CM's Daily Poll: Pet Insurance

[CollieMan]

We all know that vet bills can be expensive. Here in England, we have pet insurance available, and I will presume that it's available in other countries. But is pet insurance really a good thing? I remember reading a convincing argument that stated if there was no pet insurance, vet bills wouldn't be as expensive as they are, as the insurance companies wouldn't pay the extortionate fees. Some people I know prefer to just stick some money aside each month, and use that as needed. Others still, don't insure their dogs at all, stating they'd sell their home if they really had to! So where are you on the pet insurance scale?

 

[mopar53190]

In the States insurance is about $600 dollar it covers all check ups and some off the major medical expenses. I can not justify this since I take my dog and cat to the vet for $80 for both including their shots. The only way this would pay off is if my dog was hit by a car or attracted a major disease. I do not let her run free and keep her on a healthy diet with regular exercise so I am not too worried about this. If something did happen (heaven forbid) I would analyze the situation and take the necessary actions. I trust my vet and his opinion...

 

[Jean Cote]

I don't have any pet insurance nor do I plan on getting any. I understand that if something goes wrong, then you will be able to pay for your vets bills - but I think their prices are a little high.

 

[gardengirl]

I do have pet insurance and have had it for about 7 years. My six year old collie only costs about $340.00 a year and that's with a double cancer policy. I think if you have a dog breed that can be prone to problems, it's a good idea, unless it's genetic. They won't cover anything genetic. This is my second dog on it and luckily I've only used it a few times.

But my collie before him, had constant problems with skin staph infections and arthritis with back problems. Insurance covered all of it and paid me much more than I ever paid them. They even paid for water therapy to help his back. In the end, they paid $1800 of the emergency vet bill of $2800 and even paid for his euthanasia after that. His bills ran many thousands of dollars the last few years of his life. He died at 11, and despite the problems was a happy, seemingly well dog, not one that should be put down for health issues. We kept everything stable with the drugs until he died. The insurance was well worth it for us. Without it, we would be terribly in debt right now.

So, I do think it's worth it if you get the right company. We have Veterinary Pet Insurance, VPI. Of course, all insurance is a risk, money-wise. We buy it and hope we never have to use it.:msnohyes:

 

[l_l_a]

I have pet health insurance, and already it has paid for itself. My dog had to go to the emergency room a few months ago, which cost a LOT of money. And then he also has irritable bowel disease and frequently gets digestive problems.

 

[homer]

What does a pet insurance cover? Does it cover annual visits/shots?

 

[mopar53190]

homer, you can go to the AKC site and they will direct you in the right direction. their are different plans that cover different items for different costs. for $250/year it covers surgery, meds, lab, x ray, cancer, hospilization. $1,500/ incident, $11,000 term, with $125 incident deductuble. For $700/year it will cover every thing shots, parasite control, spay/nueter for $5000/ incident $13000 term, $125 annual deductuble. To my wife and I it was not worth it, but you can judge for your self.

 

[bipa]

We don't have pet medical insurance, nor are we planning to get any. I find the vet costs here in Germany to be pretty reasonable. For example, just today I went to the vet because Bonnie somehow injured her left hind paw. Not exactly sure what's wrong, but it looks as though she somehow got her little "pinky" caught on something and either strained it or else has a hairline fracture of the pinky. There's also a small cut on the sensitive skin between two toes. She's favouring it, but can put weight on it. When I show her a piece of hot dog she comes running on all fours, but when just wandering around she tends to hop a bit on only three legs.

So... the vet checked her out, and we ended up getting a shot against infection, another shot for the pain, and two sets of pills (infection and pain) plus a little bootie to keep the foot clean when she needs to go out. Total cost was 38.60 euro or about $50 Cdn.

We do, however, have legal insurance in case our dogs damage anything or injure another dog, or snap at someone and rip their pants. In that case, our insurance will pay for all care for the other dog, or even just for a new pair of pants. Haven't had to use it yet, but I figure it is like basic car insurance.