I will purchase/adopt a dog before the year's end. I need your ideas about pet insurance.?

Question

I have looked on the web and researched this topic, received quotes, what have you. But I want to know how it REALLY works from those of you who have it/used it. I am looking at least $275.00 annually for the type of dog I would like (chihuaha or min-pin). Not bad, but just want to know if it's worth it. Thanks.

Answer 1

Pet insurance is a great idea! They reimburse you for payment on covered claims at your vet. You can go to any licensed vet in the world, submit the invoice and claim and they reimburse you. VPI has a plan that covers routine care (annual exam, vaccines, heartworm test, fecal, annual dental cleaning, labwork, etc), but some argue that these are things you can budget for, therefore you don't need that coverage. They do have basic plans just for emergencies and illnesses and also extra coverage for cancer treatments. PetCare Insurance is the other brand I am somewhat familiar with. They do not have a routine care plan, because you can budget for it, but have different levels of plans depending on the type of coverage you think you will need. The websites are www.petinsurance.com and www.petcareinsurance.com. Insurance is a good idea no matter what kind of dog you have, because you know you can go the extra mile and treat the dog for problems when you normally wouldn't have the money for it. It helps insure that your pet's care doesn't just come down to money, but what you really want and what your pet really needs. Several of our clients use VPI and are very satisfied. They generally reimburse a large portion of the bill. Some clients that have had to go to the emergency clinic were reimbursed almost all of a $500 to $800 bill. Money well spent.

Answer 2

I tried to find the statistic that talks about what people spend on their pets annually and wasn't able to get my hands on it quickly. I did find that in 2005, $8.7 billion was spent by U.S. pet owners on veterinary care.

We have insurance for our dog this time because I lost a dog to cancer and went through a fairly traumatic accident experience with him that racked up a pretty good sized vet bill.

The trouble with insurance (all insurance, whether home or car) is that you just never know when you're really going to need it, and if you wait until the accident or bill illness hits, it's too late.

I personally believe that insurance is a great option because I now know that I can just tell the vet to do whatever it takes if/when something happens, knowing that it's not all coming out of my pocket or going on my credit card. That security to me is definitely worth the money I spend (around $30/month).

p.s. We really love our Pets Best company. I researched the others, as well, but felt like I was getting the best deal with Pets Best (higher limits and more willingness to pay a straight 80% after the deductible than some of the other companies).

Answer 3

I don't think, unless it covers 100% of the shots, meds, etc, that it is worth it. Not all vets will take it, most will make you still pay in advance and get reimbursed anyhow. My annual costs out of pocket for my dog's expenses is usually around $250-300. without any insurance, and that's not including heartworm and flea meds. If the policy will also cover meds than it is worth it. Otherwise, forget it. The last time my dog was sick it cost 200.00. The xrays, etc. were what cost the big bucks. A smallish dog you don't have to worry about the joints needing to be replaced like bigger breeds, that would be a huge cost...You are very wise to consider the cost of the care for your pet, too many people get into pet ownership without considering that it will cost money for the pet's upkeep. However, for a small young dog in good health it sounds like you are better off paying as you go. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

We have several of our clients enrolled with VPI. As a licensed Vet Tech, it makes our job a lot easier at the clinic. We can recommend the best treatment which can be costly, and the client can say "go ahead" with out worrying about the costs. Pet insurance helps cover part of the costs with routine procedures such as spaying/neautering and vaccinations and can cover most if not all of the cost associated with an emergency. I have seriously seen pet insurance make the difference between the life and death of a pet. Ask yourself if you could afford a $1000 surgery for a fracture repair if you were to accidently step on a tiny little dog like a chihuahua.

Answer 5

For a puppy which you plan to get neutered VPI is the best deal out there. A year of coverage, with the preventative health care option, will actually pay for itself after a neuter, vaccinations, check ups, heartworm prevention, and flea medication. And for the next year you are covered incase of any accidents. Broken legs in toy breeds can run $2,000 or more and are most common before 1 year of age.

I would recommend VPI with the preventative option to anyone getting a new puppy who is sure they will get their dog fixed. Actually I would recommend it for anyone getting a new puppy, but it is literally at $0 cost if you know you are getting the spay/neuter surgery done.

http://www.petinsurance.com

Check it out.

Someone mentioned finding a vet that accepts it... VPI and almost all of the other plans are reimbursement plans. They are valid at any licensed vet or veterinary hospital in the US and some in Canada. With just about all of them, you need to have the funds availible to start (like a spare credit card just for your baby) And the plan repays you minus the deductible when you make a claim. Some vets will allow you to have an outstanding balance if they know you have valid insurance, but that is more the exception than the rule.

Answer 6

It is absolutely worth it. The first few years will only be used for routine things like shots or teeth cleaning, etc... However, as your dog ages, the more serious things start coming up. This cost a fortune. I spent $1100 on my chihuahua to get teeth removed, $200 for kennel cough. $150 for anal gland surgery. Plus the regular stuff. She is 10 yrs old and the expenses keep piling up. I wish I had gotten the insurance when she was a puppy.

Answer 7

All I can tell you is that in the nine years that I have owned my Lab Is that I have probably spent close to $10,000 at the vet on various things , a few surgerys,annual checkups, but most costly would be treatment for skin problems and allergies, right now I am currently spending appx.$360.00 per month on allergy medication which finally seems to be working for her. Sometimes I wished that I had purchased pet insurance.Hope thsi gives you some guidance.

Answer 8

I just got it on my 2 new kitties and I love it!!! We use the vets at Pet Smart and the insurance is through them. When it comes time to have them neutered it will be covered under the insurance. I don't pay for office visits either. Look into it seriously.

Answer 9

Why do you need pet insurance? Is this the animal health insurance?

Or in case he bites someone and they sue? You do not need this type of insurance for the type of dog you are getting. Train him well and you should not have a problem.

Don't waist your money.

Answer 10

You can go to petfinder.com and find out a wealth of information
from petcare insurance.