Health insurance for cats

After reading Emily's last vet bill - $594.50 - I told my mom I will buy health insurance for my next kitten. That was not even close to the iodine treatment and subsequent hospitalization she had two years earlier. Obviously, I never thought Emily would need it because she lived indoors 24/7 all 12 years. Now I know better - but also know she probably got sick by only eating dry Science Diet and a different cat food would have lowered her risk of hyperthyroidism and kidney failure.

Now that I am much smarter about feline nutrition and beginning to learn about vaccines for cats, I am wondering how important insurance is. Would it be a waste of money for a cat who is fed a home-cooked or raw diet, only gets kitten shots, and has no chronic medical conditions? I know changing the way I take care of my cats would decrease the probability of being up to my whiskers in vet bills, but nothing can prevent a variety of problems unrelated to food and vaccines.

Instead of getting pet insurance, just set aside that $$$ every month (is it $15-$20 per month?).

I bet if you had done that over Emily's lifetime, you would have had way more than [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]  $594.50 when you went to that vet.[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]The only way pet isurance pays off - meaning you get more than pay for over the life of the cat - is if the cat winds up having a chronic problem like HCM or maybe asthma.[/color]

Here's an article

http://money.msn.com/insurance/should-you-buy-pet-insurance-weston.aspx

Easier said than done. How can I set aside X amount of money each month if I have to pay for electricity, gas, water, cable, phone, Internet, and rent?

I had no problem paying almost $600 (although it was the worst vet bill I had ever seen because of what I paid for). But I can't adopt a kitten until I rent an apartment and have to pay for all that other stuff.

But you would have to pay each month for insurance - if you can't set aside the premium each month (and maybe put it into a separate account) how can you pay for insurance?

OK next question: If I can afford vet insurance, would it provide any extra benefits I can't get just by creating an account for cats?

Yes... I am totally FOR insurance and do have insurance for all my cats. I tell you what, $600 is a low Bill imho. Vet bills can add fast, and can go much higher that that, easily. I have spent thousands on Bugsy. I do not consider $600 anywhere close to high at all. Thing is, cats will have emergencies, accidents, and will get older and have illnesses that are high dollar.... An accident, a cancer, can hit and that can be well in the thousands, and no way that you can save $$$ by putting aside $15 or 20 a month. Sure, if you expect that to happen when your cat is 15.... But that's not how life goes.
Insurance is not for everyone. There are many that don't need, that have plenty of money and credit cards to pocket out those thousands on the spot in the case of an emergency. I don't. For a while I have been rebuilding my life.... I am not poor.... Nope, but I can not afford that kind of money either.
What I can say, is that I won't be put in a position of being forced to euthanize one of my babies, or not give them proper medical care because of lack of funds.
When I was unemployed they had basic insurance, but they had it- and let me tell you thank GOODNESS they did. Now that I can pay more, they are on the highest bracket.
Their insurance covers everything aside from dental and annual visits.
I have used plenty, for the 3 of them.... Never, ever had an issue. Put it simply, insurance was crucial in keeping Bugsy alive.
So, when discussing is insurance wrong or right, the right answer, is is it wrong or right for YOU?
Meaning: if an emergency hits, how much can you afford on the spot? Forget $600 it can be $5000
Don't think it happens? It takes a kitty eating the little rubber cover of the door stopper as we saw here a month or so ago. There it goes, a $5000 bill, euthanizing or a horrible death.
Do you have savings, credit cards, etc to pay for an emergency like that?
nope? Get insurance.

I know it can get a lot more expensive. I spent thousands of dollars on Wilbur alone - first for 30+ allergies, then his liver and kidney problems (cholangiohepatitis and CRF). He also had four teeth extracted.

Which insurance company do you use?

So since we're talking about it...

If you *do* recommend insurance, how did you pick a company? Are there many reputable companies out there? Can you get it through a regular insurance company...like have your home, auto, car, and pet insurance all through the same company? How much do the policies run? Obviously there are different brackets, but how much is it to start out and what would that cover? Do all vets accept the insurance or how does that work exactly? 

Sorry if these questions seem silly or basic, but I've only become a pet owner within the last year and know next to nothing about pet insurance.

EmilyMayWilcha said:

OK next question: If I can afford vet insurance, would it provide any extra benefits I can't get just by creating an account for cats?

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It ring-fences the money so it makes managing it far easier.  You create a standing order from your current account to the second account, and only take money out of the second account to pay the vet.  If you shop around you should find an account that pays a little bit of interest, but do make sure it's not like Fort Knox and very hard to get money out of when you need it.

RIccaDawn said:

So since we're talking about it...

If you *do* recommend insurance, how did you pick a company? Are there many reputable companies out there? Can you get it through a regular insurance company...like have your home, auto, car, and pet insurance all through the same company? How much do the policies run? Obviously there are different brackets, but how much is it to start out and what would that cover? Do all vets accept the insurance or how does that work exactly? 

Sorry if these questions seem silly or basic, but I've only become a pet owner within the last year and know next to nothing about pet insurance.

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Be very, very careful about what type of cover you are buying.  In the UK there are half-a-dozen or so types of cover, some companies offer several of them.  Look also at the deal with the excess - some policies have a single excess per condition, others per vet bill.  Some polivies offer life-long cover for a condition, others a year which is OK for an accident but not for a chronic condition like diabetes.  It's a minefield in my view.

And ask for people using the companies you are planning to use - how is the administration, how fast.  It is really hard to compare prices in the UK as they all seem to want to email a quote e.g. collect email addresses, so you might want to set up a throw-away free web-based account if you have that problem in the US.

RIccaDawn said:

So since we're talking about it...

If you *do* recommend insurance, how did you pick a company? Are there many reputable companies out there? Can you get it through a regular insurance company...like have your home, auto, car, and pet insurance all through the same company? How much do the policies run? Obviously there are different brackets, but how much is it to start out and what would that cover? Do all vets accept the insurance or how does that work exactly? 

Sorry if these questions seem silly or basic, but I've only become a pet owner within the last year and know next to nothing about pet insurance.

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Like anything else you buy it depends on your wants and needs. Does your cat need annual dental cleanings? Make sure the insurance does cover that. (Most don't.) Does your cat have a chronic medical condition? Make sure it offers a high lifetime spending limit. Companies do not pay for everything and they don't have all the same exclusions or limitations, so it really depends on your cats (and dogs if you have any).

Unfortunately, you can only buy pet insurance seperately. No company sells insurance for both people and pets. However, Progressive has a policy that pays for animal injuries caused by car accidents (or used to).

Prices vary. You can find out what they are by going to the company websites and telling them your pet's species and age and how many you have, then selecting a plan that suits your pets best.

EmilyMayWilcha said:

No company sells insurance for both people and pets. 

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They do over here, I'm not sure where that poster is from. Also some home insurance places over pet cover here too.

Not at all worth it for me, even for the neuters I've never found a policy that I was happy with so just have a kitty bank account instead, which has worked out extremely well so far.

missymotus said:

They do over here, I'm not sure where that poster is from. Also some home insurance places over pet cover here too.

Not at all worth it for me, even for the neuters I've never found a policy that I was happy with so just have a kitty bank account instead, which has worked out extremely well so far.

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Wow, your mates are lucky. That is unheard of in America. It must be an Australian thing.

I've looked into it a bit. . .problem is that so many things are disqualified! A lot of policies won't cover hereditary issues (like heart defects or hip dysplasia), have unpleasant rules about "pre-existing conditions" (someone recently posted how their insurance won't cover what's wrong with their cat because he saw a vet when he was a kitten for something vaguely similar), and, all in all, seem not to be worth it.

What company/policy are you using, Carolina?

OrientalSlave said:

Be very, very careful about what type of cover you are buying.  In the UK there are half-a-dozen or so types of cover, some companies offer several of them.  Look also at the deal with the excess - some policies have a single excess per condition, others per vet bill.  Some polivies offer life-long cover for a condition, others a year which is OK for an accident but not for a chronic condition like diabetes.  It's a minefield in my view.

And ask for people using the companies you are planning to use - how is the administration, how fast.  It is really hard to compare prices in the UK as they all seem to want to email a quote e.g. collect email addresses, so you might want to set up a throw-away free web-based account if you have that problem in the US.

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My Company is fantastic - it is Pets Best Insurance. I believe the bracket my babies are on is $10,000 per incident. There is no lifetime limit. There are no exclusions, except for pre-existing conditions - my pets have none.
It covers all tests, emergencies, specialists, surgeries, MRI, cancer, chronic diseases, prescriptions, etc.
It has a small budget for holistic therapy, accupuncture, behavioral medicine. It covers euthanasia.
I pay one time deductible of $100 for incident - so for chronic cases - Bugsy's IBD, for example, no matter how many times I go back to the vet, I do not pay a deductible; it all falls into that incident.
They pay 80% of the bill, I pay 20%. Translating, if I am hit with a $2,000 vet bill, They will pay $1520, and my cost will be $480 (that includes the deductible).
I get the money in a few days time, deposited by direct deposit, in my checking account. They give you 5-10 business days, but they deposit FAST.
I have used them MANY times, and have NEVER had a problem, not once.
Customer service is phenomenal.
Claim forms are extrememly easy - you download it 1/2 filled from their site, fill in the date and pet's name. Put the diagnostics, or notes, if there isn't a diagnostics. YOU sign, the vet doesn't need to sign. You can fax, scan and upload, or mail it in along with the receipt.
Done.
Alternatively, you can print a form and have the vet sign it, so they can pay the vet directly, so you don't come up with the money upfront. If you have a good relationship with the vet, this can come in handy in high bill cases.

Anyways, this is my experience with pets best..... I have nothing but wonderful things to say about them.....
They do NOT pay dentals.
Also - for those getting insurance: Get it while your cat is young and have no disease - don't wait until they are sick. Once they are, that condition will not be covered (it will once it is deemed "cured" It will not be covered if it becomes chronic, and the present event either)
If you have a cat with a chronic disease and thinking about getting insurance - it will not be covered - not for that diesase - it will fall into a "pre-exhisting condition" take that into consideration.
If you get insurance then that cnodition happens.... then it is ok - you are covered, and they won't drop you.

I have insurance on my cats. I use Pets Best Insurance recommended to me from Carolina. They are incredible and the customer service is top notch. They offer many different levels according to suit your needs OR your financial situation. I have the $100.00 deductible only because most incidences are always over $100 initially anyway. It is a bit more expensive, but not by too much at all. Now I never have to worry about "vet bills" when something goes wrong. I have already had quite a few claims this year for two of my cats that has been paid back to me ten fold. I get my reimbursement checks within 7 to 10 days of submitting. I wish I had gotten insurance on my Wilbur dog years ago when he was young. He started getting health issues when he was seven years old. He is now almost fourteen years old and has many health issues. I have spent thousands (I mean thousands and thousands :lol3 over the last six years to save him. I will keep the insurance on all of my cats because let me tell ya, when they get sick - it is extremely, shockingly expensive, as most of us know. As youngsters, there are not many health issues, but to me Insurance is just that.... Insurance for that emergency, illness or disease that is lurking down the road. It is SO worth the yearly expense. I pay it all in one lump sum each year and get a discount for doing it that way too.

Carolina said:

Also - for those getting insurance: Get it while your cat is young and have no disease - don't wait until they are sick. Once they are, that condition will not be covered (it will once it is deemed "cured" It will not be covered if it becomes chronic, and the present event either)
If you have a cat with a chronic disease and thinking about getting insurance - it will not be covered - not for that diesase - it will fall into a "pre-exhisting condition" take that into consideration.
If you get insurance then that cnodition happens.... then it is ok - you are covered, and they won't drop you.

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Yep, Starting out when they are young is the best when they have no pre-existing issues. Pipsqueak has specifically "FIC - blood in urine" Now that is pre-existing. BUT they assured me that IF Pipsqueak gets - let's say crystals or stones - that WILL be covered because we have proof that the "blood in urine" is NOT from crystals and stones. So you see, even if there is a condition relating to the bladder, that doesn't mean ALL conditions relating to the bladder will be excluded. PLUS - they won't drop you after a year of a certain condition - let's say - cancer, like some pet insurance companies. That policy will still be renewed and your cat will still receive benefits for his disease or condition. Pets Best really IS the best. I had insurance for my horses and was never this satisfied from the company I used for them. Can't say enough good things about Pets Best!!!!!! AND the always answer the phones and are so honestly caring and concerned for your pet.

:lol3: I know I sound like a salesperson but I am SO happy with them. My yearly premiums are due as I just received an email today! I am happy to pay that bill.

Feralvr said:

PLUS - they won't drop you after a year of a certain condition - let's say - cancer, like some pet insurance companies. That policy will still be renewed and your cat will still receive benefits for his disease or condition.

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Oh yeah, I can totally testify to that! Bugsy has had his IBD for several years, and used the very same incident #. It is a chronic condition, and it has become quite expensive..... I have never had an issue with it. None.
Lauren, you should create an online account for direct deposit, if you are comfortable with it - from there, you can download and upload the forms immediately from your computer, and the claims are paid very fast, directly to your checking ACC. I have been doing this for a while - I get paid in a few business days.
They send me an email when they receive the claim, when they start processing, and when it was sent to my bank. Last one I sent in Monday, was paid Thursday :nod:
I am so happy you are happy with them!
I LOVE, LOVE their customer service, IMHO, the BEST! :bigthumb:

Carolina,

You said it pays up to a total of $10,000 per incident and that Bugsy has had IBD for years...have you hit that limit? Or will you? I don't know enough about IBD to know what all kinds of diagnostics and what kind of continual check ups and screenings it may require, but maybe...? It seems like over the 20+ year lifespan of some cats, it would be pretty easy to hit a $10,000 limit for the same incident if they developed that problem at a young age.