Do you have pet insurance?

I don't. I've never worried about it before I spoke to my friend the other day. She just spent $1500 on emergency surgery after her cat got into the sewing basket and ate some thread. So now she's got insurance to cover any future incidents.

I've always saved a bit for emergencies- whether it be cat related or other. But I was thinking about how much I would be willing to spend to save my little ones and well, it's a whole lot more than I can afford. My issue with any pet insurance I can afford (as I understand it) is that it's very specific and there are many things it doesn't cover. I know that for general vet visits (for vaccinations, check-ups, etc.) nothing is covered. So I'm wondering if this is a good value or not. Would I just end up paying all this money to an insurance place and potentially not be able to use it? Is it better for me to save what I can now and just figure out how to deal with it if/when a problem comes up? What is your plan?

I don't have insurance. I never have. My cats have never needed any emergency surgery or anything and hopefully never will.

I would save the money up in a seperate account (save a little each month) and have it taken out automatically so you don't see it, you don't spend it. I have a plan through my vet's that covers exams, annual stuff, etc and has discounts on services. So I don't have insurance per se. but it kind of acts like insurance. Hopefully others will tell of their experiences.

The thing with pet insurance is they do not pay the vet directly. They pay you after you've made a claim. Meanwhile you have to have that money to pay the vet if they require an immediate payment like my vet does. It's sad to say but I couldn't afford thousands of dollars to pay a vet. So the insurance would not do me any good. I'm better off holding back money for emergencies and taking the cost out of that.

I don't have pet insurance, I just have some money set aside in a savings account for emergencies. I've read that pet insurance in the U.S. usually isn't worth it, but since you are in Canada it might be better.

Originally Posted by SalemWitchChild

The thing with pet insurance is they do not pay the vet directly. They pay you after you've made a claim. Meanwhile you have to have that money to pay the vet if they require an immediate payment like my vet does.

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Huh. I certainly didn't know that. So along with possibly not covering whatever emergency might come up, I might STILL not have the money to pay for the vet? Right. I'm glad we had this talk. I'll definitely stick with my savings plan instead.

No because in many ways it is just not worth it. Instead, i set aside money in a seperate account specifically ment for emergencies that i can access at any time. That works much better for me. Besides, pet insurance doesn't cover a lot of things that you would think it might.

We have a separate savings account for pet emergencies too

Either having a set aside savings account or pet insurance is a great idea. I ran into a scenario with an adopted cat that I fell in love with. He had bladder crystals. The vet said " we'll keep him alive for years if you just bring him in for treatment when need be because you have insurance, right?" We didn't, so it put a knife in my heart. Luckily, we switched his diet to c/d and he never suffered again.
My family had an outdoor cat in the 80s and 90s. We had insurance on his health and this helped to pay for much of his fight issues and his later thyroid problems.
As a result, I bought insurance on both cats (about $15/month each) as it gives me piece of mind. I don't want to be put in an euthenasia situation if I can help it.
But, having a savings account of $3000 would probably work the same way, or an account you put $30/month into.

Yes I do. I know a lot of people on here reckon insurance in the US is not worth having but I think it's definitely worth having over here. You never know when your cat might get sick and need emergency cover. My policy covers almost everything and I have made 2 successful claims so far (1 for about $3500 and 1 for a dental costing about $700 - both were paid quickly).

Originally Posted by SalemWitchChild

The thing with pet insurance is they do not pay the vet directly. They pay you after you've made a claim.

Click to expand...

That's the case with mine but some vets will deal directly with the insurance company - it's up to individual vets. But it's a lot easier to borrow the money from family, friends or a loan knowing I will be getting it back soon.

I have all my cats insured. After a bill of close to £1000 for Charlie I was glad I had. I know some people think its not a good idea but t gives me peace of mind. My insurance company is excellent and I would recommend them.

Ohh boy we sure learnt to get pet insurance pretty quick!! Now things are easier because we get monetary help for costs of over 50£! And considering that Mog's fees for an overnight were over UK£'s1000...

Woah, so Salem, you have a Genuine Witches cat??? Where is the picture? I wanna see!

I signed up for it, but have not gotten my info yet. It was offered at work along with my health insurance.

I do not, but then again, I'm in a unique situation and do not pay for vet services.

I used to, but let it lapse. I found that it didn't cover much and would only cover some things in very specific circumstances. I decided it was a waste of money in the end.

I do not have pet insurance, the reason being they only cover specific things. Many companies will drop your pet once they reach a certain age. It's far safer to save the money that you would be spending on the pet insurance in a seperate bank account. That way should a emergency arise you can use the money for whatever is wrong, you don't have to be approved by the insurance company.