How do you guys feel about pet insurance? I only have one kitty but I can't tell you how many people I've known who end up having to spend $5,000+ on an unforeseen cat issue.
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Reasons one should take their cats in regular vet visits
- Thread starter donutte
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I have mixed feelings about it - even if you have pet insurance, you still have to come up with a way to pay the vet yourself first, then the insurance co. reimburses you like 70% on the back end........it would be GREAT to be reimbursed, but a lot of folks couldn't come up with 5-10k on their own to pay the vet in the first place, rendering the insurance pretty useless.... I think if you can afford pet insurance and to also sock away a little money every month into a pet health emergency savings account, that would be ideal. Anyone know if any pet insurance company will pay the vet for you at the time of service? If there was a company that did that, I would sign up! Otherwise, I just put money away out of every paycheck into a savings acct specifically for vet emergencies.
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- #23
The problem with insurance claims being processed up front is that I don't think that technology exists for vets. It does for humans, but not sure there's a system in place for vets. Plus I'm not sure the process would be one that vets would go for. They'd need to send the claim to the insurance company, which means they wouldn't get a bulk of the payment until well after the issue happens (because god knows insurance companies are SO well known for their turn-around time on payouts!).
As far as my opinion on pet insurance, I also have mixed opinions. I wish I'd had it for Sara and Lucky - especially Sara though. My little sickie. I just wish they would include wellness care in the price, I'd be much more likely to buy it. A lot of them you can get it in addition to the regular insurance, but with three cats I definitely couldn't afford that. But yeah, if wellness is included, that would be something to consider.
I too have mixed opinions about insurance. Several of my cats have pre-existing or genetic health issues and these are not covered. I've considered getting it for emergency coverage; but, haven't yet.
I've more taken to the idea of putting money back in the event of an emergency, and I have Care Credit for that as well.
I've more taken to the idea of putting money back in the event of an emergency, and I have Care Credit for that as well.
I have a very basic pet insurance policy . Cap of 8000, 500 deductible and they pay 80% up to the cap. costs me about 25 bucks a month. Of course you have to pay up front unless you can get it approved before hand. I don't think a vet clinic that you have an established relationship would have an issue with that.
The ones that cover everything are more than if you took your pet to the vet for wellness every year when you add it up. KWIM.
The ones that cover everything are more than if you took your pet to the vet for wellness every year when you add it up. KWIM.
Knowing your policy you can use care credit and one of their promotions that defer interest until you get a check. I look to see the way pet insurance is handled change quickly if they want to keep customers. Payment for something covered in your policy is going to become a must.
Thank you so much for posting this! I do applications for dog (and sometimes cat) rescue, and the first thing we do is check vet references. You would be shocked how many times I've called on a seemingly good app with a terrible vet reference. There are so many people who don't understand the importance of having a relationship with a vet, or they say "they were never sick", but, how do they know? They aren't vets and there are a lot of things people simply glaze over. (Dental health being the biggest one)
I did an app once for a puppy, and when I called their vet they said they had not been seen in 6 years with the current adult dog. I called the applicant to make sure it wasn't a mistake and they said after the death of their last dog they "fell into a rut". I understand that losing a pet is extremely, beyond painful however, should we give them a puppy and the adult dog die, will they fall into another "rut" and not seek veterinary care for the puppy?
I hope more people read this and find a vet they can trust and their babies can love.
I did an app once for a puppy, and when I called their vet they said they had not been seen in 6 years with the current adult dog. I called the applicant to make sure it wasn't a mistake and they said after the death of their last dog they "fell into a rut". I understand that losing a pet is extremely, beyond painful however, should we give them a puppy and the adult dog die, will they fall into another "rut" and not seek veterinary care for the puppy?
I hope more people read this and find a vet they can trust and their babies can love.
Care Credit + insurance is a good combination. You can pay the vet with the Care Credit card with 6 months no interest, and the insurance will have paid the claim by then so you can pay the card off before any interest is charged.
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- #29
Can pet insurance premiums be paid with Care Card? My vet actually doesn't take it, and if I don't use it soon (like, very soon) it will basically be cancelled since I've not had the chance to use it.
I will be blunt. Most people do not have a clue what it really costs to have just one pet. Some of the lists online for pet care are beyond deceptive. Vet visits might be described as a clinic for yearly shots. I've had a few extremely brutal arguments on horse slaughter. If you stop mindless breeding slaughter on commercial scale will not be feasible. Until then it's how we dispose of the endless supply of unwanted horseflesh. Mostly over our borders now. If you want to really have a no kill environment you have to stop the mindless breeding of puppies and kittens. My visit to the shelter to get Mercy was a nightmare. It's not even kitten season and they were overrun. And yes I only took one because I know exactly how much we spend each month of cat food etc etc etc.
Thank you so much for posting this! I do applications for dog (and sometimes cat) rescue, and the first thing we do is check vet references. You would be shocked how many times I've called on a seemingly good app with a terrible vet reference. There are so many people who don't understand the importance of having a relationship with a vet, or they say "they were never sick", but, how do they know? They aren't vets and there are a lot of things people simply glaze over. (Dental health being the biggest one)
I did an app once for a puppy, and when I called their vet they said they had not been seen in 6 years with the current adult dog. I called the applicant to make sure it wasn't a mistake and they said after the death of their last dog they "fell into a rut". I understand that losing a pet is extremely, beyond painful however, should we give them a puppy and the adult dog die, will they fall into another "rut" and not seek veterinary care for the puppy?
I hope more people read this and find a vet they can trust and their babies can love.
The no-kill shelter mantra can't work when dog and cat owners still fail to s/n. Someone mentioned they would take their cats kittens to a no kill shelter. How nice. I bet the shelter is thrilled.
I have no idea. That would be a question for CC or the insurance . I know that when I wanted to put my premium on a CC it was more than just out of checking. CC is only worth it if you can get at least the six month interest free promotion. you know you can use it for yourself too.
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- #32
If I didn't have an HSA that I dip into when needed, I would definitely use it for myself. But it's also amazing how many providers in my area do NOT accept it. Including all of mine, and I see several doctors and a dentist. Considering almost everything stipulates that it will pay for things if bought at the vet's office though, my guess is they don't.
After about two hours of research though, I found a plan that actually looks feasible. But I have a lot of questions, so I emailed them.
Anyway, after all the stuff I went through with Lucky and even more so with Sara, I'm really wishing I had done regular visits with her. Ah well. Live and learn, right? In all honesty, with Lucky, he had several sets of blood work in a short period of time, and there was absolutely nothing that could have predicted what he had. Sara though, we could have addressed a couple of the issues at least a long time ago.
I know, that's why I wish there was more truthful educational material available. (And, also, more organizations to help people who have little money, but own pets. Like, enough to cover the routine care, food, etc, but not medical emergencies. Too often do pets from loving but financially unstable home fall ill, and the only option is to give them up to rescue, when really the goal should be too keep these animals in their homes to begin with. This organization is a good example) We've had people apply for our animals who "don't believe in spay and neuter" and we've turned them down even if they are an otherwise great home. Now, this is a double edged sword, because there is nothing to stop them from purchasing from awful sources. (My state much to my chagrin boasts some of the worst puppy mills in the country) Its simply against everything we believe, it goes against science and medical fact, and there are so many medical benefits to s/n other than eliminating the risk of unwanted offspring.
It is actually a goal of mine not start start an actual rescue, but an organization devoted to education, and financial help to families who have to admit they simply can't afford it despite all the love they have.
I go to a VCA clinic. It's a little bit pricier than private vets, but they have good vets. I wouldn't miss the annual wellness exam. Mingo needs a rabies vaccine, which includes the annual fee from the city. They also provide flea medicine that protects against heartworm. Mingo is an indoor cat, but indoor cats can be exposed to all these things, too. I do have pet insurance. Since Mingo is a young cat, it's $15 per month, and it will probably go up as he ages, but this insurance also maintains his chip information. Someone on this site was appalled at spending $200 per year on vet bills, which I find laughable. I spend more than that for a healthy kitty.
I asked for the vet we used to be our regular vet and that is possible. Most clinics have the owner and a few other vets on staff so not that much different.
Your pet insurance premium will likely increase but because you use a wellness exam and if you maintain the same provider probably not as much as if you waited till the cat was older to seek coverage. Which is another reason to pick a policy that you can pay out of your budget without making a significant dent.
In reality the exam is a bit more but some of the tests are less since they do them in house and the packages do offer a discount.
Now if we could just claim them on our taxes.
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I hundred percent agree. I can't stress how important a baseline blood workup is for future problems.
I have had several cats with complex medical histories=I have learned so much about what to look for and things to help prevent some of the illnesses but in the end-blood work and a wellness visit having their body palpated is very important.
We don't know what to always look for and I feel more confident having someone with experience do a quick exam to see if there are any changes. They can't talk so we have to always be villagent to any subtle changes. Sometimes blood work doesn't solve the problem. Sometimes each cats numbers are normal for them-but usually we can pick up on things earlier this way rather than wait for something to happen.
I have had several cats with complex medical histories=I have learned so much about what to look for and things to help prevent some of the illnesses but in the end-blood work and a wellness visit having their body palpated is very important.
We don't know what to always look for and I feel more confident having someone with experience do a quick exam to see if there are any changes. They can't talk so we have to always be villagent to any subtle changes. Sometimes blood work doesn't solve the problem. Sometimes each cats numbers are normal for them-but usually we can pick up on things earlier this way rather than wait for something to happen.
Home dental care can be surprisingly easy if you find toothpaste your cat likes! Our cats love CET toothpaste, it's like a treat for them. (Unfortunately their toothpaste isn't very readily available right now because they're apparently transitioning to new equipment. Or something.)
And what a horrible bat/quarantine story!
Originally Posted by CatPack
Our vet also likes to see blood tests done earlier. She was thrilled when I asked for them when our cats were almost two, just because I remember how important middle-age and senior tests had been for our previous cat.
And I couldn't agree more with @Kittens Mom about cat costs: even after years of having cats, I still forget sometimes how much proper care and feeding can cost! Everything adds up so fast, particularly if your cat has dietary limitations, as our cats and many of the other posters' cats do.
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What should one get done at a yearly checkup? I'm switching to a different vet for Robins checkup/vaccination. He last had bloodwork in Dec. 2012. And how much is a basic blood panel?
My regular vet did not bother to send out a reminder for his yearly checkup, which annoyed me a little. I'm the mom so I knew it was coming up late December, but when I called to see what he was due for, they were like, " So glad you remembered, because we didn't." So off we will be going, to a different vet. Hope this one doesn't ignore the crusty/runny eye thing; the practice that he's seen since kittenhood didn't seem concerned. "Just wipe it off". I can't help but wonder if earlier, aggressive treatment might have stopped the issue before it crept up into something steadily worse.
My regular vet did not bother to send out a reminder for his yearly checkup, which annoyed me a little. I'm the mom so I knew it was coming up late December, but when I called to see what he was due for, they were like, " So glad you remembered, because we didn't." So off we will be going, to a different vet. Hope this one doesn't ignore the crusty/runny eye thing; the practice that he's seen since kittenhood didn't seem concerned. "Just wipe it off". I can't help but wonder if earlier, aggressive treatment might have stopped the issue before it crept up into something steadily worse.
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- #39
I just got comprehensive insurance (incident / illness / wellness) for the three younger ones as well as standalone wellness coverage for Sara. As we get closer to the point that the others will be going to the vet, I'll add the others on. As it is, with four or more pets, I get 10% off all of them. This was the best I could find for my situation, especially since my vet is a bit on the pricier side. I figure the deductible will be met with less than just one vet visit so why not?
I didn't even try to get anything other than wellness for Sara.
I didn't even try to get anything other than wellness for Sara.
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- #40
I'm not even sure what a "basic" blood panel is at this point :lol3: Oh man, that's just sad.
I think blood panels are included more when they are older. Unless there are issues, I don't think they do it when they are younger. Although as someone stated, having a baseline blood work done is a good thing to do.
