Cat problems

[MissL]

The pet insurance I use has a $100 deductible per policy period (annually) and then after the deductible they reimburse you 80% for all medicines and treatments. They have various levels of coverage. Some plans include the basic yearly shots, heartworm preventative, etc., but I chose not to include those because it's pretty much a wash on the additional premium vs. cost of treatment. They do not cover pre-existing conditions nor do they cover genetic disorders. They cover pretty much everything else. They have been very good about covering costs for ear infections, labs, x-rays, all medicines, allergy tests (one allergy test cost over $300), etc.

My 4-year-old lab, Buddy, takes Rimadyl daily at a cost of about $40/month and they pay 80%, and my 2-year-old lab, Miss Dolly, takes allergy medicine at a cost of about $30/month, so basically I get the medicine for slightly more than my monthly insurance, PLUS I get the coverage for anything else and I know they'll be covered for anything major. It works for me. I have had several dogs with serious illnesses and injuries in the past and paid out the wazoo for treatments for them. One thing I have learned after owning eight dogs is that you just never know when something is gonna happen. I finally got smart and went with the insurance.

MissL

 

[Gayle]

Hi MissL,

Would you mind sharing what company you use?

 

[NY25]

Excellent idea on the pet insurance, all!! (wish I had it when my guy got sick - $3000 later, he still died; then my other cat got diabetes - another $1100 plus maintenance costs; sheesh)
Also, do feed your pets the "good" food. Much of the standard supermarket stuff has very high ash content, which can lead to the urinary tract problems. Your vet can recommend good brands!
Hope kitty is well soon!

 

[marnold]

Preexisting Conditions

How do they know if they are preexisting conditions with an animal? Do you have to get a checkup before coverage can begin? Just curious....

 

[MissL]

Gayle,

The pet insurance company I use is Pet Healthcare Plan through the American Kennel Club www.petpartnersinc.com When I registered my new puppies with AKC, I was given a few months of insurance free. Coverage for accidents was immediate and coverage for diseases was after 30 days, so any pre-existing conditions should be known by then. Then I renewed the coverage at the end of the trial period, and have kept the coverage since then. So I can't answer your question regarding how they know about the pre-existing conditions. You can ask questions via e-mail at the website or give them a call. My guess would be that they contact your regular veterinarian and check it out. Any time I have called they have been most helpful and pleasant.

My Buddy has severe hip dysplasia (genetic disorder, not covered) and he had hip replacement surgery when he was two ($2500). They told me that if we had the surgery, after one year post-surgery with no complications they would cover hip problems, too. I also had another lab, my sweet Casey, who turned out to be a hemophiliac (long story) (another genetic disorder, not covered), and while we had many expenses with his health issues during the 1-1/2 years that he lived, they even covered some of the stuff with him that I did not expect. So I am pleased with the company.

There are other companies, including one that is run by a group of veterinarians but I can't remember the name of it. If you want to compare, you might ask your vet if he/she knows of other good plans out there. Sometimes the staff in the vet's office knows more about that kind of stuff because they deal with the paperwork, so you might ask them, too.

MissL