# Is Pet Insurance worth getting for a dog?



## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Do you all carry pet insurance?

Is it worth it?

Advantages? Disadvantages? If you do who do you carry it thru?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Ryan


----------



## Fosse (Jan 5, 2007)

We have it on our 2.5 y/o YLF. $400 a year for $7000 per insident and $100,000 lifetime on all visits that are not the regular annual visits. Pays 80% of the total bill. We have her covered through Pets Best.

Reason to have...And the reason I got it...

Last year a friend and I were hunting ringnecks in SW Minnesota for a long weekend. Everything was as normal until Sunday night after we got home. His dog was asleep on the dog bed when they went to bed. He woke up in the middle of the night to take care of business. He went to let her out to do the same. When he went to find her she was not where he left her. He went down stairs to look for her in the dark. On his way down the stairs he steped in something wet. He hit the lights and was shocked to see a ton of bloody stool covering his living room. He found her not moving and not breathing very well. He threw her in the truck and headed to the ER vet. They gave her something to rehydrate her and gave her some blood. She was not better by morning and sent her to the Uof M. One week at the U with all the tests, blood and plasma to find out she ate too much grass and it cut up her stomach pretty good cost him just over $9000. If he had insurance his bill would be around $1700 not the full amount.

So I ask you, is $400 a year worth the piece of mind not to go into that much debt? I think so...


----------



## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Thanks Fosse!

Does anyone else carry it? I just read a new article over the weekend that discussed the increasing cost and complexity that pet medical care has become in the past few years.

Looking at Fosse's story as a prime example... it concerns me that our hunting dogs have much more opportunities than most pets to get themselves into sticky situations...f


----------



## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

R y a n said:


> Do you all carry pet insurance?
> 
> Is it worth it?
> 
> ...


Ryan that's the million dollar question "Is it worth it"?

One could ask the same question about any insurance policy. It isn't until you need it....

I have a policy for my younger dog. I did alot of research and decided on one provider PetPlan USA. After looking into several I felt this company offered the best options for me personally. I read reviews on others and some did not have too favorable reviews. You probably need to take some of the reviews with a grain of salt as they represent a small percentage of people who most likely have experience with them. One thing I will say is read the fine print when researching. Each plan is different and some have exclusions that make a huge difference. Most have "pre-existing conditions" clauses that will not be covered, so look it over carefully before you sign.

The nice thing about PetPlan is you get to choose the type of plan you want depending on how much you want to spend on a monthly premium. They even have a monthly premium calculator so you can easily see what it will cost depending on what you choose.

With Petplan I was able to choose between several plans with different coinsurance and or deductible options. I chose a $200 deductible plan for $25 per month. MY selection was based on the assumption that this policy would be used mainly for emergency veterinary services where costs can quickly escalate as we all know.

So, the choice is yours. If you are able to keep enough funds on hand at any given time then there may be no need for insurance. But for many this may not be an option and a pet insurance policy may give you "piece of mind". I for one would prefer not to have the cost of an emergency vet visit determine my dogs fate.

I have yet to make a claim knock on wood.. 

FWIW


----------



## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

The big question is do the vets in your area or the one you use honor it? I would have it on my gundogs if any of the vets in my area honored it, but none do.

I do have my dogs chipped, even though none of the vets or LE/dog catchers around here have scanners to read or even detect a chip...

Couple years ago my oldest lab had 4 surgeries in one year (long story, but no it wasn't something she ate or an obstruction). That year she ran up a couple grand in vet bills alone.

Having some costs covered by insurance would have been welcome..


----------



## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Terminator,

I guess I'm not sure what you mean by NOT honoring it? They (vet) really has nothing to do with insurance side of it. What difference would it make where they get the money for their services?

Besides that, when you make a claim with the insurance company, in most cases you will have already paid the vet for their services yourself and you would then get reimbursed by the insurance company. So I don't quite understand NOT honoring it?? That would kind of be like an auto bodyshop not honoring auto insurance.... :huh:

That being said, many vets will advertise for a particular insurance company and have literature handouts for you to take.

Finally, there are some insurance companies that will pay directly to the vet if the vet agrees to this type of transaction, but otherwise you are the one initially paying for the service.


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

OMG the wild west is gone! Man what next, this is what happens when people have to much money to spare.

And no I'm not being cold I'm being rational.


----------



## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

buckseye said:


> this is what happens when people have to much money to spare.
> 
> And no I'm not being cold I'm being rational.


 :roll:

Not enough to spare for a $3000 ACL injury. :lol:


----------



## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

BIRDSHOOTER said:


> Terminator,
> 
> I guess I'm not sure what you mean by NOT honoring it? They (vet) really has nothing to do with insurance side of it. What difference would it make where they get the money for their services?
> 
> ...


Around these parts and I would guess with many small town country vets, it's cash on the barrelhead payable upon the completion of the appointment. Only in the last couple years have credit cards even been accepted. No billing or waiting for the pet insurance to authorize and pay up. My wife & are are one of a very few folks who are allowed to bill by the vet we use, and it's not something we do often...


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Yeah.. love can be painful. If my pet is suffering I must be merciful and end it's pain and life if need be. That is the law of the common folks such as me.


----------



## Fosse (Jan 5, 2007)

NDTerminator said:


> Around these parts and I would guess with many small town country vets, it's cash on the barrelhead payable upon the completion of the appointment. Only in the last couple years have credit cards even been accepted. No billing or waiting for the pet insurance to authorize and pay up. My wife & are are one of a very few folks who are allowed to bill by the vet we use, and it's not something we do often...


Pet coverage is nothing like Human coverage. At the vet you pay out of your pocket by what ever payment is accepeted by your vet. Then you take the reciept of that payment and submit it to the company that you have your pet insured by. They then pay you back the amount owed according to your plan. So like it was said before the vet has nothing to do with it.


----------



## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

Fosse said:


> NDTerminator said:
> 
> 
> > Around these parts and I would guess with many small town country vets, it's cash on the barrelhead payable upon the completion of the appointment. Only in the last couple years have credit cards even been accepted. No billing or waiting for the pet insurance to authorize and pay up. My wife & are are one of a very few folks who are allowed to bill by the vet we use, and it's not something we do often...
> ...


Thanks Fosse!


----------



## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

buckseye said:


> OMG the wild west is gone! Man what next, this is what happens when people have to much money to spare.
> 
> And no I'm not being cold I'm being rational.


You obviously don't know what it cost to or how much time is invested in an animal to have it reach it's full potential, and have it blow a knee out, or do what animals do and swallow something that it shouldn't and have an obstruction.

If I had lots of money to spare I wouldn't have a policy on my dog would I?? 8)


----------



## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

buckseye said:


> Yeah.. love can be painful. If my pet is suffering I must be merciful and end it's pain and life if need be. That is the law of the common folks such as me.


Now theres a different twist, sounds rather disposable..


----------



## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

It's not right to judge another dog owner as to when it's time to put his gundog down or not. Sooner or later all of us face this decision...


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> You obviously don't know what it cost to or how much time is invested in an animal to have it reach it's full potential, and have it blow a knee out, or do what animals do and swallow something that it shouldn't and have an obstruction.
> 
> If I had lots of money to spare I wouldn't have a policy on my dog would I??


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


> buckseye wrote:
> Yeah.. love can be painful. If my pet is suffering I must be merciful and end it's pain and life if need be. That is the law of the common folks such as me.
> 
> Now theres a different twist, sounds rather disposable..


I really don't think you can imagine what it was like where and when I grew up there was no Humane Society there were no vets within 50 miles my dad was the local vet. City folks who didn't know what to do with animals they didn't want would just drop them off in the most remote areas they could find, guess what that is where I lived.

We killed so many stray dogs and cats it was sinful. Have you ever coaxed a batch of 6 week old pups out into the field and shot them in the head while they played and crawled around your feet? You would probably look the other way and let them suffer. My favorite colt had its guts ripped out on a corral gate, we had to shoot it. I have seen reality, something you have only an idea of what it is.


----------



## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

Buckseye-

Just because that is the way it used to be, doesn't mean that's how it needs to be now. There are more vets available and there are guys willing to spend a little more money to not "Have to shoot" their dog or colt...

Doesn't mean they don't "know what reality is". :roll: It just means that they want to give their animal a shot at a life.


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

You will be judged on your treatment of animals some day. Just pray God has more Mercy than the PC crowd. New ways are not, as a matter of a fact seldom prove better than the old ways. You have lost contact with the real world of blood and guts, let someone else deal with that huh. :-?


----------



## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

:roll: Yeah, right.... :eyeroll:

This summer I had a 7 year old German Shepard eat a sock. That caused a blockage. The dog was going to die. The surgery cost me quite a bit. Just like most on this site, I work hard for my money. I hold dogs in high enough regard to spend the money necessary to get him well again. He's now fine and should live another 5 years.

By your logic, I should have taken him out to pasture and shot him... Fair to the dog? Probably not. Fine for you, not for me. But give me a break about not having a grip on reality. Who says your reality is right?


----------



## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

> You will be judged on your treatment of animals some day.


As will you.


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

> Quote:
> You will be judged on your treatment of animals some day.
> 
> As will you


.

As will I.

Oh and by the way if they are not hungry they won't eat socks. Sorry I didn't know you were that desitute, maybe try some dogfood for him if you can get it.


----------



## Fosse (Jan 5, 2007)

buckseye said:


> Oh and by the way if they are not hungry they won't eat socks.


Says the one that must not be around puppies very much...


----------



## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

> Oh and by the way if they are not hungry they won't eat socks. Sorry I didn't know you were that desitute, maybe try some dogfood for him if you can get it.


I figured you would come back with some short sighted response like this.

Just an FYI: This happened about 2 weeks after I put down my lab that this dog had grown up with over the previous 7 years. Vet thinks it was a little separation anxiety. Good try, though.

Based on your posts in this subject alone, I'm guessing my dogs have a far better quality life than any of yours have ever had.


----------



## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

Sorry to highjack your thread, Ryan.

I'm getting a new lab next Sunday. For what it's worth, I will be getting a policy on her... just not sure which one, yet. :wink:


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

I'm teasing.... sorry. :beer:

You would think people from now would be interested in how the treatment of animals became the way it is now. Well I gave you insight as how we have arrived where we are today. You just didn't see it that way.

sorry for jerking your chain!


----------



## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

I should have known you were just jerkin' my chain.... I've been around long enough that I should have expected it. I need to work on my internet emotion reading skills. 

I'm sorry, for gettin' all riled up. :wink:

Can't we all just go and sing kumbaya now? :beer:


----------



## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

Yeah I'm sorry man, I love dogs more than people. I've had some dogs that were so much more human than many of the animals that call themselves human. :beer:


----------

