Pet Insurance -- New Members Please Get Some!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

For me, although DK is a really fun place to come and just yack about our Doodles and make some great caring friends, the main purpose I like to think is for EDUCATION.  Because I'm so passionate about this issue I feel that it cannot be addressed enough!  As we continually get new members I always want to be sure this issue is readdressed!  If you do not have Pet Insurance, please stop now and get some.  Just in the last week we had 3 more doodles whose parents did not get insurance that were facing huge medical bills they had no way to pay.  So, this morning when I was on Pet Plan checking on the status of my pending claims I wrote down some numbers that I wanted to share with those of you who do not have insurance ... Please don't wait!  (These are the amounts Pet Plan paid after deductibles and owners responsibilities.

$4952 for Splenic Tumors

$4155 for Cruciate Ligament Repair (CCL Surgery)

$3102 for Vomiting & Diarrhea

$2644 for CCL Repair

$1896 CCL Repair

$1858 for Intervertebral Disc Disease

$969 Anemia

$928 for Dermatitis

$1384 for Foreign Body Ingestion

$1859 Mass

$670  for Conditions related to vomiting

$5689 for Hip Displaysia

$528 for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

$865 Growths

$3152 for Foreign Body Ingestion

$1893 for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

$3000 for Inflammatory Disc Disease

$1496 for Foreign Body Ingesiton

$3936 for Gastric Torsion (Bloat)

Do you have this kind of money laying around just looking for somewhere to spend it.  If you spent this much money today, could you turn around and do it again tomorrow when something else happens?  Yes, some people get really lucky and never have to lay out these types of expenses ... but can you take that chance ... do you wanna roll the dice!  It really is not all that expensive.  You don't need insurance to cover those regular exams and shots.  You knew when you got a dog you were going to have those expenses.  You need insurance for the big things, the unexpected things!  It can be a little overwhelming when you start looking at the different plans, but it is really important that you stick with it and get some insurance NOW!  I was so relieved the day I finally hit the send button and put those policies in place for my girls.  I prayed I'd never have to use them, but knowing they were there if I needed them was a huge relief. 

If you have questions, just search "PET INSURANCE" here on doodle kisses and you will find so many discussions that answer many questions.  If you can't find your answer I will be happy to TRY and address your questions!

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

you mean that people don't read the guidelines? 

 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

LOL...I am only guessing :) xoxo

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This is SUCH GOOD ADVICE!  I'm so happy I got pet insurance when my guys were puppies...it has already saved us so much.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

So very important!  It's a necessity these days.  

[Camilla and Darwin]

Great reminder Sherri, I think is one of THE most important things you can do for your doodle.

[nate]

We chose PetPlan for our pets. We opted for the most largest amount of coverage (90%) and the highest deductible ($300). It brought us down to around $200 for our terrier and $250 for our doodle. They seem to have 100% now ( i think they didn't before?) So we might upgrade!

I did a huge excel spreadsheet comparing all the different plans , and looked at the most likely scenarios of illness across their lifetime. At the end of the day, i don't think we would have saved money with any insurance policy. The way they specify the terms, they minimize their risks to pay out for most common / small injuries. BUT it lets us amortize the costs of serious injuries over 10 years. I'd rather write a check for $500 a year , every year, and not worry about the guys getting sick and racking up a bill for thousands of dollars.

The advice I'd give to people though, is to keep in mind:

- How much the premiums are
- What exactly is covered ( and what isn't )
- What the deductible is, and how it is structured (PetPlan is per-ailment per year, Trupanion was for the aggregate of ailments per year )
- What your copay is

Bottom line is that you design these policies, and they're not all equal. The plan we chose turns a $6000 illness into a $1000 out-of-pocket ( copay + deductible + insurance premium ). But a $3000 illness would be $1000 too. We personally felt better with that than a policy that turned a $6000 illness into $2000 but a $3000 illness into $500.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I LOVE spreadsheets  :)  aren't they just great for making big decisions?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

This made me smile...Excel is my friend.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Sheri, I have been thinking the same thing lately. I swear I have seen so many posts recently....Doodles gotten at 6 weeks, Doodles purchased from a Pet Store....and I just want to type all in capital letters....GET PET INSURANCE NOW! Sometimes, the message gets missed and offense is taken instead, but this is such a valuable message. A beautiful Doodle that we met in a class Vern took just died. He wasn't even two and they did not have insurance and the diagnosis, hospital stay, and treatment was draining on the single parent. It can happen to any dog, anytime. Get insurance!!

[Adrienne]

I agree with what others have said.  I had insurance on my Weimaraner, Max, and many of my friends thought that I was crazy until they saw how much I saved on routine and non-routine matters.  Unfortunately, when Max was 7, we accidentally let the insurance lapse (I thought the hubby renewed it, he thought that I renewed it...), and when we called to get it re-instated, we were told that it would cost over $800 because our dog was now considered an "elderly" or senior pet.  Pet insurance is the first thing on my list when I get my Doodle--and, no more lapses.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Sheri- I am so happy you posted this!
I just got my renewal notice from PetPlan. I was shocked at the price increase for Samantha, who just turned 5. Close to 500.00. There is no way any of our 4 doodles will ever go without insurance but the increases are painful to the wallet. I did do the calculations for a new plan for Nina and was very surprised how much higher they are then they were for the other 3 as a puppy. Your zip code has a lot to do with the premium..
But there is no way I could possibly pay easily for any emergency so the higher premiums are nothing for the peace of mind knowing that my doodles will never have to worry.
For those without insurance I can't possibly stress enough the importance of getting it!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

When ever I get my renewals I have that same shocking feeling.  What I have started doing is breaking it down by the month ... for some reason it just looks better to me that way.