quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
There is no need. This is yet another scam, imho. If your pet is healthy, has current vaccines and no predisposing conditions, there is simply no need for it. Put the money you’d pay into a premium into a bank account, and save it for a rainy day.
Disclaimer: I’m a cvt that’s been in and out of practice for over 20 years. I’ve never had health insurance for my pets, and don’t plan to.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:
We've had Healthy Paws for a couple years on our two. They had the best reviews and prices for the coverage I wanted.

A quick current search indicates they continue to have excellent reviews.

I have always said I would not spend tens of thousands of dollars on pet medical care and by having insurance it keeps me from ever having to actually make that decision.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
There is no need. This is yet another scam, imho. If your pet is healthy, has current vaccines and no predisposing conditions, there is simply no need for it. Put the money you’d pay into a premium into a bank account, and save it for a rainy day.
Disclaimer: I’m a cvt that’s been in and out of practice for over 20 years. I’ve never had health insurance for my pets, and don’t plan to.

It is insurance, how is it a scam? That is like saying health insurance on your family is a scam. It is just what it says it is and people need to decide if they want to take on all the risk that a pet may become ill or pay the price to have insurance take on some of the risk.

I understand you not wanting it but to say it is a scam is not being accurate.

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:

Health ins for humans is a scam as well, imho. Perhaps a better term would be a shell game. You pay hundreds a month on the off chance that you might some day need it.

• February 2010: I had massive rectal bleeding / hemorrhaging. Hospitalized for just over a week while they tried to figure out what was going on, where the blood loss was originating. Many expensive diagnostic procedures. Finally decided it was diverticulosis. Over a week in hospital.
  
  
• Later same year: Lab work in the incident above showed PSA levels in the 20s. Anything above 4 is suspect. Yup, prostate cancer. Scope, biopsies, implants to serve as targets for radiation, couple months of daily radiation.
  
  
• May, 2013: Missed a step getting out of cargo area in rear of our delivery truck, crashed to the roadwa. Ambulance to hospital, 24 hours in ER, surgery to implant bracing rods in fractured hip / thigh, rest of the week in hospital, month and a half in residential rehab center, months of outpatien physical therapy.
  
  
• December 2016: Guillain Barré Syndrome. Spinal taps to verify. Week in hospital, IVIG transfusions, followed by couple months outpatient physical therapy.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:

Health ins for humans is a scam as well, imho. Perhaps a better term would be a shell game. You pay hundreds a month on the off chance that you might some day need it.

• February 2010: I had massive rectal bleeding / hemorrhaging. Hospitalized for just over a week while they tried to figure out what was going on, where the blood loss was originating. Many expensive diagnostic procedures. Finally decided it was diverticulosis. Over a week in hospital.
  
  
• Later same year: Lab work in the incident above showed PSA levels in the 20s. Anything above 4 is suspect. Yup, prostate cancer. Scope, biopsies, implants to serve as targets for radiation, couple months of daily radiation.
  
  
• May, 2013: Missed a step getting out of cargo area in rear of our delivery truck, crashed to the roadwa. Ambulance to hospital, 24 hours in ER, surgery to implant bracing rods in fractured hip / thigh, rest of the week in hospital, month and a half in residential rehab center, months of outpatien physical therapy.
  
  
• December 2016: Guillain Barré Syndrome. Spinal taps to verify. Week in hospital, IVIG transfusions, followed by couple months outpatient physical therapy.

My total cost for all of above: ZERO! Not one penny. Everything covered by insurance. I would be bankrupt right now, if I had to pay for this.

Oh yeah -- 2017, cataract surgery with IOL implants for both eyes. My cost, $45.00 for post-precdure eye drops for each eye, plus another $45.00 for exam for new prescription for glasses. A year later, YAG capsulotomy, each eye. No cost to me.

Office visits twice yearly with Primary doc, follow up visits with urology / oncology docs re prostate cancer, all completely covered by insurance, cost to me: ZERO.

Yes, I have been paying premiums. Two hundred bucks / month. Well worth it to me for this "scam."

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
There is no need. This is yet another scam, imho. If your pet is healthy, has current vaccines and no predisposing conditions, there is simply no need for it. Put the money you’d pay into a premium into a bank account, and save it for a rainy day.
Disclaimer: I’m a cvt that’s been in and out of practice for over 20 years. I’ve never had health insurance for my pets, and don’t plan to.

It is insurance, how is it a scam? That is like saying health insurance on your family is a scam. It is just what it says it is and people need to decide if they want to take on all the risk that a pet may become ill or pay the price to have insurance take on some of the risk.

I understand you not wanting it but to say it is a scam is not being accurate.

Health ins for humans is a scam as well, imho. Perhaps a better term would be a shell game. You pay hundreds a month on the off chance that you might some day need it. You’re playing the odds, gambling, betting, if you will. And if and when you do lose, insurances typically try and find a way to still make you pay some portion, if not trying to deny it outright.
So for humans you’re paying out thousands a year. On the possiblility that you “might” need it. They are feeding into your fear, and you typically don’t get a return on what you’ve paid in (unless you have a preexisting condition, in which case your rate is jacked up already, or they simply won’t insure you).
I work with insurance claims almost every day, and see how often claims are denied for inappropriate reasons, or flat out dishonesty. I’ve watched patients get jerked around by the fine print on the policy, when the insurer understood the intent of the person purchasing. They simply hope you won’t follow up, and just pay the bill. Part of my job is to pursue those misajudicated claims and make ins companies actually responsible for what they say they will do- holding them to their words and the intent.
It breaks my heart to see people taken advantage of when it comes to their pets. There really isn’t any reason (again, imho) that people should have insurance for their pets - most pets are healthy enough (with vaccinations and proper care) and have a reasonable life span that there is no need to pay anyone for “insurance” on their pet’s health. It’s a gambit, a sheeple move, and unnecessary. I’m amazed people are actually getting behind this movement of paying for pet insurance. I also suspect it’s relatively unregulated, but this I don’t know for sure. I deal in people insurance, but I’d advise against pet insurance (catastrophic I get, esp if you have a breed with known issues, but I feel everyone should be able to manage a routine health visit for their pet- goes with the responsibility of ownership).
This is just my humble opinion. Ymmv.

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
There is no need. This is yet another scam, imho. If your pet is healthy, has current vaccines and no predisposing conditions, there is simply no need for it. Put the money you’d pay into a premium into a bank account, and save it for a rainy day.
Disclaimer: I’m a cvt that’s been in and out of practice for over 20 years. I’ve never had health insurance for my pets, and don’t plan to.

It is insurance, how is it a scam? That is like saying health insurance on your family is a scam. It is just what it says it is and people need to decide if they want to take on all the risk that a pet may become ill or pay the price to have insurance take on some of the risk.

I understand you not wanting it but to say it is a scam is not being accurate.

Health ins for humans is a scam as well, imho. Perhaps a better term would be a shell game. You pay hundreds a month on the off chance that you might some day need it. You’re playing the odds, gambling, betting, if you will. And if and when you do lose, insurances typically try and find a way to still make you pay some portion, if not trying to deny it outright.
So for humans you’re paying out thousands a year. On the possiblility that you “might” need it. They are feeding into your fear, and you typically don’t get a return on what you’ve paid in (unless you have a preexisting condition, in which case your rate is jacked up already, or they simply won’t insure you).
I work with insurance claims almost every day, and see how often claims are denied for inappropriate reasons, or flat out dishonesty. I’ve watched patients get jerked around by the fine print on the policy, when the insurer understood the intent of the person purchasing. They simply hope you won’t follow up, and just pay the bill. Part of my job is to pursue those misajudicated claims and make ins companies actually responsible for what they say they will do- holding them to their words and the intent.
It breaks my heart to see people taken advantage of when it comes to their pets. There really isn’t any reason (again, imho) that people should have insurance for their pets - most pets are healthy enough (with vaccinations and proper care) and have a reasonable life span that there is no need to pay anyone for “insurance” on their pet’s health. It’s a gambit, a sheeple move, and unnecessary. I’m amazed people are actually getting behind this movement of paying for pet insurance. I also suspect it’s relatively unregulated, but this I don’t know for sure. I deal in people insurance, but I’d advise against pet insurance (catastrophic I get, esp if you have a breed with known issues, but I feel everyone should be able to manage a routine health visit for their pet- goes with the responsibility of ownership).
This is just my humble opinion. Ymmv.

Most pet insurance policies don't cover "routine health visits". I'm questioning how much you really know about this?

I pay $37.11/month on my pup for 90% coverage and a $250 annual deductible. I have it for accidents and illnesses that are not routine. None of my routine health vists are covered under this policy but almost all accidents and illnesses are.

While I have not had to use it the reviews from people that have are very positive for Healthy Paws.

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
<sigh>. Key in “routine pet coverage” in your search engine. For me, with google, the first 5 that popped were routine visits for your pet being covered by pet insurance. Petfirst, AKC, etc.