Pet Insurance - Who's Good, What To Look For?

[TigerJack]

Hi all

I am looking for some feedback on pet insurance. None of my current dogs are insured and I've been lucky so far. I have a new baby toy breed pup due to come home in a couple of months and it occurs to me that it might be time to look into insurance. I am not current on what companies offer it.

So, who do you all use and why did you choose them?

Any problems with getting bills paid?

Any issues with exclusions?

Anything else I haven't thought of?

Jo

[minimax]

There are hundreds of threads on this already, you might get some good info if you do a search :)

[megan_]

Basically, all insurance is underwritten by Hollards, with the exception of PetPlan - which is underwritten by Alianz. PetPlan is the only one that I have heard of that doesn't add exclusions each year if the dog has had an issue while insured (eg your dog gets patella surgery one one leg when you're insured. The next year, some companies will exclude any issues to do with the patella). They also the only ones that don't have year on year lifetime limits. For example, if your insurance has a yearly limit per condition of say $10k, if your dog needs lifetime treatment then they'll only pay up to $10k in total. With PetPlan, the limit is reset each year for lifetime conditions (so you'd get $10k per year).

In a nutshell, unless you have a dog that is on their excluded list, I'd go with PetPlan. They take their time to pay, but they do pay reliably.

[SchnauzerMax]

Basically, all insurance is underwritten by Hollards, with the exception of PetPlan - which is underwritten by Alianz. PetPlan is the only one that I have heard of that doesn't add exclusions each year if the dog has had an issue while insured (eg your dog gets patella surgery one one leg when you're insured. The next year, some companies will exclude any issues to do with the patella). They also the only ones that don't have year on year lifetime limits. For example, if your insurance has a yearly limit per condition of say $10k, if your dog needs lifetime treatment then they'll only pay up to $10k in total. With PetPlan, the limit is reset each year for lifetime conditions (so you'd get $10k per year).

In a nutshell, unless you have a dog that is on their excluded list, I'd go with PetPlan. They take their time to pay, but they do pay reliably.

Part of the tardiness of Petplan payments is that they use cheques - so it takes up to two weeks to get into a cheque run and get posted whereas others use EFT. If you have trouble with mail deliveries (like I do), Petplan can be exceedingly frustrating.

I would also suggest that you send any claims with some sort of tracking/proof of receipt because Petplan are awful at handling their mail. Until it is actually being assessed no-one can tell you if they have received it or not.

[TigerJack]

Thankyou Megan and SchnauzerMax. That's exactly the sort of info I'm after.

[Lollipup]

We're with Pet Plan and we are able to pay the excess at the vet and the vet claims the rest themselves, we love being able to do it this way but I think it would depend on the vet whether they will let you do this.

[TigerJack]

So far I like what I have read via a search on DOL about Petplan. I will ring them tomorrow with questions but I want to know from Dolers if there are any requirements you have to keep in order to maintain your insurance. By that I mean things like regular assessments. I read one post where someone was complaining about having to get yearly dental assessments. I can't find anything about that on the Petplan website. Is this just a check up or is it an actual cleaning? (Is it covered?)

I will speak to Petplan but wanted to hear if anyone found these things restrictive or is it common with all plans?

[minimax]

So far I like what I have read via a search on DOL about Petplan. I will ring them tomorrow with questions but I want to know from Dolers if there are any requirements you have to keep in order to maintain your insurance. By that I mean things like regular assessments. I read one post where someone was complaining about having to get yearly dental assessments. I can't find anything about that on the Petplan website. Is this just a check up or is it an actual cleaning? (Is it covered?)

I will speak to Petplan but wanted to hear if anyone found these things restrictive or is it common with all plans?

I haven't had to do anything like that, but for certain claims (dental related being one of them) you have to send in your dogs entire medical history, which is okay if you have one vet - but a nightmare if you've seen multiple vets. However, I think That's pretty standard across all insurers.

[littlesev]

I recently insured with Petplan, which is basically run by Allianz. Haven't made claims yet so I can't say anything on that. However, at my vet's place, they gave out brochure that includes 4 weeks free Petplan insurance for new puppy, so you might want to check that out. I was also reading up on different pet insurance and several people mentioned that pet insurance policy in Australia is written by the same company. I chose Petplan because the rate is affordable and they seem straightforward enough (as far as insurance company goes).

[Everythings Shiny]

We were with Insuranceline for many years and have just terminated both policies due to them jacking up our older dog's premium by almost 50%. WE contacted them and they told us it was because the dog was 'old', we expected it to go up, but we weren't expecting it to go up by that much.

[Brookestar]

Pet plan is the only insuracne company that will pay the vet directly. The vet has to agree with it and be registered for it, not all are, but it was on the things that got me using them. They have a $100 exces per condition. Sure in the first year I had some small vet bills of about $100 and could not claim, with others I would have gotten $80 back. But I have recently had major issues and had a $5,000 claim. I paid $100. With other companies I would have had to pay $1,000 out of pocket, the 20% and I would have had to have paid the rest up front before they would refund it. It is easy for me to find $100 here and there, not easy to find anything else.

Petplan is also the only company I know who will pay for complimtary therapies. They have recently paid for chirco, physio and hydrotherapy for my dog. They only do so with fully trained and accredited practitioners, but they will cover them, other companies will not.

Petplan will cover vaccine preventable diseases provided the dog is up to date on vaccinations as recommended by your vet. I know of dogs who have gotten parvo despite being fully vaccinated. The full cost of care, less $100 was paid for. No other pet insurance would do it.

Petplan lowers the amount they will pay back when the dog gets to the age of 10. The excess is increased, and they only cover 65% of costs. They do lower costs, by $1 per month to help compensate for this. Others rack up the prices by huge amounts.

ALL pet insurance companies will require a FULL veterniary history before paying out the first claim This is written in all policy documents and the like. They need to know the dogs history to assess the claim the first time.

Petplan does not exclude conditions, but the excess is charged every year. Ie, if the dog is diagnosed with arthritis at age 7 you will have to pay the first $100 of treatment costs per year. Others you would more than likely have the condition excluded the following year and not be able to claim again.

petplan can at times take a while to pay, but I'm willing to wait given all the benefits I have gained with them. I spent months assessing the different policies and there is nothing that would make me consider anything else. The only thing others have going for them is being paid small amounts for really small claims and having a prompt payment, but they are in my opinion very overridden by all the benefits.

[TigerJack]

Thanks Brookstar, I have decided to go with Petplan. I just have to wait till my pup can come home now. Meanwhile I will talk to my vet and see if they are registered for the direct payment arrangement. I like that idea too.

thanks for all your info

Jo

[westiemum]

As an owner of older dogs, my only additional advice is insure your puppy as early as possible while it has a clear health history. That way most things are covered (I think!). :)

ETA: I'm with Petplan as well.

Edited January 9, 2013 by westiemum

[katied86]

With Petplan, do you have to pay excess every time you claim? I'm also looking for pup who arrives in 2 weeks!!

[minimax]

With Petplan, do you have to pay excess every time you claim? I'm also looking for pup who arrives in 2 weeks!!

Yes. This is spelled out on their website.

[Guest donatella]

Hi all

I am looking for some feedback on pet insurance. None of my current dogs are insured and I've been lucky so far. I have a new baby toy breed pup due to come home in a couple of months and it occurs to me that it might be time to look into insurance. I am not current on what companies offer it.

So, who do you all use and why did you choose them?

Any problems with getting bills paid?

Any issues with exclusions?

Anything else I haven't thought of?

Jo

Hi TigerJack

Good idea getting insurance for a toy breed, especially for accident.

I have 2 Poms and am with Real Pet Insurance. I pay $14 a fortnight each for their premium accident, illness and emergency cover which has an 80% payback (all the inclusions are on their website).

I have claimed for illness for Lucy and I was not very happy with their claim. They kept wanting more and more information and it took forever to pay out. She is a healthy dog and had never been sick before and required 1 night overnight at the vets with antibiotics and fluids.

Bonnie my puppy was dropped by a child and broke both her front legs on Christmas day. She spent a night at the emergency vets $1063 and had xrays. She then had specialist surgery to pin and plate both legs 2 days later and follow up appointments $6500+. I submitted this claim and had the 80% back in my account within 14 days!

I am very happy with their accident cover, they never asked questions, they paid out and quickly. With illness they wanted lots and lots of information and then a Stat Dec to declare that she was a healthy dog when I got her as a puppy at 12 weeks, it was a lot harder to claim.

I had to come up with the money first but the most of it was returned very quickly. I wont be without it for accident for my toy breeds as they are just too fragile :)

[Mudlark]

Make sure you take out the insurance cover the second you take ownership of the dog (or before). If you leave it and then discover a problem you are obliged to tell the insurer before taking out your insurance, and then they will exclude anything that might be associated with the problem that was noticed (often just for a period of time, like 12 months).

We are with PetPlan, as they provide good coverage of a wide range of problems. There is a Choice article on pet insurance if you look on their website - we bought the article and it confirmed our leaning towards PetPlan. It's about $450 for a year (if my memory is right!).

[TigerJack]

Hi TigerJack

Good idea getting insurance for a toy breed, especially for accident.

I have 2 Poms and am with Real Pet Insurance. I pay $14 a fortnight each for their premium accident, illness and emergency cover which has an 80% payback (all the inclusions are on their website).

I have claimed for illness for Lucy and I was not very happy with their claim. They kept wanting more and more information and it took forever to pay out. She is a healthy dog and had never been sick before and required 1 night overnight at the vets with antibiotics and fluids.

Bonnie my puppy was dropped by a child and broke both her front legs on Christmas day. She spent a night at the emergency vets $1063 and had xrays. She then had specialist surgery to pin and plate both legs 2 days later and follow up appointments $6500+. I submitted this claim and had the 80% back in my account within 14 days!

I am very happy with their accident cover, they never asked questions, they paid out and quickly. With illness they wanted lots and lots of information and then a Stat Dec to declare that she was a healthy dog when I got her as a puppy at 12 weeks, it was a lot harder to claim.

I had to come up with the money first but the most of it was returned very quickly. I wont be without it for accident for my toy breeds as they are just too fragile :)

Lilly came home 2 days ago and I spoke to her breeder a few weeks ago. She signed her up for 6 weeks free insurance with Petplan so she was covered when she came home.

[Brookestar]

With Petplan, do you have to pay excess every time you claim? I'm also looking for pup who arrives in 2 weeks!!

The excess is for each condition and each policy year. My dog has had two UTI's in the policy year and I have not had to pay the excess for the second one.

Also had a friend make multiple claims for ongoing arthritis treatment, using a physio, hydrotherapy, natural vet supplements, etc and they only paid the excess for the condition at the start of the year. Every treatment, even from different providers for the whole year is not subject to the excess. For high cost petplan is very cost effective. For low cost you will get some coverage from other insurances, but only for standard vet treatment from a traditional vet.

[Tumbleweed]

It is worth reading all the PDS documents very carefully and asking questions of the different insurers.

I am currently looking at changing to PetPlan, but be aware after 10 years of age, they only pay 65% of the bill, not 100% (minus your excess).

I'm still waiting for replies from a few others to see if they increase premiums with the dogs age, or if they also decrease the amount paid as the dog ages.