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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / June 2004Pet Insurance Suggestions Needed
Please help me. Here is my situation: I have three cats; Melampus is 15 and healthy for the most part. Long-haired domestic, neutered, grumpy (always has been). He had to have a back toe amputated on New Year's Eve 2000/2001 after he jumped off of a shelf and got a claw stuck in a wall. I told him later that if he wanted toes amputated he should've just asked to be declawed. He told me I wasn't funny. He's such a grouch. Storm is 4 and is currently at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic because he is blocked (again) with crystals. He is a short-haired domestic, neutered, ID chip, sweetest cat alive. Taran is 3 and pretty healthy if I can keep him from ingesting his toys. He had 2 surgeries before he was 2 months old to remove cotton eyeballs from his stomach. Since then he has been fine however. He is a short-haired domestic, neutered, scaredy-cat (but he thinks he's a tough guy). So as you can see, my cats have been very expensive. While I understand that Storm's current problem won't be covered, what I wonder is if he clears up and it recurrs would it then be covered by any insurance companies you know of. Any help at all with exams and vaccines would be great too. Dental and/or grooming would be a bonus. Melampus is also a concern because of his age. I haven't had any problems arise so far but he is getting older and I'm sure that some problems will be inevitable. Taran keeps trying to eat plastic bags and other random objects. I usually can hide things pretty well from him, but if he were to need another surgery, I just don't know how much more I can afford. Does anyone here have any experience with pet insurance? Would pet insurance be my best option? Or would one of the pet medical discount groups be better? I did notice that the discount includes pre-existing conditions, but I would have to switch vet's and I really love my vet! Well, any help or suggestions at all will be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Rhiannon I've done some research on pet insurance, and in my opinion, they aren't worth what you pay for them. Over time you'll pay a lot more into the policy than you'll ever get out of it. A better idea is to get a low-interest credit card and keep it handy for pet emergencies. -- M9 > Please help me. Here is my situation: > [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > Rhiannon I had insurance for one year but cancelled when the went up on their rates. I now put $300 a year (two cats) into a special savings account that is ONLY for emergencies. The normal things such a shots, grooming, dental etc. are paid for separately (insurance probably wouldn't cover them anyway). At 14, your older cat wouldn't be covered. -MIKE > Does anyone here have any experience with pet insurance? What I spotted here in the 'states is that the only insurance that does pets is Veterinary Pet Insurance, based in Brea, CA. When we originally looked at it, it was about $20/animal - but it was a reimbursement plan. I think that, in retrospect, I kind of wish I had it for the times that we did go to the vet to save our girls, but honestly, looking at the long term expense, M9 and Mike are right - you're better off just taking the money that you would otherwise spend on the insurance and sticking it in a savings account, and subsequently keeping a low-interest credit card around specifically for your pets. Alternatively, check with your vet and see if they can put like $100 on credit hold for you, just in the hopefully unlikely event that kitty needs the doctor.  SignatureDennis Carr - KE6ISF | I may be out of my mind, http://www.dennis.furtopia.org | But I have more fun that way. ------------------------------------+------------------------------- Wanna email me? Send it to ke6isf instead of bogus-user. > > Does anyone here have any experience with pet insurance? > > What I spotted here in the 'states is that the only insurance that does > pets is Veterinary Pet Insurance, based in Brea, CA. When we originally > looked at it, it was about $20/animal - but it was a reimbursement plan. Actually, there are several pet insurance companies in the U.S. There is even one that provides two months of insurance to pets adopted through Petfinder and through some shelters, then (of course) would like to sell the policy for continued use. At one time, I was interested in pet insurance and I had a collection of brochures from 6 or 7 companies. Unfortunately, I discarded the literature a couple of months ago, so I don't have current information for you. However, when I checked rates I found a considerable variation in rates based on the age of the pets and the type of coverage provided. The lowest rate would have been about $10.00-$12.00 per month for each cat, assuming the policy was started at a fairly young age. I decided to "self-insure" and started to put a small amount for each cat into a savings account that is solely for their use and only for emergencies or fairly expensive procedures (not for normal care such as routine exams). The problem with all of the policies I checked is that they have too many "exceptions" -- for example, some list only certain specified illnesses and do not cover an illness that is not listed, some have maximum payouts that are too low considering the cost of the policy, some do not cover older pets or do so only at an accelerated premium, etc. MaryL >The lowest rate would have been about $10.00-$12.00 per month for >each cat, assuming the policy was started at a fairly young age. I decided Connie mentioned premiums as high as $100 per month. I haven't seen her post lately, but I was really wondering what company she was talking about. All the ones I checked, with young, healthy cats, were about like you found. I also decided to self-insure. Sherry from my experience, it will only be worth it IF you have a young healthy pet, and it does not stay that way.. aka if you got the insurance when you first got them. then it is of benefit. I like the recommendation of putting money aside for emergencies. Chances are any insurance premiums would be $50-100 a month > Please help me. Here is my situation: > [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > Rhiannon >from my experience, it will only be worth it IF you have a young healthy >pet, and it does not stay that way.. aka if you got the insurance when you >first got them. then it is of benefit. I like the recommendation of >putting money aside for emergencies. Chances are any insurance premiums >would be $50-100 a month What company are you speaking of? $100 a month sounds excessive for a young, healthy cat. Is the plan you're speaking of one of those that covers basic routine care? Sherry |
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