You may want to check with your local veterinarians to see what plan they accept. I have a brochure on pet insurance from petinsurance.com. I have not personally used it, however I am going to have it free for my min pin through AKC for 60 days. So I will be able to experience it then.
Veterinary medicine is one of the few medical professions that is not financially based on insurance. The owners of the pets are responsible for veterinary costs including preventive care, emergency care, and on-going treatment.
Although many people have not been aware of it, pet health care insurance has been available for 15-20 years. It is now available in all 50 states and in several countries outside the U.S. Coverage for dogs, cats, and birds is available through several different companies. If you are considering the purchase of pet health insurance, research several companies to determine what is covered, what is excluded, and the cost of the policies available. Pet health insurance policies are similar to human insurance policies; annual premiums and deductibles may vary depending upon the health of the insured, and different coverage plans are often available.
Types of items to look for in insurance policies that include the following:
What ages of pets are accepted for coverage? Some policies have a limit on the age at the time coverage begins or drops coverage when the pet reaches a certain age. The ages vary depending upon species, breed, and life expectancy. If the coverage is not cancelled, the premium may rise.
Which breeds are accepted? Some policies do not cover breeds such as the Shar Pei, who have predispositions to a number of health problems. Some policies cover bites inflicted by the dog but exclude certain breeds due to aggressive tendencies in the breed.
Who decides what is excluded and why is it excluded? If you have a breed of dog that has a genetically higher incidence of hip dysplasia, diagnostic tests and treatment of hip problems may not be covered by the policy. In this case, you are on your own to pay for the total hip replacement surgery regardless if you have been paying premiums since the puppy was 8 weeks old.
What is covered and what is the amount of coverage in each policy? Some policies cover certain medical procedures only to a certain price level, while other policies cover a certain percentage of the price.
Does the policy cover routine exams, vaccinations, heartworm tests, heartworm preventive, and dental cleaning? Some companies include this in the regular policy while others have this coverage available at additional costs. Add up your typical veterinary clinic charges for yearly routine care and compare that with what the policy covers and the cost of that coverage.
Does the policy have deductibles and co-payments? Some do; others pay only a flat fee per ailment irregardless of the actual cost.
Are preexisting conditions covered? Preexisting conditions such as diabetes or breed-based genetic ailments are often excluded. Preexisting conditions are typically those which have an on-going treatment or have been treated within the past 6 months. Read the policy carefully.
Is there a maximum payout? Some policies may have a maximum payout per ailment, per year, or per pet.
For what reasons can the insurance company cancel the policy? Late payment? Change in the health or age of the pet?
Are you insured against damage to property if your pet causes injury to another dog or causes an accident? Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may already cover this. Be careful though, as some insurance companies (homeowner’s or renter’s) will cancel the insurance if the pet bites and you keep the pet.
Pet health insurance brings peace of mind for some owners while others would rather set money aside on their own, in case it is needed. Determining the need for pet health insurance is a personal choice. For more information on specific plans, please contact the individual insurance companies.
First, a disclaimer: I work for Embrace Pet Insurance in Cleveland, Ohio.
There are a number of companies offering pet insurance in the United States nowadays. Most companies just offer insurance for cats & dogs. So your German Shepherd mix should be able to get coverage.
Insurance is a way to protect against unwanted, unexpected, and expensive events. Typically these are things like car accidents & damage to your home. Pet insurance falls into this category when you’re talking about illnesses or accidents of one kind or another.
As I mentioned, there are a number of plans available in the US. One of the problems with the pet insurance industry as a whole has been its lack of disclosure about what you’re getting. Find companies that are open about their plans and how they handle claims.
That said, here are some questions you should ask of any pet insurance company that you talk to:
1. Does the pet insurance company give you a choice of deductibles, maximums, and copays to design a plan to suit your budget?
2. Does the plan cover genetic conditions?
3. Does the plan cover chronic or recurring conditions? So if your pet gets sick in year 1, does it cover the same illness again in year 2?
4. Does the plan come loaded with coverages that you’ll pay for but probably never use, like “Lost & Found” or “Accidental Death”?
5. What is and is not covered? Is it clearly stated on their website or over the phone?
6. Does the plan pay claims based on a restrictive benefit schedule or the actual vet bill? You want to avoid benefit schedule plans because they will leave your pocket with a big hole.
7. Are there per-incident limits that effectively cap the amount you could receive back? For example, some plans have a $3,000 per-incident limit. If you had a claim for $5,000 with one of these plans then the most you would get back would be $3,000.
8. How long does the company take to pay claims?
9. What are the rules around pre-existing conditions? Are they excluded permanently or temporarily?
10. Will the company increase your premium just because you make a claim?
In general there is no “best” company. I encourage you to look at several plans to determine which one is right for you and your pet.
Pet insurance can be a lifesaver, literally (our company just received a $5,900 claim for a Labrador that ate string). But insurance is not a form of forced savings or a way to “get some money back”. If this is what you are looking for then you may be disappointed.
Some people will tell you to put the money from pet insurance aside and stick it in a savings account instead. There are two problems with this: one, many people lack the discipline to do this every month and two, your pet isn’t going to wait until you’ve got enough saved up before he gets sick. So even if you saved $30/mo for 3 years that’s about $1,000 or so. A broken leg can EASILY cost $1,500 – 2,000 to fix. But a savings account is a good way to save for regular, routine stuff like vaccinations and teeth cleaning.
Do buy pet insurance if you love your pet(s) and if you don’t want money to be an obstacle to the best care possible. Don’t expect to make a claim but knowing that you have pet insurance means you and your pet can handle anything that life throws at you and your German Shepherd!
You may want to check with your local veterinarians to see what plan they accept. I have a brochure on pet insurance from petinsurance.com. I have not personally used it, however I am going to have it free for my min pin through AKC for 60 days. So I will be able to experience it then.
Pet Health Insurance: What to Look For
Veterinary medicine is one of the few medical professions that is not financially based on insurance. The owners of the pets are responsible for veterinary costs including preventive care, emergency care, and on-going treatment.
Although many people have not been aware of it, pet health care insurance has been available for 15-20 years. It is now available in all 50 states and in several countries outside the U.S. Coverage for dogs, cats, and birds is available through several different companies. If you are considering the purchase of pet health insurance, research several companies to determine what is covered, what is excluded, and the cost of the policies available. Pet health insurance policies are similar to human insurance policies; annual premiums and deductibles may vary depending upon the health of the insured, and different coverage plans are often available.
Types of items to look for in insurance policies that include the following:
What ages of pets are accepted for coverage? Some policies have a limit on the age at the time coverage begins or drops coverage when the pet reaches a certain age. The ages vary depending upon species, breed, and life expectancy. If the coverage is not cancelled, the premium may rise.
Which breeds are accepted? Some policies do not cover breeds such as the Shar Pei, who have predispositions to a number of health problems. Some policies cover bites inflicted by the dog but exclude certain breeds due to aggressive tendencies in the breed.
Who decides what is excluded and why is it excluded? If you have a breed of dog that has a genetically higher incidence of hip dysplasia, diagnostic tests and treatment of hip problems may not be covered by the policy. In this case, you are on your own to pay for the total hip replacement surgery regardless if you have been paying premiums since the puppy was 8 weeks old.
What is covered and what is the amount of coverage in each policy? Some policies cover certain medical procedures only to a certain price level, while other policies cover a certain percentage of the price.
Does the policy cover routine exams, vaccinations, heartworm tests, heartworm preventive, and dental cleaning? Some companies include this in the regular policy while others have this coverage available at additional costs. Add up your typical veterinary clinic charges for yearly routine care and compare that with what the policy covers and the cost of that coverage.
Does the policy have deductibles and co-payments? Some do; others pay only a flat fee per ailment irregardless of the actual cost.
Are preexisting conditions covered? Preexisting conditions such as diabetes or breed-based genetic ailments are often excluded. Preexisting conditions are typically those which have an on-going treatment or have been treated within the past 6 months. Read the policy carefully.
Is there a maximum payout? Some policies may have a maximum payout per ailment, per year, or per pet.
For what reasons can the insurance company cancel the policy? Late payment? Change in the health or age of the pet?
Are you insured against damage to property if your pet causes injury to another dog or causes an accident? Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may already cover this. Be careful though, as some insurance companies (homeowner’s or renter’s) will cancel the insurance if the pet bites and you keep the pet.
Pet health insurance brings peace of mind for some owners while others would rather set money aside on their own, in case it is needed. Determining the need for pet health insurance is a personal choice. For more information on specific plans, please contact the individual insurance companies.
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Hi mayavedo,
First, a disclaimer: I work for Embrace Pet Insurance in Cleveland, Ohio.
There are a number of companies offering pet insurance in the United States nowadays. Most companies just offer insurance for cats & dogs. So your German Shepherd mix should be able to get coverage.
Insurance is a way to protect against unwanted, unexpected, and expensive events. Typically these are things like car accidents & damage to your home. Pet insurance falls into this category when you’re talking about illnesses or accidents of one kind or another.
As I mentioned, there are a number of plans available in the US. One of the problems with the pet insurance industry as a whole has been its lack of disclosure about what you’re getting. Find companies that are open about their plans and how they handle claims.
That said, here are some questions you should ask of any pet insurance company that you talk to:
1. Does the pet insurance company give you a choice of deductibles, maximums, and copays to design a plan to suit your budget?
2. Does the plan cover genetic conditions?
3. Does the plan cover chronic or recurring conditions? So if your pet gets sick in year 1, does it cover the same illness again in year 2?
4. Does the plan come loaded with coverages that you’ll pay for but probably never use, like “Lost & Found” or “Accidental Death”?
5. What is and is not covered? Is it clearly stated on their website or over the phone?
6. Does the plan pay claims based on a restrictive benefit schedule or the actual vet bill? You want to avoid benefit schedule plans because they will leave your pocket with a big hole.
7. Are there per-incident limits that effectively cap the amount you could receive back? For example, some plans have a $3,000 per-incident limit. If you had a claim for $5,000 with one of these plans then the most you would get back would be $3,000.
8. How long does the company take to pay claims?
9. What are the rules around pre-existing conditions? Are they excluded permanently or temporarily?
10. Will the company increase your premium just because you make a claim?
In general there is no “best” company. I encourage you to look at several plans to determine which one is right for you and your pet.
Pet insurance can be a lifesaver, literally (our company just received a $5,900 claim for a Labrador that ate string). But insurance is not a form of forced savings or a way to “get some money back”. If this is what you are looking for then you may be disappointed.
Some people will tell you to put the money from pet insurance aside and stick it in a savings account instead. There are two problems with this: one, many people lack the discipline to do this every month and two, your pet isn’t going to wait until you’ve got enough saved up before he gets sick. So even if you saved $30/mo for 3 years that’s about $1,000 or so. A broken leg can EASILY cost $1,500 – 2,000 to fix. But a savings account is a good way to save for regular, routine stuff like vaccinations and teeth cleaning.
Do buy pet insurance if you love your pet(s) and if you don’t want money to be an obstacle to the best care possible. Don’t expect to make a claim but knowing that you have pet insurance means you and your pet can handle anything that life throws at you and your German Shepherd!
Hope this helps,
Alex
Embrace Pet Insurance