Do you think pet insurance is a good idea or not?

The same article giving the figures from the Frugal Pet recommended pet insurance to avoid the big vet bills. What are your thoughts on Pet Insurance? Good idea or not so much?

__________________

I have never had a really big vet bill. Maybe I have jsut been lucky? I think most vets are willing to work out payments with you, so know I would not get it.

__________________
~Happiness is a large family~

Between health insurance, life insurance, car insurance, and house insurance, I am about bombed out with insurance. If something major happens to one of our pets I will do everything in my power to help save them but I do have limitations. That said I also have a vet that does a payment plan if you need the help. My three major vet bills were a $500.00 one for our dog one year because my mother gave her a bone, she survived, and a $400.00 vet bill for a cat with cancer, she didn't survive, and a $200.00 vet bill for my cat with an eating disorder, she survived. Thankfully they weren't all in the same year! It appears we get hit every two years!

I agree unless you are increadibly unlucky why take out insurance. The vet says my cat has eye drainage and it can be fixed with surgery for $800. Ok not doing it. The pets get there check up every year and thats about it. So it doesn't seam worth it and If the bill was too steep then we would either have to finance it or let the pet go.

__________________
Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

I've posted on this subject before, but the "experts" and common sense say: There are so many exculsions; it's better to take the $30 a month and bank it yourself (just be sure you do) to cover what could happen. Also, ask your vet for their opinion. It also depends on your breed, the history, surroundings, risks, etc. Our persians were inside all the time, always secure, shots kept up, groomed professionally, teeth kept clean, etc. So the risk was fairly low. If they were allowed outside, around rough kids, etc., it may have been a different story - but still, banking the $ would have been better, as that $360 adds up in a few years!

__________________
Make someone's heart smile today.

I have a Boo Boo!

Oprah says, "Baby, I'm a-whaunt you!!"
Click here:http://mommysavers.com/boards/announ...tml#post787291to be on Oprah!

I have a "wellness plan" through our vet, it's Banfield Pet Hospital in PetSmart for both of our dogs. It is $15 a month each dog. Sometimes I wonder if we are wasting our money, but this is how it works. All their shots are free (including rabies), vet visits are free anytime, 10% (maybe 15%, I forget) off medications and products, also once a year they each get a complete check-up with heartworm test, ears, eyes, heart, skin, nails, whatever, I drop them off for the day and get a report back at the end of the day. I think the free visits are a good perk because I get paranoid and bring them in often, especially my male who has allergies to everything and skin problems. They explain it all at the beginning and the way they put it the shots and blood work alone pay for the $15 a month, it could be a rip-off if I went to a cheaper clinic for shots, I haven't researched it because I like them, but it's easier to pay the monthly installment than a big payment at one anyway. Surguries are not included, but they are discounted. I would go to any length to save one of my dogs if something happened to them, my husband would not agree and would probably cap it off after $500, I'm sure it would be a fight. We payed $150 for my male last year who developed an ear infection and then a hemoglobin (SP) that had to be drained and he was upset (but paid). He doesn't love them the way I do, he just tolerates them for me!

If you ask me this seems like a good deal and you are not wasting your money. $180 a dog per year? Heck yeah. The blood work we just paid on our dog the beginning of the month was $135. And there was nothing wrong with her at all! (The vet was 'concerned' because she had lost weight, is old, so he 'thought' she maybe had liver damage or diabetes. Nothing!!!)

An office call and exam is $55. So being able to bring your dog in anytime is awesome. We just got our 2 dog's vaccines at $41 per dog (at a vaccine clinic).

SO to sum it up, it looks like at our vet, taking them to the vet only twice in a year plus vaccines at the vet (more $$ than the clinic) would probably be about what you pay per year for the plan. Heck, the bloodwork and ONE visit was more at my vet than your plan! And you can take your dog for as many exams as they need, plus get a discount on the meds. I think I need to call our vet and see if they offer a plan for us.....

__________________
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket. ~~ Will Rogers

I have had a big vet bill, but I don't think pet insurance is the answer. You end up paying more for it over the life of the pet than you do for the one time huge pet bill.

When our pets were younger, they were much less expensive. Now that one is older, he is much more expensive, but still not to the point where pet insurance would be a good idea.

We also use the Pet Smart vet. We paid $100 upfront, and then pay $20 a month for ONE dog, though...but it DID include getting her fixed. That alone was more at other vets than what we pay in a year to them. Also, if anything happens to her at any visit, this includes a life insurance type policy. They will pay for all medical expenses to fix the problem, or will pay us $1000 to "replace" her if she dies. I know that it would be a long shot to have anything happen while THERE, but in cases like her being spayed, and put under anesthesia, there WAS a risk! I also really really like both vets that work there...and Zoey is comfortable with them, too.
As for a seperate policy at home...no, we don't do that. As much as we love her, I just can't see having insurance on her!

__________________