt with CVS pet insurance?


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## ckanen2n

I have Nationwide Pet Insurance (previously VPI) for my two boys. I had the older policy with condition caps, but switched to the newer wellness plan, which is the best policy. It covers everything, including titres, homeopathic meds, accupuncture, PT, - anything and everything including vaccines and wellness exams! There is a $250 deductible per year, but then covers 90% after that. The most important thing is to insure as a puppy before any pre-existing conditions pop up. I pay ~ $116/month for both of my fluffs to be insured. Peace of mind is priceless!


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## ckanen2n

Another good thing to have is Care Credit card to use at the vet before reimbursement is received from insurance. I use it to cover expenses up front and then pay Care Credit after I receive reimbursement. This way I separate canine medical bills from everyday stuff.


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## espresso

Thank you, wife is already looking into it and has a co worker that has VPI but the numbers(premium) seem to be higher here in Southern California for deductibles. I sill have a month before we pick up our Snoopy. We will do our research and get the insurance as soon as we have him on hand.

Thank you



ckanen2n said:


> I have Nationwide Pet Insurance (previously VPI) for my two boys. I had the older policy with condition caps, but switched to the newer wellness plan, which is the best policy. It covers everything, including titres, homeopathic meds, accupuncture, PT, - anything and everything including vaccines and wellness exams! There is a $250 deductible per year, but then covers 90% after that. The most important thing is to insure as a puppy before any pre-existing conditions pop up. I pay ~ $116/month for both of my fluffs to be insured. Peace of mind is priceless!


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## Happinesstogo

I'm comparing pet insurance plans. Anyone know anything about Healthy Paws. An internet site gave it the number one ranking. My vet's office didn't even have a brochure on it. Just wondering?

Lainie


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## Iubire14

We love petplan. It is a bit pricey but our Sugarplum has MVD so we are always back and forth at the vet , especially with BAT.
We got her on petplan since she was a puppy, she is now 5/12 and i just recently went over all of our paid out claims, *we have a big claim coming soon* and petplan has paid as back over $17,000 in the last 5 years.
They are a GODSEND


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## MG10603

Do you have a wellness plan with your insurance or do you recommend a major medical plan for acute illness?

Thanks


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## Snowbody

MG10603 said:


> Do you have a wellness plan with your insurance or do you recommend a major medical plan for acute illness?
> 
> Thanks


The plan I've had is only for illness or injury but it also covers congenital diseases etc. Well care isn't the thing that costs a lot. It's the diagnostics...exrays, MRIs, USs that cost the big bucks and also some meds and treatments. The normal vet visits are much smaller potatoes.


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## Ragamuffin

RE823 said:


> Bentley has VPI. Right now we are battling liver issues and I sleep at night knowing I will get reimbursed. So far I have spent $900 this week and doesn't include the 1 month follow up.
> 
> I chose VPI because of the rider for wellness. He is just a year so I got it knowing I want to get chip chipped and we have flea issues so some of that is covered
> 
> So glad I bought it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


What plan is VPI? I want to get insurance for my 6 mo old but the choices are overwhelming. I am concerned about foreign body ingestion and potential congenital issues and trying to find a plan that covers both.


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## maddysmom

Happinesstogo said:


> I'm comparing pet insurance plans. Anyone know anything about Healthy Paws. An internet site gave it the number one ranking. My vet's office didn't even have a brochure on it. Just wondering?
> 
> Lainie


I have had Healthy Paws for the past 7 years and have been pretty happy with them. They have paid somewhere between 50-60 thousand dollars on Lacies medical issues.
The only thing I have been annoyed with, is this past year they seem to deny everything. Even things they have covered for the past 7 years will get denied. So the inconvenience for me to have to call everytime I file a claim is really annoying, to the point that I would think twice before I referred them like I do. They did go up over $100 Per month this last year for my 3 girls plan, whereas in the past, it was just a few dollars. 
Overall, they have been pretty good.


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