Pet Insurance

[nkjvcjs]

I am starting to look into pet insurance for my current dogs. I want to get started now so that I have a clear history and relationship with the company before my puppy comes.
Does anyone have any experience with the companies out there?
I note that they will not cover injuries arising from racing or coursing. For anyone with experience, does this mean that they will try to call any injury coursing or racing related, even if it happens far from the field or track?

I didn't see an exception for agility related injuries?

Also, they will not cover hereditary issues. Obviously for the basenji this means fanconi, IPSD, PRA, HA… has anyone run into anything else?

Thanks,

Nicole

[AJs Human]

Excellent question. I don't have an answer, but rather, would like to see what others have to say. Question, though…what do they cover? Seems most of the health issues are already excluded…

[thunderbird8588]

Sorry Nicole, cant answer your question either, but am interested to see what others have to say. We too are at the point of looking into insurance before we get our pup.
It is something that we have never done before with our pets but vets fees are so scary that i feel we must. My hubby thinks we should just open a special account and pay into it but i just know we wouldnt do it. I am going to look at confused .com or a similar comparison site for info.

[Elscodobermann]

Well as an insurance broker i suppose i should recommend insuring your dogs - but - i dont with mine - i just keep a credit card with a high limit specifically for dogs vets fees - suppose i have been lucky in that over the past 25 yrs my dogs have had very few serious ilnesses, so its worked for me but am sure others may not have been so lucky.

[Rita Jean]

I went onto google and ask any good pet insurance for there value. There are tons of answers but you might look at these two.
http://www.consumerreports.org
then I found ask.netafilter.com scroll down a ways and read what they have to say. Seems they found plan's they like. Pet Plan or Pet First.

Rita Jean

[sharronhurlbut]

Some years back, Consumer Report did a study on Pet insurance co and said its better to put $50 a month into a pet saving account.
The issues were the deductables, and some things not covered…
At least, that is what I remember for them putting thumbs down.

[Rita Jean]

I looked at one plan it did not seem to be a bad plan and covered about everything and cost was fairly low. Pet Plan like $2hundred something year.

Rita Jean

[agilebasenji]

Rita Jean -
I couldn't get that ask.netafilter.com - could you recheck that link please?
was curious

[Rita Jean]

I went back had a hard time getting it but got it.
http://ask.netafilter.com
if that does not work I went to google - this what I typed and it came up.
(ask netafilter for dog insurance).

Rita Jean

[lvoss]

Here is a website that has reviews and shows prices and services of many of the pet insurance companies.

http://www.petinsurancereview.com/index.asp

[Kananga]

@lvoss:

Here is a website that has reviews and shows prices and services of many of the pet insurance companies.

http://www.petinsurancereview.com/index.asp

Thanks for the link. I've been considering this as some plans are not all that expensive. For around $30/mo, it would be $1800 over 5 years in premiums and that leaves a ton of exposure for something to happen.

I might pick up a policy sometime in the next year when Kananga turns 2 yrs old. Vet bills can be expensive.

PurinaCare? Pet Health Insurance - seems like a solid choice from what I've read.

[wizard]

I guess I would rather put $30 a month into a special account just for the dog and then not have to worry about deductibles and non-coverage. I know vet bills can add up (when EL D got terminally ill it cost me about $2400) but I'd rather have all the possibilities covered than to find out an insurance won't cover this or that when you most need it.

[nkjvcjs]

I guess my worries are that I won't be disciplined enough to put the money aside, or to not touch it one it is there.
I would want coverage for foreign body, bloat, broken bones, dislocated joints, and most of all cancer.

[lvoss]

You should go to your bank and see if you can set up a special savings account where they deduct $30 a month from your checking account and deposit it in that savings account. Sort of like a vacation or Christmas account except you wouldn't neccessarily be making a yearly withdrawl.

[johngcase]

We use VPI for our two. Fast response & great customer service. Rates vary per plan.

[BART]

Just putting it out there…check with your car or homeowners company. They may offer it but not really advertise and you might get a break on price if you are already a client. I've seen commercials for Progressive auto that says that they automatically insure your pet as part of the auto policy. Don't know any details, just a commercial I've seen.