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PetPlan insurance

BarbMazz

Well-known member
I've been following Shay's thread about Lily very closely. I know I said that I don't have insurance for my dogs any longer, but after reading more and more about SM I'm wondering if I shouldn't have Bentley and Clancy covered under a policy that does not exclude genetic/hereditary disorders. I DO wonder about Bentley; he has some behaviors that make me think he may be affected with SM. :( I know he doesn't have anything marked in his vet charts because I've not spoken to the bet about them, yet. I do think I will be making an appt. very soon, though.

Karlin, I know you mentioned PetPlan insurance as one that does cover genetic/hereditary things. I'm wondering if anyone else here has PetPlan insurance? If so, how has your experience been with claims? How are they as a company to deal with.

I looked at their website. Their claim forms are pretty extensive. They do say they cover genetic things as long as they have not been previously diagnosed.
 
As far as I know, they are th only pet insurance company in the US covering genetic issues. All the reports I have heard about them are quite good, but I don't know that many people that have made claims.
 
Judy has had a lot of experience with PetPlan - if you search for it you might be able to find out what she's said about it (it's in detail) She's had good luck so far though! :) I have kosmo on something only available in canada but it covers SM and mvd (THANK GOD)
Good luck! :flwr:
 
Petcare Insurance is the oe that covers SM ,Patellas and other heriditary issues. I would secure the insurance before bringing him to the vet ( if he can wait that is ;) )

Their website is

www.petcareinsurance.com
 
Okay! I've been researching this for hours! There is PetPlan in the USA; here is a link to their website:

http://www.gopetplan.com/index.html

They must be relatively new in the USA. They say they DO cover hereditary conditions in purebreds as long as there was no evidence of the hereditary conditon prior to the purchase of the policy.

Their prices are lower than PetCare. So, what do I do?! <rhetorical question!> icon_nwunsure
 
Barb....I originally took out VPI because my husband had it through his work. After discussing with some of the members, I cancelled because it did not cover genetic diseases. I went with PetCare from the recommendations from other forum members. They do pay hereditary/genetic disease. As you know from reading my post I have not used it yet. I have had a couple members PM me that hey have used it often and they pay well, and pretty quickly. It is only a problem if the dog has been treated for or there is any mention of anything pertaining to what you are submitting a claim for in their chart prior to the claim being filed. Then it is considered preexisting. This is why I wanted to get Lily on this right away before she is treated for anything. I am not familiar with the plan to which you are referring but it sounds much like Petcare. I think any of them will have the preexisting clause.
 
BarbMazz said:
They must be relatively new in the USA. They say they DO cover hereditary conditions in purebreds as long as there was no evidence of the hereditary conditon prior to the purchase of the policy.

Their prices are lower than PetCare. So, what do I do?! <rhetorical question!> icon_nwunsure

Barb, thanks, whoa, that sounds good, up to $20,000 a year and the option of having a 0% copayment. I think the $12,000 a year would be enough, but if a dog had surgery for SM plus aftercare, and maybe follow up surgery if complications or scar tissue developed, or, if a dog might have mitral valve repair or replacement surgery, the $20,000 would be nice to have.

Unfortunately for me, i can't check into it, it's not available in my state, their website said.

But one thing would keep me from signing up for it--there is fine print where it says there is a 30% copayment for specialist vet care or vet referral treatment or after hours, like an emergency room. 30% is kind of a lot for me, on a large bill. SM is going to involve specialist treatment obviously, and MVD as well, at least to some degree.

I'm not clear whether the deductible is per incident or calendar year. Petcare's deductible, $50, is per incident.
 
Barb,

If you're checking into getting health insurance, way to go !! :) If I were you, I would check with the insurance company directly and make sure that they cover specifically SM and MVD. I got it in writing from the place that I got insurance for Kosmo with. It never hurts to have proof. Also make sure that they have no fine print in their policy that can change what they cover and what they don't "whenever they want." Insurance is very expensive to get if you've already started making claims (because then you're more of a risk) so make sure that they can't change their policy halfway through. For instance, if they start having multiple dogs affected with SM who need surgery, they are likely to drop that from their coverage. Should you happen to be the unlucky owner of an SM dog (I pray that you're not) it would be really unfortunate to learn that they "changed" their policy and they will not cover you. This is another good reason to get everything in writing.

Good luck!! :) :flwr:
 
Thanks for everyone's thoughts! I've decided on the PetPlan USA policy. I chose the "Gold" policy with a $200 deductible and a 0% Coinsurance.

The deductible is for each new claim, so if I take dog A in for an illness, that particular illness will NOT need a new deductible payment if the dog needs to be seen multiple times for the same thing. I realize that those $200 deductibles can add up if a dog has several illnesses or accidents that are each different, and hopefully I won't be caught in that circumstance!!! The total coverage amount renews each year; so, the $20,000 that I'm covered for will renew itself in one year's time.

I specifically asked about hereditary coverages for patella luxation, dysplasia, SM-COMS, MVD, PSOM, episodic falling disorder. Here's the answer I received from the company:

Barbara,

Thank you for your inquiry. As the proud owner of a healthy (though raging hypochondriac) Black and Tan Cavalier called Wellington I completely understand your concerns. I have already lost one Cav to Mitral Valve so it was absolutely critical to me that Petplan cover all hereditary diseases when we chose to bring the brand to the US. You can rest assured that so long as Bentley had not already shown signs or had not already been diagnosed with a hereditary condition prior to enrollment or during the 14 day waiting period he will be covered for any illness (hereditary or not) going forwards.

Additionally we do not restrict the treatment or cost per condition. The only limits that apply to the Petplan policies are the annual limits that are replenished each year upon enrollment. This enables you to offer the best treatment possible when your pet needs it without worrying about running out of coverage.

I hope that this has helped answer your question. If you have any further questions or require additional clarification, pleased do not hesitate to contact me personally on 610.675,2406. I always delight in talking to other Cavalier lovers.


I've enrolled both Bentley and Clancy. I think I have a 14 day waiting period, of which almost a week has passed. I'll keep you all posted as to what happens as I use the insurance.
 
I just tried to get a quote from PetPlan and they said they are "not currently available in my state" (Virginia). :( We're planning to get coverage for Corgan after the Christmas holiday (we can't afford it now with so many Christmas presents to buy!). He's not showing any signs and has had nothing but clean bills of health (except whip worms - ugh!) so I think we can wait a bit. I wonder how long it will be before they're available in VA? icon_nwunsure
 
That's great Barb.. make sure to retain a copy of that letter for your records. :)

Isnt it so much better knowing that they will be taken care of in the event of an emergency? I sleep better at night knowing that if something bad happens, I can get Kos fixed and not have to toy with spending the thousands of $$. Although I would anyways.. :lotsaluv:
 
Barb, that sounds really good to me. A 14 day waiting period is terrific--mine was 30 and it was one of the longest 30 days of my life because Zack was sick. The $20,000 zero copay sounds good too. i know they have other deductible choices. Im very curious what the ballpark figure for the premiums for these different choices are--i guess the $20,000, zero copay, lowest deductible ($50 per claim?) would be the highest premium, and i'm wondering what that would be. Petcare is also per claim, that's what i meant by per incident, as long as it's treatment for the same condition, there's no new deductible.

I still would be hesitant and reluctant with a 30% copayment for specialist treatment and referrals, and emergency after hours, but i certainly like the vibe of the people. I got a letter from them too when i submitted an inquiry about when they'd be available in CA. You said it's cheaper than Petcare--i would really like to know the premiums--they differ by state, but i would like to even just get a rough idea.

Here's the letter I got a couple of days ago. It doesn't mention the 30% copay:

Judy,
Thank you for your inquiry and for your interest in Petplan. We anticipate being available in the State of California early in 2007. We have made a note of your inquiry and a pet insurance advisor will contact you once the Petplan filing has been approved in California.
We appreciate that you have many options to choose from when it comes to selecting a pet insurance policy for your pets so we wanted to share a few reasons why Petplan is the world’s largest and most trusted pet health insurance provider, recommended by more veterinarians & pet owners than any other:
      ? Coverage For Hereditary Conditions - Petplan is the only pet health insurer in the US to cover congenital and hereditary conditions with no dollar limits per condition. We reimburse you what your veterinarian charges and not what we believe you should be reimbursed for treatment.
      ? Complete peace of mind with a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee - You can rest assured that if you are not entirely satisfied with your policy you will be given a complete refund if you cancel within 30 days (provided that you have not submitted any claims). In the US Petplan policies are underwritten by American National and Property Company (ANPAC) rated A+ (superior) by AM Best to provide you with that added peace of mind.
      ? Covered For Life - Once your pet is insured, Petplan will cover any chronic conditions that they develop into their old age as long as you continue to renew your policy each year without any break in the cover. This is reassuring to know when you consider that 40% of all pet insurance claims received are for chronic conditions that last beyond 12 months.
      ? Multiple Pet Discounts - Petplan offers a multiple pet discount so that if you wanted to insure more than one pet you would be eligible for a 10% discount for each subsequent policy that you purchased. Additional discounts are also available for micro chipped pets, service pets and online enrollment, up to a 15% maximum discount per pet.
?   Use any Veterinarian anywhere – With a Petplan policy you can visit any veterinarian anywhere in the continental United States and Canada, including referral, specialist and alternative therapy veterinarians.
If you have any further questions or require additional clarification please do not hesitate to contact us on 1.866.GoPetplan (1.866.467.3875). Once Petplan is licensed in your State you will also be able to receive a free custom quote for your pets online at <http://www.gopetplan.com/>www.gopetplan.com or by calling one of our pet insurance advisors. We look forward to welcoming you and your pets to Petplan’s ever growing family.

Kind regards,

Natasha Ashton
[/quote]
 
Judy, Bentley's Gold Plan policy is $385.18 per year. I chose the $200 deductible and the 0% Coinsurance amount. Clancy's Gold Plan policy is set up the same way and the annual premium is $346.66.

I think that figures out to about $33 per mo for Bentley and about $27 for Clancy.

I signed them both up!
 
There are not available in SC yet either.

I called them and the really nice man I spoke with said that they have applied to be available in all US states - however the approval process for some states is significantly longer than others - thus the discrepancy in availability. He said he couldn't disclose which states it was available in currently but that they should be available in the vast majority of states by late Jan. I guess we'll have to keep checking!!! ;)
 
BarbMazz said:
Judy, Bentley's Gold Plan policy is $385.18 per year. I chose the $200 deductible and the 0% Coinsurance amount. Clancy's Gold Plan policy is set up the same way and the annual premium is $346.66.

I think that figures out to about $33 per mo for Bentley and about $27 for Clancy.

I signed them both up!

thanks barb, that sounds good. I wonder how much it is with a $50 deductible. I'm thinking about the 30% copay for specialists and referrals. An MRI can be anywhere from $700 up (approximately). Sometimes $1500 and up. So 30% of that is $500--or less, if it's less, or more if it's more. I guess $500 isn't bad for an MRI. There would be other 30% copays for the neurologist consult and any other referrals, lab, xrays. Plus the deductible. so for SM or MVD those could add up. On the other hand, having the $20,000. Is great. I want to email the persobn who wrote to you, the one who is a cavalier owner, and ask her about mitral valve repair or replacement surgery--would it not be covered beause experimental? Maybe it would be covered. i dont' know what it costs but if it's $10,000 or more with aftercare, a $3000 to $5000 copay is not that bad, if there's a good chance of resolving the symptoms and stopping the progression of MVD. Hard to find detailed info on the work being done with that.
 
Another pet insurance option

You do have other options for the coverage you are looking for and that's with Embrace Pet Insurance www.embracepetinsurance.com.

  • Coverage For Hereditary Conditions - Embrace also covers congenital and hereditary conditions with no dollar limits per condition. We also reimburse you what your veterinarian charges.

    30 Day Money Back Guarantee - if you cancel within 30 days, we will refund your premiums paid, no questions asked (provided that you have not submitted any claims).

    Our underwriter is Lloyd's of London, rated A (excellent) by AM Best.

    Continuing Care - we offer you the choice to take coverage for any chronic conditions that your dog develops over time or not.

    Discounts - we offer a multiple pet discount of 5% on all your pets premiums. We also offer additional discounts for micro chipped pets, service dogs, employer benefits, and veterinary workers up to a 20% maximum discount per pet.

    And you can use any Veterinarian anywhere the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including referral, specialist and alternative therapy veterinarians.

    I forgot to add that we do not restrict our copay (10%, 20%, 35%), maximum ($2,000, $5,000, $10,000), and deductible ($100, $200, $500) by breed so you can get all our options for a Cav, not a subset.

I am the CEO of Embrace (Chief Embracer actually!) so please feel free to email me at [email protected] or check out our blog http://blog.embracepetinsurance.com for more info. Or call us at (440) 484 2260 or (800) 511 9172.

We are in the process of releasing our online quote capability and I welcome anyone to contact me who would like to beta test our new site.

Laura Bennett
 
The quote for Wesley looks like this.... I'm guessing since it showed up, that it's available in my state....?

Petplan.jpg


I already purchased the PetCare insurance for him for the QuickCare Gold up to $3000 per illness w/ 100% coverage and a $50 deductible for $40/mo.

I'm wondering if it'd be worth it to switch to PetPlan. I wonder what their turnaround time is on repayment. Maybe I'll wait a year or more.
 
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