Sorry, but I don't understand exactly what you're saying? Are you saying that you don't need insurance because you would never be prepared to pay a lot of money for veterinary treatment for your cat? Not even if the prognosis was for the cat to go on to live a long and happy life, free from suffering? Prolonging the life of a suffering animal is something that I think most people on here would be opposed to, but before you end the suffering of any animal there are often expensive consultations and tests that need to be carried out before you can decide whether treatment is appropriate. Remember that emergency vets and pain relieving drugs cost a lot of money, and expenses can mount up very quickly. Insurance isn't necessary if you've got alternative funding for such a situation, but what everyone should make sure they avoid is a situation where their cat is in pain and they are unable to afford emergency medical care. Every cat has a right to be seen by a vet asap if it's in pain. My Magpie was only at the vets for about 5 hours and I was on the verge of asking them to put him to slelep when he died as I didn't want him to suffer any more. The treatment up til then (out of hours intensive care) ran into thousands.Originally Posted by Enuja
I think, for both humans and animals, that there is such a thing as too much medical care. Pouring money and drugs into any suffering creature is just not my style.
I don't think anyone's said or implied that. Enuja. I certainly didn't mean to give that impression. Nobody has said you should give your pet every possible treatment in every circumstance. But sometimes the first line of treatment - stabilising the pet's condition before you can assess the extent of injuries/illness - is what costs a lot of money. The point I was trying to make was that by deciding in advance a limit as to how much you will pay for veterinary treatment, what will happen if immediate, emergency care and assessment of the problem takes you over that amount? Will you have your cat put to sleep before you've even assessed the extent of the problem and whether it's curable?Originally Posted by Enuja
The response I got was that if you aren't willing to 1) pay for pet insurance and 2) give your pet ever single medically possible treatment, then you are a cruel and immoral person.
An advantage of insurance to me is it's a savings plan I can't dip into when I see a pair of shoes I like!Originally Posted by animal
another thought was maybe opening a separate bank account and putting aside a bit each month just incase..i just wanted to know if there was hidden advantages in having insurance
Over here that totally depends on individual vets. My vets do require payment upfront as they have had problems with direct payments from insurance companies in the past. I use my credit card. Some will require payment upfront for smaller amounts but will deal directly with the insurance company for larger amounts. It's something you'd have to check with the insurance company and discuss with your vet.Originally Posted by alliread
but dont you have to pay upfront then wait to be reimbursed??