Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (Full Version)

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[Poll]

Pet insurance, what is your view about it???


Pet insurance is necessary for every pet.
  20% (4)
Pet insurance is completely unneccessary.
  15% (3)
Pet insurance for cats is important
  5% (1)
Pet insurance for cats is unneccesary.
  5% (1)
Pet insurance for dogs is important.
  5% (1)
Pet insurance for dogs is unneccesary.
  0% (0)
Necessity of pet insurance depends on pet.
  35% (7)
I joined pet insurance after I had to pay a massive bill without one.
  5% (1)
My pet insurance is great.
  10% (2)
My pet insurance annoyed me a lot.
  0% (0)


Total Votes : 20
(last vote on : 3/22/2011 1:10:04 PM)
(Poll will run till: -- )


Message

Phoenixpower -> Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 8:42:47 AM)

Do you have pet insurance or not, do you have it (or not) for a particular reason. Did you gain any particular experiences with having pet insurance which you would like to share?

When I got my birman last year I was at first with the pet insurance which you often get automatically dumped into when you buy a pedigree cat, but then decied after about 3 months to stop paying it that they take me off (as I experienced in the past that this is at times easier to get rid off them than doing it the polite way where they sometimes try to get another payment off you).

I simply don't have pet insurance as I have the aim to safe up a monthly amount in a seperate account for pet emergencies, because reflecting back to the numerous cats I had there was so far never a need to have insurance, because once they were diagnosed with cat HIV or leukemia there wasn't much the vet could do.

Also my previous vet told me that if summer would have needed a cesarian that this would have been an example where it makes a difference to have pet insurance or not (so finger crossed she will deliver without problems again next month).

So I do understand that at times it can be helpful but I don't consider it to be necessary for my cats and believe that you are also reasonably safe if you just safe up a certain amount (if you are in a position to be able to do so) on a monthly basis which then you are able to use for anything else in case you never need it, later in life.

However, I think I would take out one if I would own a dog, as I heard the bills for dog would be way more expensive, and that view got confirmed to me when I see the prices on the homepage from my new vet, so I think with a dog I would go for one.

At my new vets homepage is the offer vaccination for life, where they offer you pay £99.99 once and then your pet will get guaranteed his/her vaccinations as long as s/he lives...but there again I simply think that whilst it can be a huge saving it can also be a massive overpayment if you aren't lucky enough that your pet will live very long...and that offer is only for people with pet insurance so I wouldn't qualify for that anyway.

What is your view? or experiences, in that respect? Multiple answers are allowed.



myotherself -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 8:49:30 AM)

I took out pet insurance on both my dogs. It costs around £250 a year for each pet. Both dogs are 8 years old, so that's pretty much £2000 apiece it's cost so far.

My westie has had surgery (cost £500) and then nothing until a couple of years ago he developed a skin condition. Thanks to his insurance he can have a rather wonderful monthly treatment which leaves him healthy and well. Every year this costs around £1500, and he's on it for life.

My bichon started with knee and hip trouble before she was a year old, and then she developed a bad digestive problem which needed surgery to fix. With all her operations to date, it's around £8000. She's now on a joint treatment program that will go on until she dies, and costs around £500 a year.

I love my pet insurance! They pay up quickly, and without a murmur. They even paid in advance when one dog needed an MRI costing £1000. The deal is that my excess (currently £90 per condition per year) may go up with inflation, but my premiums won't go up a lot, just because I make regular claims.



Musicmystery -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 9:01:42 AM)

The last I looked at it (and that's a few years back), it was pricey enough that I'd rather take on the cost risk myself.



LillyBoPeep -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 9:08:35 AM)

with my doggie's current health issue, i wish i'd had it, but i don't really see it as necessary.  and since the costs of treating him will be spread out over time, it's not like something huge and catastrophic that has to be paid for all at once, so it won't be TOO much of a problem. 



Phoenixpower -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 9:08:40 AM)

I also know someone (previous client) who has a dog who needs monthly any supplement or tablets, whatever it was where she told me how little she pays for them compared to what she would have to pay if she wouldnt be on insurance. So I think it is really helpful if you have a dog (from the little I do know about actually owning a dog [8|]).

But yes, musicmystery it is pricey and I am not willing to pay that for my cats considering how little it would have helped in my 27 years of owning cats...I just felt that for me it isnt beneficial.



Arpig -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 9:22:05 AM)

I have never had pet insurance for any of my cats. Its too expensive. It costs more per year than my cats' medical costs on average. Yes I've had a few whopping big bills over the years, but my vet takes payments.



0ldhen -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 9:33:11 AM)


I believe in pet insurance 110%, it is awesome.

It costs me 320. dollars a year for my three cats. But look at it this way;

Well kitty visit 2x a year @ 90. per visit = 180. per cat (this includes yearly shots and rabies tags and yearly labs)
Times 3 cates = 540. per year
Advantage pro worm preventative drops= 32. per application
3 cats x 4 applications per year,12 tubes=384.per year
Dental cleaning =125. per visit
3cats @ one visit per year=375.per year


Grand total if I paid out of pocket 1299.00

Keep in mind, the insurance cover accidents, illnesses, medicines, anything they need except the monthy expence of Frontline Pro that I use to prevent fleas, ticks, lice and mosquitos.

I buy mine directly from my vet, there is a 25 dollar copay for emergency visits and that is the only extra cost involved.



Arpig -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 9:49:44 AM)

quote:

It costs me 320. dollars a year for my three cats. But look at it this way;
$320 for all three cats? Or for each? If its for all three, then that's really reasonable, Hell it's more than reasonable, its a bargain!



Phoenixpower -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 10:26:39 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: 0ldhen


I believe in pet insurance 110%, it is awesome.

It costs me 320. dollars a year for my three cats. But look at it this way;

Well kitty visit 2x a year @ 90. per visit = 180. per cat (this includes yearly shots and rabies tags and yearly labs)
Times 3 cates = 540. per year
Advantage pro worm preventative drops= 32. per application
3 cats x 4 applications per year,12 tubes=384.per year
Dental cleaning =125. per visit
3cats @ one visit per year=375.per year


Grand total if I paid out of pocket 1299.00

Keep in mind, the insurance cover accidents, illnesses, medicines, anything they need except the monthy expence of Frontline Pro that I use to prevent fleas, ticks, lice and mosquitos.

I buy mine directly from my vet, there is a 25 dollar copay for emergency visits and that is the only extra cost involved.


Well, I viewed it this way that I paid 14.98 a month, which is 179.76 a year for just that cat... and if I pay that for each of my five cats it would mean £898.80 per year (though they might have any discount offer for more than one cat, I did not ask about that).

And to be honest, under normal circumstances I certainly don't have that to pay for their yearly shots...thats why I decided to safe up for it monthly on a separate, though thats not possible right now but right now I also wouldnt be able to afford their insurance fee...



Kana -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 10:31:08 AM)

I have it on the all three cats, and like Oldhen, it's paid for itself every year on just routine maintenance and it's saved me thousands in emergency care.
I think its about $30 a month, which isn't a whole lot of money to pay for peace of mind.
Plus, and this is big, I love my babies. I don't ever want to be in a place where I have to make a life or death choice for them based on finances. Insurance won't eliminate that fear, but it sure removes the majority of it.
IJMHO, but I think all responsible animal owners (by which I mean dogs, cats etc....not goldfish), should carry pet insurance.
You insure your kids, why not the other lovable critters?



Phoenixpower -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 10:45:54 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Kana
IJMHO, but I think all responsible animal owners (by which I mean dogs, cats etc....not goldfish), should carry pet insurance.
You insure your kids, why not the other lovable critters?


whilst insurance can make a difference in choices in different circumstances it does not mean it has to be the case. When I save up a regular monthly sum over the years I am also likely to have the ability to pay treatment when necessary, that doesnt mean I have to spend it on the insurance company itself. In the past, not having pet insurance, never impacted the decision taken by the vet.

Most of the time I am able to pay bigger bills should it be necessary or at least knowing who is able to help me out when necessary. Luckily, in regards to pets, it was never neccessary that far as I never had such big bills.

Therefore having insurance or not doest imply any judgment to me if a person is a responsible pet owner or not.



CoyoteMan -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 10:59:46 AM)

quote:

In the past, not having pet insurance, never impacted the decision taken by the vet.

And I agree with your statement. However, situations and veternarian fees don't stay static.
I predict that in the near future, you will have to have pet insurance to bring your pet to a veternarian for treatment. For example, dogs and cats suffer more often from human diseases, arthritis, cancer, etc . Treatments for such problems are costly thus forcing the issue of pet insurance on us. (Obviously promoted by a group of insurance companies and veternarians/animal hospitals.)
Vets will say if you don't have pet insurance, we won't treat your pet. Just like humans.
In the future, we may not have a choice.



windchymes -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 11:00:40 AM)

I like the theory behind pet insurance, but like human health care, it's enabling the vet's to jack the costs of veterinary care and products ridiculously and astronomically.

Not so long ago, you could get your dog spayed for well under $100. The quote I got for my current dog was $350 just for the spay itself, plus over $100 for pre-hospitalization labwork, plus "kennel charges". THEN, they try to upsell you with pain meds, and "special" post-surgery water that "helps" them. Water, for god's sake! And the final bill is near $1000.

Someone I know took their puppy in to get neutered, then got a call at work saying that they could not do the neuter because the pup still had some baby teeth, and they can't neuter when they still have baby teeth......but, since the dog was already under the anesthesia, if they paid a couple hundred dollars more, they would go ahead and extract the teeth and then do the neuter so the dog wouldn't have to come back in to be put under again. Absolute pure bullshit.

Of course, the people with insurance get the "special" rates, and those without insurance pay the grossly over-inflated rates, just like in people medicine.

I will say, this is northern VA east coast pricing and asininity....hopefully it's a little more sane in the midwest. I think just putting away a little money each month, and using common sense when you hear sales pitch for all these products they try to sell you is the smartest way to go. Also, get second opinions for surgeries, just like you do in people medicine.



Phoenixpower -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 11:38:45 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: windchymes

I like the theory behind pet insurance, but like human health care, it's enabling the vet's to jack the costs of veterinary care and products ridiculously and astronomically.

Also, get second opinions for surgeries, just like you do in people medicine.


Thats a good thought IMO.

I also recently looked around for a new vet as I moved and accidentially stumbled at first on a home page in a neighbouring borough (whilst they would cover my area its not worth it the hassle to get there without a car) and at their homepage to get my cat neutered cost double as much as where I am going to go now where I pay 25 pound for it. they charge for dogs 75-90 pound to get them neutered. So its reasonable here...thankfully...

Its just that back home we had a bad spell where most of our cats died within their first four years and when I imagine having paid insurance for them it wouldn't actually have helped much, which is why I prefer to save it up on my own terms and conditions than others telling me about how much to pay and if I don't need it its gone down the drain. I know that if my cat needs a cesarean in one of her final two litters she is going to have in her life that it will cost me a fair amount, but I take that risk by choice and am willing to pay for that if that would be the case (though fingers crossed its not being necessary).



ShoreBound149 -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 8:41:20 PM)

I feel bad for the guy who's working the buzzed chick at the bar....thinks he's got it locked up with tales of how awesome he is......and then she asks the inevitable:

So, what do you do for a living?



Termyn8or -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/20/2011 11:30:30 PM)

"I like the theory behind pet insurance, but like human health care, it's enabling the vet's to jack the costs of veterinary care and products ridiculously and astronomically."

ZZACTLY.

T^T



kissheels -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/21/2011 12:23:39 AM)

Few Months ago  my cat was "not feelin well" took him to the vet, initial exam, blood test and urine test, they kept him overnight, total cost 240.00cad, only to find out he's in perfect health,  so i am considering looking into insurance,



pahunkboy -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/21/2011 10:04:57 AM)

Wind:

Yeah-  good post.  When I took my Sheba in= they tried to con me over "pain medicine".  I told them no- - as I did not sign to authorize that.  Then they said they wanted to keep her an extra day.   That - knowing my dog- she had separation anxiety. She did not want to be away from her home.    ..then when they gave me directions I got lost- because they did not flat out tell me they are located across from the adult book store- so that wasted my time.     Of course they wanted to sell all the bells and whistles too.


---- I dont need pet insurance.



LaTigresse -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/21/2011 11:13:24 AM)

I don't have pet insurance and have never considered getting pet insurance.

I am fortunate to have a fairly inexpensive vet. To get Nala's shots and spaying cost less than $300.00.

I have 3 dogs, 2 horses and 1 cat. My vet bills are annually, far less than what I am reading quoted for one year of one pet's insurance premiums.

I am also fortunate in that I can do a lot of vetting (shots, etc. ) myself. I call and tell them what I want, pick them up, and voila', that night the animal is vaccinated.

I am a realist. Dogs, cats, even horses are not meant to live forever. They have very limited lifespans. No amount of money spent at the vet is going to change that. I also believe in quality of life. If my 8 yo pound dog gets a long term illness, she is going to be put down, not medicated, dragging her life out.......for MY selfish reasons.

I do not breed or show, purebred animals. All of my animals are spayed/neutered. Not only does this decrease many health problems, it means problems due to pregnancy do not exist. I also keep my animals as healthy as possible with the best food and exercise I can. If I could not afford proper vet care, proper feeding, housing, etc........I should not even have the animals to begin with.

Bottom line, there is no financial gain to prolonging a life that can be humanely ended when the quality of life is less than it should be. What real difference does it make if my dog lives 13 years and gets euthanized due diagnosis of diabetes or 15 years after 2 years of expense and misery?



windchymes -> RE: Pet insurance, what is your view about it??? (3/21/2011 12:16:56 PM)

[sm=applause.gif][sm=goodpost.gif][sm=applause.gif]



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