Pet Insurance?

IMHO with cats that age MOST to all things would be Excluded or called pre existing ... also when I looked for senior animals the yearly premiums would cost me more on average than I had paid the vet ( 40-80 a month )

I know others will come and give options but I suggest you google the company and find out what people say about the companies...

I too am thinking about pet insurance. I've seen how quickly a mishap can turn into massive bills with Thing 1 & Thing 2 (my nickname for Ally and Ollie). I don't want to ever have to worry about not being able to afford emergency vet care.

That is the one I have (Pet's Best) - they are great! I have used plenty of times, NEVER had a problem filing or receiving a claim... The claims are really easy to file, like 2/3 of a page, you file on the same day you go to the vet, the vet signs, and you can get even negotiate with the vet to have the insurance to pay them instead of reimbursing you, so your upfront cost for the treatment is pretty much only the deductible (in my case $75 +20% of the bill). That is per incident. Or you pay the vet and are reimbursed, which is the ususal - reimbursement is very quick.
Will Bugsy's issues, it already paid off... I also used for Lucky...
There are 3 different levels of deductibles, making monthly payments/benefits more affordable.
There is no Annual maximum, but there is an Incident and lifetime maximum per pet, but that is quite generous, especially the higher plans.
It pays for everything - all tests, specialists, hospitals, prescriptions, all sort of medicine, surgeries, x-rays, whatever you need, emergency, some holistic medicine (there is a budget for it), a budget for lost pet, a budget for cremation and euthanasia...
I tell you something - It is a HUGE peace of mind...
There isn't a day that I don't open a thread here and I don't see something like "my cat is sick and I can't afford to take him to the vet... what do I do?" That could be me If I didn't have Insurance... There is nothing different... The only difference is that I have a plan to back me up. Being unemployed, it hurts to pay that bill every month, but I know that if anything AT ALL happens they are covered. They are taken care of. And that for me is priceless...
I highly recommend Insurance...

For a young cat it can be like $15 a month, and all of the sudden you have a surgery that costs you $2500 - and it is there - all paid for. So, $15/mo for priceless peace of mind... I don't want ever to go through what I have seen people going through... watch their pets suffering because they don't have the $$$ for treatment.

There is another Company I also hear good things about it: Pet Plan US When you call Pets Best, ask them for a quote for the price AFTER January 1st - they were bought by AETNA, and the prices are going up (FYI, not much, but they are), then compare with Pet Plan...

My husband and I are a little sneaky when it comes to insurance. We have a separate bank savings account set up for Kitteh expenses. The money we WOULD be paying to a pet insurance Co gets put into this account. So we not only don't pay extra money when it's not needed, but we actually get PAID extra, because of our interest on the account. With 5 kitties (1 of them a senior) and the occasional stray, this is the ONLY option for us.

Works for us, hope it works for you.

See, that is the thing... whatever works for you... If you have the means, have a savings account, a separate credit card, SOMETHING, to cover emergencies, vet visits, etc, fine, as long as you DO.
But on a case like mine, without a job, there is NO MONEY for emergencies, there is no way to get it if something happens... So... That's my thinking - have a plan. Whatever it is, have a plan - because things do happen, and when they do, we need to be ready...
But, if it is health insurance, Pets Best IS an Excellent way to go - I use it, and have nothing but good things to say about them. Never had a problem - from herpes, to URI, to Emergency with violent Diarrhea - never a question. Highly recommend it.

We do that too, there is no insurance here that's worth it to me. Also as I have breeding cats they can't be covered, have looked at most companies for the neuters but works out better for me to put money aside each week in a high interest account.

I do not have pet insurance, but with the recent addition of an 8 week old kitten, I have invested in a wellness plan offered by my veterinarian's office. And, when open enrollment becomes available at the start of the new year, I will be including my three other cats on the plan as well.

The plan requires a yearly enrollment fee as well as monthly premiums. The enrollment fee was waived for me due to the fact that I work for a pet store which means that my only obligation is to pay the monthly premium. For my kitten, that premium is just $23.00 a month. That includes free office visits (there is no limit on this), a 3 wellness exams (complete check-ups -- including yearly labwork), 4 fecal floats and de-wormer administration, dental exam, ear swab and microscopic exam, FeLV/FIV testing, yearly vaccines (and, in this case, all of the kitten vaccines minus the rabies), and a neuter operation including blood tests. And, on all other services, I get a 10% discount. I can also add a tube of flea medication (Advantage) monthly for an additional $3.50. This frees up the money I would've spent on routine vet care so that it can be put in a special account for emergencies. The adult plans are slightly different, but are similar in price and services offered.

I was considering getting pet insurance, but this fell into my lap and I would have been a fool not to take advantage of it -- especially since I have already saved $197.50 and I haven't even had my kitten a week! The fact that the plan is very much reduced due to my work it makes affording it that much easier and it gives me peace of mind so that I know I have money put aside specifically for emergencies.

I recommend getting pet insurance if it makes sense financially for you. For a young cat, the premiums are fairly reasonable and you can start putting money aside now so that if an emergency arises later on in life, it would be available to you. However, that's just my opinion and insurance plans certainly don't make sense for everyone. But, I think it's definitely worth looking into, researching, and considering.

If got when you adopt a kitten, they are usually very reasonable but since your guys are older, I would read the fine print very carefully, as people have mentioned above, starting a savings account can be more worthwhile because it wont have any exclusions for pre-exsting conditions, you wont be limited to surgery that the plan allows etc and most insurance plans pay you back, not the vet directly so you still need the cash anyway

Stumpy's 24 hours at the emergency vet cost us $2,000, and there wasn't much we could do, because it took time to figure out her diagnosis, and whether she could be saved. There's no way we wouldn't have at least tried, and we're lucky that we have a healthy savings account. I wished we had have had pet insurance, but then when I added the cost of pet insurance for the 3 cats if we had have started paying it from the times we got them - we would have spent well over $2,000 by now. I think putting the money away you would spend on insurance in a high interest bank account is a great idea - especially if you have multiple cats.

We discovered that the specialty vet has a range of payment options as well. If you had an emergency, on the day you bring your cat in , you apply for credit, and there was options including either 3 or 6 months interest free, or up to I think 18 months with interest. So if you couldn't afford it, there was still options for you.

It may be worth checking with the specialty or emergency vets nearby and see if they have payment plans for if you can't afford treatment. At least that way you know which one to go to in an emergency, and it may be a cheaper option than pet insurance.

I think it is very relative Sarah... Because with Stumpy, are you doing the math considering all the money for all the cats, applied to that one emergency? Because this way, yes... But with multiple cats comes the risk of multiple emergencies too.... What about all the times the cats get sick? Those times the insurance pays back too.
But IMHO the best thing with insurance for a person like me is, you could have paid $45, be on your 3rd month, and have the emergency you had with Stumpy's paid for. Or an accident, surgery, cancer, or diabetes, or whatever.
Putting that $$$ aside ($2,000) at $15/month would take over 10 years. You can't just ask an emergency to wait 10 years to happen... Stumpy was way younger than that? An accident can happen at any age... So can cancer...
So yes - you CAN save the $$ with time, but it DOES take a LOT of time, and you can not guarantee your cat will be healthy waiting until you have all that money saved - so you HAVE to have a back up plan...
Insurance IMHO is just that - exactly what the name says - insurance. It doesn't mean you will use every single penny - I hope I don't, as that means my cats are healthy. I pay car insurance... Renters insurance... I did pay (when I could) health insurance.... DO I ALWAYS use ALL the benefits ALL the time? Nope! BUT - I have had a car accident, and my car insurance was there to pick me up. I KNOW if my car is stolen, I AM covered. Renters Insurance - same thing... never used... but, if one day something happens, I know I have the peace of mind.... Health Insurance, which I paid for so many years and many of you pay - you don't use every penny... but we pay so IF SOMETHING HAPPENS we know we are covered.
That is what pet insurance is.
So... If the person has a plan, and is covered in the case of an emergency... fine... great!
But IMO what is unacceptable is to NOT have a plan, and to not be able to give your pet the health care it need when it is sick. I see this here over and over and over again... And that is why I do advocate about pet insurance... Because it is a very real and affordable way to to have a plan and guarantee your pets safety and appropriate healthy care... I pay less than $15/month for each of my cats to have COMPLETE peace of mind.
And so can the majority of people in the US, and in the western countries, for that matter.
IMO, with pet insurance options, care credit, etc, there is no excuse to not give appropriate health care to a pet.

I agree that every person should have a means to get their cat the emergency care they need. I meant that if we were paying for 3 cats insurance over the last 3 1/2 years, the costs would be pretty equal. And for someone in my situation with the financial means, and indoor kitties who are less likely to have problems, then it's not worth my getting pet insurance.

If you're on a fixed income, and can't afford emergencies, and particularly if you don't have an emergency/specialty/regular vet who can do affordable payment options if things go wrong, then it is very important to have pet insurance.

Absolutely

Hello all,
I used to tell everyone with a pet to get pet insurance because I had such a great experience with mine, VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance). However, in the last couple of years, they have become much more restrictive and beaurocratic and EXPENSIVE. Especially for older cats; insurance is not going to save you if you get a bill for thousands of dollars. There are limitations, clauses, and addenda that they use to avoid paying. I guess it was good while it lasted but the heyday of great pet insurance may be over. Of course this is just one company, but I find that with insurance companies in general, they follow trends.
Also, be careful about CANCER - you may assume it's covered but they actually have a special RIDER you might buy to have it covered.
In summary: pet insurance used to be worth it, nowadays not so much.
--MissMyra

Yeah... it depends on the company - mine does cover cancer. You do need to research the company... IMO there are insurance companies and insurance companies - they are not all the same.

I think age also plays a role in whether they cover cancer. The older the cat, the more likely they will not cover it.

I have the pet insurance plan for my lovely cat and believe me, it has proved quite beneficial at times of need. I know, it is difficult to get insurance for older pets. And pre-existing conditions also create problems in getting insurance. But don't worry, there are various insurance providers who provide insurance to old aged pets.

I have PetPlan insurance. Two months ago I submitted a claim for a dental procedure because Ritz was diagnosed with Gingivitus. PetPlan denied the claim saying the treatment Ritz received was not the result of an injury or illness; it was "routine/preventive" care. The office notes submitted were somewhat illegible and in any event did not indicate she had Gingivitus. I've asked the vet to write a statement indicating that gingivitus in a 20 month old cat is not "routine". I'm still waiting....
Recently I took Ritz to the same vet because Ritz was having a sensation of having to poop (see other thread, "Litter Box Dance"). He's not sure what is wrong with Ritz, possible stress-induced GI upset or colitus. He prescribed Flagyl and the receptionist was savvy enough to indicate on the invoice "flagyl for blood in stool" and for this (the drugs are over $60). I will submit a claim for this procedure; will let you know how it goes.
I am learning that the key to getting a claim paid is how the office notes and invoices are worded; there was not a reason given for "dental scaling".

My insurance policy is very clear about not covering dental procedures, no matter what they are. When you first posted about this, I was surprised, but wanted to see the results... My cat has stomatitis... I never claimed.

I have found that how a procedure is "coded" for my own health insurance can mean a 10 times difference in cost, for the exact same thing. With high deductable insurance, I can end up paying 10 times as much out of pocket. So I've learned to pay attention to the coding.

I have Pets Best insurance. I haven't had to use it, though. It doesn't pay for dental, at all. But I've only had one cat need one dental in the last 20 years. I pay about $55 a month (automatic withdrawal from checking account) for my 5 cats. There is a choice of different plans, with different deductables and limits. I did research various companies before I chose this one,

Robin

Obviously this site is fishing for email addresses but the 10 points it brings up before buying insurance are valid. I don't have pet health insurance. Everyone's situation is different and some may want to look into purchasing it.

http://www.petsbest.com/tenthingsyoushouldknow.aspx

When we got our first cat, years ago, I opened an ING account, named it after her and set up an automatic payment for every two weeks. So every two weeks a specific amount of money would come out of our account, when we got paid, and I didn't even miss it. It adds up overtime with interest, I did the same thing when we got our second kitten, it's our own insurance. It has helped with vaccinations, annual visits and even emergency treatments. I am not anti pet insurance, I have a couple of friends who has pet insurance for their cats and dogs and I haven't heard too much complaining, except for about the wait time to get reimbursed, but I'm sure every company is different, you just have to find the right one. Here's an article on cat health insurance, the negatives and benefits.

I have PetsBest too... they have been nothing but wonderful so far - in every aspect. I have used it a LOT, especially with Bugsy - never, EVER had a problem with them. Pay like clockwork, by direct deposit, so I don't even have to cash a check. They pay for everything - tests, consults, prescriptions, emergencies... Not dental. I have used for Lucky and Hope too. Their Customer Service is outstanding... I highly recommend them - without it I am sure I would be bankrupt with Bugsy's vet bills - It gives me huge peace of mind to know they will always be taken care of, and I will not be facing a position to have to euthanize one of them for lack of funds. I see plenty of that happening and I don't want ever to be in that situation.

Why do you say this site is obviously fishing for emails? I have Petsbest and the only emails I EVER receive from them is letting me know when they received my claims (which I submit online) and when the claims have been processed. I have never received a junk email from them - never - not a single one

I do not have pet insurance but am seriously considering getting it. I did have it on my horse when I owned him because anytime a horse gets sick, it is nothing less than deep pocket costs. It is shocking how fast proper medical care costs can skyrocket when a pet is sick. My dog, Wilbur, in the last four years has had multiple health troubles and serious issues and this has cost me thousands. Now, I have a cat that seems to be going down that path of "ill" health issues. And the emergencies are just astronomical. I am going to look into Best Pet's insurance packages since a couple of you seem to recommend them.

The reports you give, Carolina, give me a lot of confidence in our pet insurance company, and peace of mind. I never had pet insurance before the last 1.5 years. With savings, and credit cards, I've always managed to give my cats all the healthcare they deserve. But with 5 cats for nearly a year now, and soon a 6th, I am more comfortable having the insurance. And I'm very glad to know that Best Pets has done so well by you and Bugsy, et. al. So thanks for sharing that information.

Saving on a regular basis in an interest bearing account is a good way to go as an alternative. However, I think at least $75 per cat (or dog) per month would need to be saved to be prepared for a serious illnesses. When you have multiple pets, that can add up to an awful lot each month.

Robin

Robin, I can truly say, without them I don't know if I could kept Bugsy alive.... Because of them my baby is alive and well... and for that I will be forever grateful.
We have been through so, SO much since Bugsy arrived home... World-record diarrhea , UTIs, URIs, emergency runs due to fevers of unknown causes.... more diarrheas that took him to the ER... Bugsy has had a number, many many issues. When I was unemployed this was one payment I paid religiously. And God did it save me!
A lot of people say bad things about insurance companies... I see more people who don't have pet insurance talking bad things about it actually...
I don't know about the other companies, I truly don't - but about PetsBest I do; not about from what I read, but from true, God honest experience.
I am glad you got them - you are on great hands.

It would be nice if I got the name of the company right, ONCE!!!

What you say about Bugsy gives me chills. Thank GOODNESS you had the insurance.

Robin

You funny
Yep, for sure - got it as soon as I adopted each of them. Hard as it is with insurance, without it would just not happen...
But knock on wood - he is doing amazing now! Whew!!!!! That was a long long stretch!