Me sharing a moment of affection with my rescued pit bull mix, Brad Pit. I just purchased Petplan for him (one of the companies we are reviewing) with coverage up to $20,000 per year for a monthly payment of $36. Yes, even vets need pet insurance!
An unexpected illness or injury could cost you thousands of dollars to save your beloved pet. At Founders, we worry that you could be forced to make critical health care decisions based on cost alone. That’s why a good pet insurance policy is so important for your peace of mind and ours too! You can’t predict the future of your pet’s health, but you can prepare for it. We can help you make the best choice.
Advances in veterinary medicine and surgery have spawned a pool of local specialists — most within a 30 minute drive from Founders. Not a week goes by that either I or Dr. Zempo needs to consult with a specialist. Most likely, your pet will one day need the services of a veterinary board certified ophthalmologist, orthopedic surgeon, medical internist, neurologist, radiologist, dentist or dermatologist. Or need emergency hospitalization and treatment by the critical care team at Advanced Critical Care and Internal Medicine (ACCIM) in Tustin. Are you prepared to foot a $3,000-$5,000 vet bill if your pet requires the expertise of a specialist? And a good pet insurance company will also cover most of the cost for many of the aliments we treat here at the clinic!
There are more than ten different pet health insurance companies to choose from. Policies are similar to human insurance policies with a wide range of premiums, deductibles, and coverage. Most plans also have co-pays and caps on how much will be paid out annually. Some companies exclude genetic conditions as pre-existing — others do not. There are age limits and restrictions on certain dog breeds that also vary company by company. Most importantly, the term pre-existing can spell disaster if the company you choose denies a claim. Bottom line: there is a lot to know BEFORE you buy!
With so many pet health insurance companies in operation, choosing the right one for your pet and your budget can be an overwhelming task. That’s why we are going to read the fine print and ask all the right questions for you. Our goal is to uncover and recommend the three best pet insurers — making sure that you start out with full coverage in 2010!
If you already have pet insurance, we are interested in your feedback — the good, the bad and the ugly! Please leave your comments on our blog for us and others to review. If you would like to start doing some of your own research, we suggest you start by reading independent reviews here: http://www.petinsurancereview.com/.
We will post the results of our in-depth pet insurance review on this blog — watch for it!
#1 by Jan Keith on November 19, 2009 - 8:57 pm
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We are definitely interested in checking out this web site. Our 9 year old terrier mix blew her knee and it ultimately required THREE surgeries to repair! The total cost came to over $5000. Pet insurance could possibly have helped out in this situation. Dr. T, you are right! Just like human health coverage, pet health insurance can be confusing. I will do my homework and see what’s best for our dogs. Thanks for the info!
#2 by Lorena Sikorski on November 20, 2009 - 9:43 am
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Hi Dr. T:
We’ve had 2 different health insurance companies. We were very unhappy with both of them. The worse was VPI – they denied everything! It either wasn’t covered, or had so much disallowances that it didn’t even cover the premiums. I don’t remember who the 2nd company was, but they weren’t much better. I’ll be interested in your research results. I think pet health coverage is a good idea if the company will stand up to their end of the bargain.
#3 by Rebecca Firman on November 20, 2009 - 3:32 pm
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I have been very happy with Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI). It pays for itself with just the wellcare (vaccines, teeth cleaning, flea medicine, etc.) alone. You can reach a person quickly on the phone and the claim reimbursements generally come within a reasonably short amount of time. Whatever company you end up going with, I highly recommend pet insurance in general!
#4 by Elise Holmes on November 20, 2009 - 5:34 pm
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Hi Doc! I have had pet insurance before with my Newfoundland Camille who ended up having two TPLO’s. During her four short years of life, the Veterinary Pet Insurance company helped out a bit. Out of the $10.000 we spent on her repair, VPI gave us about $250.00. A small dent I suppose, but back then, there was nothing to compare it with. I will do my research, and am happy that you are doing some of the legwork for us! Thanks again! Elise
#5 by Pat Fox on November 20, 2009 - 6:12 pm
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I definitely am interested in pet insurance but want to know it is worthwhile and does pay off. Currently does Founders Vet. accept all pet insurances?
#6 by Eric Christensen on November 21, 2009 - 5:42 am
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We accept all pet insurance. We don’t bill the insurance company the way most human medical providers do. The client pays us in the usual way, and then the client gets reimbursed by their own pet insurance company.
Eric
#7 by Judy Lees on November 20, 2009 - 6:45 pm
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Thank you so much, Dr. T, for checking this out for your clients! I have 3 animals, 2 dogs and 1 cat, and I definitely want to purchase pet health insurance for them. A huge vet bill would put me and the animals in a difficult situation!
I am looking forward to your research, and I will definitely be purchasing this health insurance for my beloved pets! FOUNDERS VETERINARY CLINIC IS THE BEST!!!
#8 by Saadia Byram on November 20, 2009 - 6:49 pm
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Thank you so much for this valuable investigation–I have been considering pet insurance for some time, but because I am the owner of both senior dogs and cats, I have had a hard time sorting out who would provide the best coverage at the best price.
My pets are so lucky to have Founders looking after them. I’ve been bringing all of them to you and Dr. Zempo for almost 15 years, specifically because you clearly care for all animals so deeply and go above and beyond to help pet owners provide the best possible lives for their furry families.
Thanks again – I’ll definitely be checking back to see your results!
#9 by Ruth on December 22, 2009 - 3:11 pm
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I am interested in getting insurance for my pug Gabi. Tried to find the PetPlan that Dr. Paula purchased ($36.00 per month), but was unable to find it. Could you help me?
Happy Holidays to all. Gabi sends lots of OOOXXX
Ciao
Ruth
#10 by Dr. Terifaj on December 26, 2009 - 6:05 am
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I purchased PetPlan. Prices will vary based on your pet’s age and breed. Pre-existing illnesses are not covered by PetPlan or any pet insurance company we have reviewed.
It’s best to get coverage as soon as you acquire your pet BEFORE a problem develops so it is not documented as pre-existing on the medical records which the insurance company will demand to review. Also note: purebred dogs are generally not accepted for new policy coverage if they are older than 5-6 years of age. Mixed breeds are accepted up to the age of 8 years. Once enrolled (before the cut off age limit) they are covered for life as long as you do not lapse on a payment.
I am advising all new kitten or puppy owners to budget for and buy pet insurance right away!