Pet Insurance?

[ruester007]

Sorry to hear about your dog. I have a bulldog and typically they are the sweetest most docile dogs around. That said I have VPI pet insurance coverage. They have been great and have always paid around 50-75% of the bill. Service is outstanding as well.
d

[mitt]

IMO, pet insurance is kind of like extended warranty - if the companies didn't make good profit, they wouldn't offer the "service". 

So, unless they pay a random one-time really big emergency bill (which sounds unlikely from the replies here) the odds are, you will end up loosing money over the life of the policy for routine vet bills.

Better off to stick your 15/month away in your sock drawer, and use it when you need it.

mitt

[metallimonster]

IMO, pet insurance is kind of like extended warranty - if the companies didn't make good profit, they wouldn't offer the "service". 

So, unless they pay a random one-time really big emergency bill (which sounds unlikely from the replies here) the odds are, you will end up loosing money over the life of the policy for routine vet bills.

Better off to stick your 15/month away in your sock drawer, and use it when you need it.

mitt

I don't know man I pay $240 a year and my friend just took their dog for a round of shots and it was about $200.  Shots come twice a year along with all of the other stuff that goes wrong.  I know we have saved at least $700 bucks this year. 

[mitt]

I don't know man I pay $240 a year and my friend just took their dog for a round of shots and it was about $200.  Shots come twice a year along with all of the other stuff that goes wrong.  I know we have saved at least $700 bucks this year. 

Not being an a$$, but If everyone saved $700 a year, every year, wouldn't the insurance company go out of business? 

I do agree, some years you will come out ahead, and some behind, but if everyone came out ahead 100% of the time, the companies would either raise their rates, lower their eligible expenses, or go out of business.

Will the insurance pay 100% of the $200 shot bill?

How did you have $940 in bills this year?  What would be your 'typical' yearly expense?


mitt

[TiNi]

she's just peeved we made her sit across the room and used her cone for tennis ball beer pong.

[ute]

Well ours was a rip off

California  our  Pyrenees  Wolfhound cross blew out both crucial ligaments  cost was $4000 per leg ..we had insurance but they would not pay 


letters  back and forth ..phone calls etc ....finally threatened them with legal  action  they ended up paying $2000 ..a bunch of legal crap about time frame  max in one year crap ..my lawyer agreed with what they said as per fine print in contract

so in my opinion its a scam

our provider was Petplan

[metallimonster]

I guess my situation is a little diferent.  Our insurance is actually through the network of vets (Banfield Hospitals)not through an outside insurance company. This means that I do not have to submit any claim but just go there and pay nothing for checkups.  Like I said before my dog likes to get hotspots at least 3 times a year and I just checked the bill and  it would have cost around 120 bucks for the office visit, shave of area, steriod shot, and meds.  We paid 16 bucks out of pocket.  I'm sure they overstate the cost of things a little but when we first went there the showed us how much it would cost without the insurance and one semi-annual checkup was a little less than the yearly premium.  Not having to pay for the office visit really makes a difference.  Anytime we think something might be wrong we take her there and they check her out for free. The insurance also does not cover any kind of surgeries or anything like that so it is more of a maintenance plan if you want to look at it that way.   

[hbliam]

I don't know man I pay $240 a year and my friend just took their dog for a round of shots and it was about $200.  Shots come twice a year along with all of the other stuff that goes wrong.  I know we have saved at least $700 bucks this year. 

Your friend is going to the wrong vet.  My dogs shot's cost about $50 a year. If she doesn't get in any trouble then that's my yearly cost. I did have her in for surgery last week to flush a clogged up anal gland. WHile she was under they cut her nails, removed a wart, and gave her her needed shots for the year. $192.

[JEFF_H]

we used to have a cheap vet (good too)
but its a 12 hour drive to go there now 

we went to a new vet here...and they were trying to 'up-sell' us on everything 
plus they were selling Science Diet food in the office, which if you read the label is overpriced CRAP.

I trust the new vet that they are really only going to do necessary stuff...but they arent really cheap
the vet is a 65-ish woman that sounds (and smells) like she smokes 8 packs a day.
but it's like finding a mechanic...you have to trust that they are doing what needs to be done and not just trying to screw you.

[hbliam]

we used to have a cheap vet (good too)
but its a 12 hour drive to go there now 

we went to a new vet here...and they were trying to 'up-sell' us on everything 
plus they were selling Science Diet food in the office, which if you read the label is overpriced CRAP.

I trust the new vet that they are really only going to do necessary stuff...but they arent really cheap
the vet is a 65-ish woman that sounds (and smells) like she smokes 8 packs a day.
but it's like finding a mechanic...you have to trust that they are doing what needs to be done and not just trying to screw you.

Find a local dog park. Ask around for the preferred local vet. Also ask where the police take their K9's. Usually the best vets as well.