thomo84 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I think if that many people are having problems every one of those claims should be going to the ombudsman. It's not ok that 10+ companies all underwritten by Hollard Ins. Think it's ok to make mega $$ out of pet insurance and not have to pay claims. I am a consumer of Pet Insurance and you can bet that I would be taking them to the ombudsman if it were me, it would be the same if it was my own private health insurance- don't let them get away with it people!!! I was thinking Medibank but they are underwritten by Hollard as well, they aren't any good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agility Dogs Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I've just cancelled my insurance because a lot of the treatments I choose and how I choose to work with my dogs is not covered. (I don't vaccinate - I titre test, I use homeopathics etc etc etc) I figure at $130 a month (3 dogs) it won't take long to add up. Even if we do have a disaster I am in the lucky position to be able to afford fixing the puppies. At some point the insurance companies start making money. I wonder if it is 3 dogs. LOL. Maybe I just need more dogs to reach critical mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I think the insurance companies mostly always make money on it, otherwise they wouldn't do it. For me, the knowledge that I'm probably losing money overall is OK, since I know if my girl really needs an operation or hospitalisation I won't need to hesitate. If I never have to claim, I win, since my dog was always healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomo84 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 thats the way to think about it i think and if you do claim and they pay it out then happy days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 When my two were pups the premiums were ridiculous because of their breeds. Then that changed a little bit, but then age was a problem. With the benefit of hindsight, one of them has cost us ridiculous amounts of cash in medical bills but the other has not. If I add up the premiums for both dogs I'm just a little under break-even. Take into account the work the money has done while it's been sitting there and I'm probably ahead a little. But you need to be a disciplined saver and to have access to emergency funds (e.g credit card) which you don't squander for this plan to work. If my dogs were more insurable, I'd take out insurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minxy Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I think if that many people are having problems every one of those claims should be going to the ombudsman. It's not ok that 10+ companies all underwritten by Hollard Ins. Think it's ok to make mega $$ out of pet insurance and not have to pay claims. I am a consumer of Pet Insurance and you can bet that I would be taking them to the ombudsman if it were me, it would be the same if it was my own private health insurance- don't let them get away with it people!!! I was thinking Medibank but they are underwritten by Hollard as well, they aren't any good? I don't know much about their quality, but I got quotes from about 7 insurance companies. I found that even with the 10% discount, Medibank were almost twice as much as Pet Insurance Australia. RSPCA and Pet Plan were then WAY more expensive than Medibank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyValley Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I think if that many people are having problems every one of those claims should be going to the ombudsman. It's not ok that 10+ companies all underwritten by Hollard Ins. Think it's ok to make mega $$ out of pet insurance and not have to pay claims. I am a consumer of Pet Insurance and you can bet that I would be taking them to the ombudsman if it were me, it would be the same if it was my own private health insurance- don't let them get away with it people!!! I was thinking Medibank but they are underwritten by Hollard as well, they aren't any good? I don't know much about their quality, but I got quotes from about 7 insurance companies. I found that even with the 10% discount, Medibank were almost twice as much as Pet Insurance Australia. RSPCA and Pet Plan were then WAY more expensive than Medibank. I am with Medibank. I pay $32 a month to have my two young boys insured and have been with them since January. I have paid out $224 in fees. I have a $500 excess. For Toby I have made 0 claims, so I am $112 out of pocket. For Lincoln I have made two claims, one for an injured toe that required antibiotics, a toe nail removal and re bandaging a couple of times, this was $650 so I got back $150, this money was back about 10 days after I put the claim in., the second claim was when Lincoln has a suspected intestinal blockage that required surgery that turned out to be gastro and require a 3 night vet stay at an emergency hospital that wasn't my current vet (of course it was on a public holiday) I paid out a bit over $5000 and so far I have got back $4500, the missing part is because I went to my own vet for the initial consultation before they closed for the day (at 1pm) and I haven't gotten around to them filling out the paperwork. So overall I come out WAY ahead, the $4650 i have saved so far is enough to pay my dogs insurance premiums for the next few years. It also gave me peace of mind when the vets were like the operation may cost $4000 alone, I didn't have to stress about the money, only my puppys health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 The bill? Just shy of $4000! Wow! That was a very expensive tummy ache!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I give my puppy buyers 6 weeks free pet insurance and strongly urge them to continue with it - especially if they are not extremely financial. The downside seems to be the pre-existing conditions clause and what conditions the insurance companies consider to be "pre-existing". On the upside, one of my pups went to his new home, picked up haemorrhagic gastro-enteritis 12 days later - emergency vets because of course it was a Friday night - hospital admission for 2 days and nights, IV fluids, ABs and $1800 later and the new owners paid nothing. In 12 days, the puppy cost more in vet bills than his purchase price .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticks1977 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I had previously had Fraser insured through Pet Insurance Australia. The policy I took out on him was when he was just over 2 years old in late July of 2009. By mid-September the same year he became sick and we took him up to the AEC in Hallam. He was admitted on Sunday evening and was given "the needle" on Tuesday morning. The entire vet bill for his stay there including the operation (which found the bowel obstruction - a knotted piece of rope!) was over $7,000. I was initially unsure whether PIA would pay out the claim since the policy had only been 'active' for 2 weeks (30 day waiting period when I took out the policy in late July). Fortunately for me they paid out the claim in full minus the excess I had to pay ($500). Now that Henry is in our lives, I took out Insurance again through PIA for him from the moment we got him home. You never know what can happen with pets and I would never go without health insurance again for any dogs that will become part of my life. My brother has an alaskan malamute, she is 10 years old and she may end up being put to sleep today - she has ruptured a disc in her spine and is unable to support her hind legs - they could operate but the bill would be over $8,000 and it is money my brother just does not have... so I think there is only one option left for him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomo84 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I am looking at Medibank Private. From what i can read and have heard from different people they are good. They are cheaper than most other companies, going for Gold Paw Coverage which includes routine care for $29 a month. Thats with a 10% discount cause i am already a Medibank Member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskedaway Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 I think the insurance companies mostly always make money on it, otherwise they wouldn't do it. Interesting little fact - my boss told me the other day that insurance companies are what keep the stock market viable. So of course they make money, and LOTS of it. We don't have pet insurance - Akira's most expensive vet bill (other than her desexing) was $350 and that was when she was throwing up, and that included an emergency Sunday visit, an x-ray and an injection. We keep a just-in-case credit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackiemad Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 i have a separate bank account that is linked to my ING account-where every pay day a certain amount of money is removed into the pet account without me ever having seen it. i have 2 debit cards linked to the pet account, one in my wallet and one in my OH's. this is for all the animals, dog, cats and horse. regular bills like shoeing, feed, check-ups come out of our normal bank account, any emergency or serious injury/illness of the animals comes out of the special pet account. works well for me and i don't need to worry that i won't get money back, nor do i miss the money going out because i never notice it. but then i don't trust insurance companies since my old horse, who i had insured with no claims from one company for 7 years, was diagnosed with early navicular disease and the insurance company wouldn't pay up because it had been an 'existing condition' of his breed exacerbated by the fact that he wasn't always worked on perfect surfaces (though i have always made a huge effort not to work my horses on hard ground, in australia, especially if you compete, you can't really avoid it). so even if you think you're covered, they can find a way to wrangle out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mas1981 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I have had only good experiences, I covered my pup at 8 months after he had had blocked tear duct and it cost us a few hundred dollars, since then he has had allergy problems and they have paid for everything, if I did not have the insurance I would be $4000 out of pocket this year so far.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I am about to put a claim in for my dog who had a urinary tract issue. As part of the treatment for that the vet suggested desexing - not an option at this stage- or the suprelorin implant, I didn't want to do that but ended up having to. I am interested to see if they will pay out for that as although it is ineffect chemical desxing (and desexing is not covered)it was done more medicinal purposes and I would not have had it done if it could have been avoided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Pup Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 I have had only good experiences, I covered my pup at 8 months after he had had blocked tear duct and it cost us a few hundred dollars, since then he has had allergy problems and they have paid for everything, if I did not have the insurance I would be $4000 out of pocket this year so far.... Who are you with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJ Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Bonnie Pup: what is the condition that is not being paid for? Henrietta, who is 2 is insured with Pet Plan and I have only good things to say about them! They have always been great to deal with and I have claimed probably around over $18,000 since insuring Henrietta at 12 weeks old. I will insure all my future pups :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 This is why I don't bother with pet insurance, I would prefer to put the premiums I'd be paying into a seperate account in the case of illness and injury. Insurance companies are horrible to deal with, I used to work for one :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cointreau Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I am about to put a claim in for my dog who had a urinary tract issue. As part of the treatment for that the vet suggested desexing - not an option at this stage- or the suprelorin implant, I didn't want to do that but ended up having to. I am interested to see if they will pay out for that as although it is ineffect chemical desxing (and desexing is not covered)it was done more medicinal purposes and I would not have had it done if it could have been avoided. My dog is desexed and is on Suprelorin implant and my insurance company paid up. I would never go without Pet Insurance, I have had good experiences on the whole and saved a fortune too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninahartland Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I am about to put a claim in for my dog who had a urinary tract issue. As part of the treatment for that the vet suggested desexing - not an option at this stage- or the suprelorin implant, I didn't want to do that but ended up having to. I am interested to see if they will pay out for that as although it is ineffect chemical desxing (and desexing is not covered)it was done more medicinal purposes and I would not have had it done if it could have been avoided. My dog is desexed and is on Suprelorin implant and my insurance company paid up. I would never go without Pet Insurance, I have had good experiences on the whole and saved a fortune too. That's interesting cointreau...have just had superlorin in my boy again and never thought to claim as its not an accident or illness. I've been with Medibank for about a year with no claims yet so don't know what they're like at paying up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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