# Best pet insurance?



## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

I am looking at pet insurance for Pericles, my new puppy. (I so wish now I'd had something for elderly Hecuba...)

In going through the forums, it seems quite a few people use Pet Plan and many recommend it. On the web Healthy Paws seems to come up with good recommendations...do any of you use it? Do you like it? Or other companies?

Thanks for any help or advice!


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

When I looked into it I was leaning towards Pet Plan, I was also looking into Trupanion. I never ended up getting it though.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

I have Pet Plan for my special little girl. I just filed my first claim with them so I don't have much experience myself. But many people have told me they are amazing. I have one client that has had his two dogs on it since he got them and one we just diagnosed with Lymphoma maybe a little over 6 months ago. She is now in complete remission and Pet Plan has paid over $7,500 for her treatment! I feel like they are the most trustworthy pet insurance company. I have never heard negative things about them where as with the other insurance companies I hear many negative things about. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## mom2Zoe (Jun 17, 2014)

I have petplan. My vet recommended , at first I had tru companion , but switched within the 30 day trail period.


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

I have Pets Best. I used to have Trupanion but switched as Pets Best has better rates and more payout choices and covers more.


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## sparkyjoe (Oct 26, 2011)

I researched and comparison shopped and we ended up going with Pet Plan.


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## schnauzerpoodle (Apr 21, 2010)

We have Pet Plan and are very happy about it. 

Here's a review of Pet Insurance. Hope this helps. 

10 Best Pet Insurance of 2014 | Trusted by 547,000 | Consumers Advocate


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

I have Pet Plan for both my dogs, based on the positive reviews here on PF. Fortunately, I've never had to use it.


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## Lou (Sep 22, 2012)

We have healthy paws, but I have considered switching to petplan even though healthypaws is listed as #1 I haven't met anyone who has it to give me some feedback.
And petplan customers always give good feedback here on PF


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## PoodlePaws (May 28, 2013)

Pet plan here! Love them!


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## CtPoodle (Sep 9, 2012)

PetPlan. They even paid for the holistic vet and nutritional supplements for Rembrandt. Love them.


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

*Thank you all*

Thank you all so much for the advice! Pet Plan it is! I feel much more secure with this done...


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

We have Trupanion. So far so good. 

Rick


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## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

We have VPI for both our cat and Brandon.
We have never had a problem with them and every claim I've sent in, I've gotten 100% back after my deductible was met.
I know not many people like VPI but for us it's worked out just fine.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I had Pet Plan for the past year and when it came time to renew this month, they raised my rates almost 200 dollars a year! I thought that was ridiculous and cancelled it. They said rates in NY and CA have gone up a lot. I don't doubt that, because our vet bills here are high- heck, everything is high here:-(

I never used the insurance and only had it a year. My dogs are all under the age of 5 and healthy. So why the big hike? Because they can? I can't afford a hike like that every year and am going back to the strategy of just putting money away for emergencies....or not, and just taking the hit if it comes. 

I feel like they " hooked" me with a reasonable introductory rate and then once I was in the system, they had me and could raise it. That ain't happening!!!

The one thing I know I might need eventually is money to fix Misty's luxating patella...but they wouldn't cover that anyway because it's a pre-existing condition. 

For me, it's not worth it. It does buy peace of mind though, and certainly if something happens, there's the benefit, but in weighing everything, we are back to just paying out of pocket and taking the risk. Plus, I can use that money to invest in preventative things, like good nutrition, and dental care. Lily's first dental was $263 dollars this year- they don't cover that, and as my dogs age, they will need dentals. 

Preventative care is very important and that's not included in most plans unless you pay an outrageous premium. 

I also worry that vet bills will start to go even higher BECAUSE people have insurance. That is the history in human health care- And part of why our health care in the US is so expensive. Are we going in that same direction with vet care now?


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## murphys (Mar 1, 2012)

I have Trupanion. My deciding factor was whether the age of pet was factored in the yearly rate increase. For Trupanion it is not. I also was looking for insurance for the big ticket items or chronic illnesses not for the expected stuff such as annual shots or reg vet visits.


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## Oreo's Mommy (Dec 18, 2012)

Oreo has Healthy Paws. So far, so good on the claims. We've only had two. The rates did go up after the first year.


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## PNWMama (Mar 18, 2014)

We have Pet Plan, and haven't needed it yet (knock on wood). I narrowed it down to Pet Plan or Trupanion, and went with Pet Plan at the time because the coverage took effect nearly immediately. (I was paranoid that Jasper might have been exposed to Parvo, as I was an ignorant first-time dog owner and hadn't realized that my new puppy shouldn't be walking around and meeting lots of unknown dogs until fully vaccinated.) 

Pet Plan covers more things, with fewer restrictions, and was a lot less expensive. But even at the highest level of coverage, Pet Plan has a $22,000 annual cap. I wanted insurance so that we would never be in the position of saying no to treatment because of the cost. Trupanion has no cap. So I might switch.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

In the two years that my girls have had Petplan, I have not done a total, but have gotten at least $10,000 more than I paid them. Just received a check for $667 from them today, and then called my Vet to order around $800 - $1,000 worth of medications for Tangee, every dime of which I will get back from Petplan next month. 
I think it is the most fantastic thing that I have ever done for my girls -with two twelve year olds, I would never have risked getting a new puppy. Oh, and fortunately I signed my new puppy up immediately too, because three weeks after coming home, she wound up with a $1,500 emergency vet bill. Got back every dime from Petplan on that bill as well.
Although I wish that my girls were healthy and Petplan made a big profit off of me, i don't see that happening anytime in the foreseeable future...


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## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

That's just great. That is a perfect gift for dog lovers. Bet Molly has the cleanest paws in town and smell pretty also.


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## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

Sorry I end end up on the wrong thread. Guess it's too early in the morning and my eyes aren't opened enough lol.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

murphys said:


> I have Trupanion. My deciding factor was whether the age of pet was factored in the yearly rate increase. For Trupanion it is not. I also was looking for insurance for the big ticket items or chronic illnesses not for the expected stuff such as annual shots or reg vet visits.



Are you sure about that? When I was shopping for insurance, Trupanion, my second choice was the exact same price for my girls as Petplan, who factors in age, breed, and location into the cost. The coverage seemed very similar, but 
I picked Petplan because I loved that they offer 100% reimbursement, while the highest that Truepanion offered was 90%. I too am most concerned about the huge bills that can happen with old age, and that 10 percent less reimbursement from Trupanion, would equal $1,000 out of pocket on a $10,000 bill. I love knowing that after I spend my $200 deductible, that's it - not another dime will it cost me!


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

Wow, thanks to this thread I am less ignorant. Didn't even know such a thing existed! But I can't decide what to do. Never being a dog owner before, I really don't know what to expect. Do you all really have accidents, injuries and illnesses that often? I'm trying to decide if I really need it. But I am one who always worries about money. I know it would give me peace of mind. But I'm worried that I'd find out things aren't covered and I'd have a big pet bill anyway. ????

I saw on VPI website they show you what is NOT covered and it's A LOT! (but they've been around a long time...) But I'm nervous with everyone talking about pet plan charging them above what was agreed when it renews.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

Shelhey- I'm right there with you! This is very confusing. The reason I finally got pet insurance is that I heard the plans were better and Pet Plan was rated highly. 

I've had seven dogs as an adult and have been very lucky with vet bills ....so far. But I worry that eventually my luck will run out. 

So.....I was thinking today that maybe I'll look at other companies and ask about their policies on rate hikes. I called Embrace and the representative gave me a good introductory quote. She also said that on average there is usually a 15% rate hike annually and that's pretty standard across the industry. In a short period of time, that will add up to a big increase in premiums. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do- need to think about it. Do people find that their premiums go up that much every year?

Tiny Paws- I am sorry your dogs have had so many health problems, and it is fortunate you had the insurance and did not have to worry about the financial piece. That is a HUGE factor in this- peace of mind. 

Here is a report from Consumer Reports about pet insurance- food for thought. I can't figure out how to do a hyperlink here, so I just pasted the entire address. 

Analysis of coverage and premiums of 4 pet health insurers


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

Thanks for the article. I hope I wasn't being insensitive to anyone, or hijacking the thread.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

shelhey said:


> Thanks for the article. I hope I wasn't being insensitive to anyone, or hijacking the thread.


No worries- you're just seeking out information wanting to be a good pet owner. Nothing wrong with that!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

shelhey said:


> Wow, thanks to this thread I am less ignorant. Didn't even know such a thing existed! But I can't decide what to do. Never being a dog owner before, I really don't know what to expect. Do you all really have accidents, injuries and illnesses that often? I'm trying to decide if I really need it. But I am one who always worries about money. I know it would give me peace of mind. But I'm worried that I'd find out things aren't covered and I'd have a big pet bill anyway. ????
> 
> 
> 
> I saw on VPI website they show you what is NOT covered and it's A LOT! (but they've been around a long time...) But I'm nervous with everyone talking about pet plan charging them above what was agreed when it renews.



VPI is absolutely the worst of the worst. 
When I was searching, I really went over the major policies with a fine tooth comb, and then peppered Petplan with questions, and honestly there is virtually nothing that they don't cover. And in the two years that I have had the policies, I have found them extremely fair in how they make their decisions. I have made at least twenty claims, and several times I thought that they were more generous than they should have been. Maybe three or four times I have had to question them about a decision, but each time they came back a couple of days later, and said "you were right, we are mailing you another check"!
And about if you NEED it or not, the truth is you just never know - I have two twelve year olds, and one of them is very ill, and I get checks from Petplan for $500 - $800 most every month, and the other had only one claim for teeth extractions and a couple of biopsies the first year and nothing the second year, but I am just as happy to pay both of their premiums, because having a healthy dog but peace of mind that she is covered just in case, is as good, if not better than having my sick dogs bills paid.
I also really debated adding the puppy to the policy, I was already paying a significant amount for my older girls, and with six poodles before her, I never had a puppy with a major illness or have an accident. But I decided to go for it, and three weeks later, she swallowed a piece of gum and wound up with a $1,500 emergency bill, so that just confirmed for me the point that one just never knows, and the peace of mind is well worth it for her as well.
Look just today, we were in the small dog area at the Summer Snowday event in the park, and a Husky jumped the fence - the dog was sweet and didn't bother her, but if it hadn't been, who knows, we could have been looking at a $10,000 emergency bill! It is GOOD to have that peace of mind!








And yes, their rates have gone up a bit at renewal, but still I think that the value more than they charge!


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

Yes I think the peace of mind is huge. I'm debating about pet plan however. The annual cap scares me..... Is $10,000 a year enough?

I like that it covers 100%, and vet exam fees (Healthy Paws doesn't offer that) But Healthy Paws offers no limit....


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

shelhey said:


> Yes I think the peace of mind is huge. I'm debating about pet plan however. The annual cap scares me..... Is $10,000 a year enough?
> 
> I like that it covers 100%, and vet exam fees (Healthy Paws doesn't offer that) But Healthy Paws offers no limit....



I have the Gold Plan, $22,000 coverage, with a $200 deductible. I debated the very question that you are thinking of, but in the end I decided that I could not imagine a case in which my dog's medical care would cost more than $22,000, and them having a quality of life that was worth going on. Plus, that is $22,000 each year, so when the policy renews, I would have a fresh $22,000 to spend. It seemed to me that it was much more worthwhile to get a hundred percent back on the normal 2-3 thousand dollar fees that my dogs have incurred many times over the years....
But there are no rights and wrongs, any coverage, except for VPI would be a significant help, it really is a personal choice as to which coverage you prefer. Looking back on the lifetimes of the 7 poodles that I have owned, without question, Petplan coverage would have paid me the most if they had had it, but who knows, it could be different with the next one...


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

I really appreciate your responses. I'm finding it very helpful. Yes $22,000 does seem like a lot! Being that I only have experience with humans, and 20% of our income goes towards our medical bills I have no idea what pet care would cost. But hey, if it wasn't for the allergy shots we wouldn't be enjoying our health and our new pup!  

I'm leaning towards PetPlan for that very reason, getting 100% back and not worrying about my budget being effected by the vet charge plus the 10% of the bill. I just can't stand the thought of them charging my debit card more than I agreed to. Is that really true or did people miss the letter they sent?? But now I'm reading that an emergency vet hospital visit will only get me 80% back. I'm starting to think healthy paws really covers more.... Ugh I can't decide!


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

I asked someone online at pet plan and they said they will cover emergency visits at 100% (if you choose the 100%) but not if you use the ER for something like an ear infection. Makes sense to me. I went with pet plan. Thanks again everyone! This forum has been so valuable to me!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

shelhey said:


> I asked someone online at pet plan and they said they will cover emergency visits at 100% (if you choose the 100%) but not if you use the ER for something like an ear infection. Makes sense to me. I went with pet plan. Thanks again everyone! This forum has been so valuable to me!



Yes, anything life threatening is covered at 100 percent ( my puppy's gum swallowing emergency was covered at 100 percent), Specialists at the big hospitals are only covered at 80 percent, but I get around that pretty well with Tangee's Cardiologist - before her Cardiologist appointment, I bring her to her regular Vet who will do x-rays, and bloodwork, covered at 100 percent, she forwards the results to the cardiologist, and then the cardiologist sees her, does an ultrasound, and decides on the medications, but I get them from my regular Vet, and my regular vet orders the compounded ones, and those too are covered at 100 percent. I loose just about $100 on the Cardiologist visit, no big deal!


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

This is the conundrum, Shelhey and everyone...you just don't know. But like so many of us, and now that there seem to be some really good pet insurance companies, it seemed wise to me to get it for Pericles. It's too late for Hecuba, and would be very costly for Jupiter, but I may also do it for him (he will be 13 in a few weeks). 

Actually several of the companies seemed good, and that in itself is encouraging. I put in for the $10k maximum with Pet Plan, thinking it would be rare for me to need to spend more than that for such a young dog...

By the way, when I was doing the chat on line with one of the companies, the agent said that pet insurance, like any property insurance (!) goes up each year. I queried this and yes, she said legally it's property insurance. Oh well. I won't tell my pooches about that.


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## Mahlon (Jun 8, 2014)

Just finished signing Miss Quinn up for PetPlan, thanks for all the great posts and info everyone. Vet appointment tomorrow or Tuesday for her 3rd round of Vac. and figured best to get it in advance.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Mahlon said:


> Just finished signing Miss Quinn up for PetPlan, thanks for all the great posts and info everyone. Vet appointment tomorrow or Tuesday for her 3rd round of Vac. and figured best to get it in advance.



That's great! Be aware that any issues that the vet has previously documented, or will document within the first two weeks of coverage would be considered pre-existing and not ever covered or possibly have a significant wait period if it is considered "curable".


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Also make sure that your vet specifically documents that the hips and knees are without defect, and they will be covered with no waiting period!


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