Experience with Pet Insurance

[downton ali]

I'm looking to cover my 1 yr. old cat with pet insurance and would like to hear about your experience in using one. I've been trying to sort out which plans provide the best coverage, have decent customer service and actually pay their claims. There isn't one I've found where people aren't miserable or irate with one aspect or another.

I've mentally narrowed down to Fetch and Pumpkin, but there seem to be caveats with each, i.e., Fetch won't pay if you don't have an annual exam and seem to demand mounds of paperwork in order to pay a claim; Pumpkin drags their heels on anything beyond an initial reimbursement.

I am fine with a high deductible and want insurance that will cover accidents, illness, behavioral issues, prescription cat food and where the premiums won't drastically go up year after year. I'm not concerned with wellness coverage as I have savings for that.

Is there a plan you'd recommend or not recommend?

Thank you!
Alison (mama to Enzo)

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
I don't have direct experience, but was wondering if Fetch is the one where if you're a member of Costco (one of the big chain warehouse stores that won't let you shop unless you have a membership) the cost is a little less?

 

[Tik cat's mum]

I'd definitely say have a look at animal friends. I had to use mine for the first time this year rushed one of my boy's to the emergency vet's. Here in the UK you normally pay the emergency vet then claim it back. They put the claim in at the vet's and animal freinds paid the money into my bank minus excess. It would of took about a week normally but the vet's that put the claim in for me were understaffed so I had to chase it up, it took 2 weeks. Not the insurance companies fault. After our trip to emergency vet needed to see my regular vet because he still wasn't right 2 day's later. She put in the claim and we asked for it to be paid directly no issues with paying in full. I offered to pay my vet upfront and she asked who i was with she said don't worry they are good. My policy covers accident and illness but I know they have different policies that cover other thing's like dental and behaviour not sure about the food.If you have them were you are it's worth seeing what they offer. Should of added most insurance cover will go up as the cat gets older when my boy's turn 7 I will pay 20 percent of the claim plus excess.

 

[fionasmom]

Search Results for Query: pet insurance

Looking over these threads may help you to see what others on TCS have done.

 

[downton ali]

thank you fionasmom , Tik cat's mum and Furballsmom ! I'll review all of the threads and look into Animal Friends

 

[Furballsmom]

Update to my post above, it's not Fetch, but rather Figo is the pet insurance that Costco members can get a bit of a discount.

 

[DreamerRose]

I had one of the major insurance companies for my two cats. When they were young, the rates were quite reasonable, but when they hit seven years old, the rates doubled, and it suddenly was $80 per month for the two of them. In all those years, I never made a single claim, so I decided to budget $80 per month and stop the payments. It has worked out well. In the couple of years I've had it, I've had no major vet bills. I don't think that insurance is worth it.

 

[downton ali]

DreamerRose Thank you! I have questioned this as well. Mostly, I want insurance to cover anything catastrophic until I have enough of an emergency fund built up to take care of it myself. Right now, I would not be able to cover a lengthy illness or an expensive accident. For example, my friend's rotweiller tore both ACL's wtihin a few months of each other; that's an expensive bill for a 2 year old dog.

 

[downton ali]

Update to my post above, it's not Fetch, but rather Figo is the pet insurance that Costco members can get a bit of a discount.

Thank you!

 

[DreamerRose]

DreamerRose Thank you! I have questioned this as well. Mostly, I want insurance to cover anything catastrophic until I have enough of an emergency fund built up to take care of it myself. Right now, I would not be able to cover a lengthy illness or an expensive accident. For example, my friend's rotweiller tore both ACL's wtihin a few months of each other; that's an expensive bill for a 2 year old dog.

Unfortunately, this is catastrophic insurance. They won`t cover vaxxes or routine care, and in addition, I had a sizeable deductible. The higher that was, the lower the premium. It's a risk to self-fund this, but I decided to risk it.

My vet also offers a care package that charges you monthly, but covers all of routine care and some deduction on special procedures. It may be worthwhile to check this out with your vet too.

 

[Alldara]

downton ali I don't know of any insurance where I am from that covers routine care? Or perhaps the more expensive packages do. I'm with PetSecure for our boys and they are quite simple.

Routine care is quite affordable at our vet and vaccines are included in the annual exam, so I wasn't fussed on that.

 

[downton ali]

Alldara . Thanks! Me either. I'm more concerned with illness or an accident. I called ASPCA, Fetch and Pumpkin. I tried Pumpkin twice and couldn't get a real person on the line either time, so I'm crossing them off the list.

 

[ClumsyBear]

I got insurance through Fetch, and I'm so happy with them. Customer service has always been easy to reach and friendly. They're quite fast at processing claims too. I didn't really have to show any extensive paperwork. I have a vet history document before him being sick, and I just resubmit that same document every time I make a claim, and it's always been accepted. Plus, obviously, your bill for when your cat got sick. So, just 2 documents to submit. I've made 3 claims with Fetch (asthma diagnosis, medication refill, and general sickness emergency) and I've been with them for less than a year and I never had any problems.

 

[downton ali]

ClumsyBear I signed with Fetch earlier today actually, so good to hear some positive feedback on them!