Your Pet Insurance Guide

PurinaCare Comes Through With Big Claim Reimbursement

2010-03-02T16:57:00-06:00

I am including a recent blog post on the PurinaCare Blog that is very interesting. There are at least 3 things that pet owners can learn from this true story: You never know when your pet could be facing a serious life-threatening (and therefore expensive) crisis. Here is the story of a dog that had a relatively routine surgery that ended up with unexpected complications. What would you have done if your pet faced this sort of crisis with a bill of over $18,000? Would having a pet insurance company help with a substantial part of the bill make a...

Pet Insurance Ebook Informs Pet Owners

2010-02-21T19:16:19-06:00

The Ebook, "Your Guide To Understanding Pet Health Insurance" is now available. There is a video giving pet owners a glimpse inside the book. The book contains numerous clickable links to pet insurance company websites as well as a step by step guide (with links) on how to research each company. Two years of research have gone into this book, and I'm grateful for all the help that colleagues (fellow veterinarians) who are on the staffs of several pet insurance companies, company CEOs, and other special contacts at companies have given me. Their help has been invaluable to helping me...

Pet Insurance Ebook Coming Soon!

2010-02-06T06:58:23-06:00

I am excited about making the book "Your Guide To Understanding Pet Health Insurance" and "The Wise Pet Owner" available in an Ebook format. Why an Ebook? This format allows me to update the book easily as changes happen frequently in the pet insurance industry. For example, since I published the book as a paperback, one company no longer exists (National), and several companies have made minor tweaks to their policies. I am constantly thinking of ways to make the confusing world of pet insurance a bit easier to understand for pet owners and I'd like to include these updates...

Perspectives On Pet Insurance

2010-01-20T07:18:00-06:00

I just read the first chapter of a new book by Andy Andrews entitled "The Noticer." It is a book about an old man who finds people going through hard times and offers them advice. He "notices" things about their plot that they can't see and offers them a perspective that changes their attitude and ultimately their destiny. You ask, "What does this have to do with pet insurance?" Well, nothing really except a line jumped out at me that is the inspiration of this post. "Experience isn't the best teacher. Other people's experience is the best teacher." If you...

Lessons From Trupanion Pet Insurance Website

2010-01-17T18:59:28-06:00

I'd like to share with you an updated video from the Trupanion website. I believe you'll gain a better understanding of pet insurance and how it works. The video is best viewed full screen. Thanks for watching and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

PetPlan Pet Insurance CEO's Tell Their Story

2009-12-11T06:00:00-06:00

Yesterday, I shared an article about the CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance. Today, I'm sharing another article about the CEOs of PetPlan Pet Insurance Company. If you read the article yesterday, this article may sound strangely familiar. You'll find out why as they tell their story. By the way, I want to thank the Laura and Alex at Embrace and Chris and Natasha at PetPlan because they have been very gracious to me as I have done research for my book on pet insurance and they continue to keep me updated and so far haven't tired of my asking new...

Embrace Pet Insurance CEO tells her story

2009-12-09T18:58:00-06:00

I read a great article today about Embrace Pet Insurance CEO, Laura Bennett, and why she decided to take the plunge and start a new pet insurance company. I hope you enjoy it too!

Wall Street Journal Interview about Pet Insurance

2009-12-09T06:30:00-06:00

Dr. Kenney was interviewed by Anna Matthews of the Wall Street Journal about Pet Insurance. She has written a very good article that pet owners should read. To hear the interview, click on the audio in the article.

The Importance of Hereditary Condition Coverage with Pet Insurance

2009-11-11T07:51:00-06:00

I just got back from a Continuing Education seminar where one of the speakers talked about liver diseases. There are several congenital and/or hereditary liver diseases that veterinarians see in practice that are expensive to diagnose and treat. Sometimes, even surgery is required to correct/treat the condition. Not all insurance companies offer policies that cover congenital/hereditary diseases. Some companies offer limited coverage. There are several that cover hereditary, but not congenital diseases, and some companies cover both. In my book, I outline all these differences and go more into detail as to why such coverage is important - from a...

Is Pet Insurance Worth It? TV Station Investigates

2009-11-04T21:42:09-06:00

A Fox News station spent the night at an emergency center in Las Vegas to determine if pet insurance would be helpful when paying for a pet's healthcare expenses - particularly since emergency care generally costs more. See what they determined here.

Petfinder.com Partners with Petfirst Healthcare Pet Insurance

2009-11-02T21:19:32-06:00

If you've recently adopted or are considering adopting a pet from a Petfinder associated shelter or rescue organization, you are eligible to get up to $1000 in pet insurance benefits at a discounted premium. Go here for details. There are no age restrictions.

New Software Could Benefit Pet Owners

2009-11-01T15:45:06-06:00

There is a new software that helps pet owners store their pet information. You can keep track of expenses for your pet's healthcare and pet insurance premiums. You can store vital information about your pet e.g. your veterinarian's name, address and phone number, insurance policy number, examination and vaccination dates and reminders, microchip number. You can keep track of when to give medications and mark that you gave them,etc. This is an Apple OS X application, but is also available as a downloadable app for your iPhone or iTouch. For more information go here.

Is Your Veterinarian A Reliable Source Of Pet Insurance Information?

2009-10-30T07:25:00-05:00

Linda Markland, a tenured technician at Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), came by my office last week for a visit because they are familiar with my book. Dr. Carol McConnell and others were kind enough to share some of the insights they have into pet insurance when I was doing the research for the book. It was the first face to face visit I've had with a representative of VPI although they are good about calling or e-mailing me about interesting articles or podcast they discover from time to time about pet insurance. I was fortunate enough to form relationships albeit...

Another Factor To Consider When Purchasing Pet Insurance

2009-10-29T07:55:00-05:00

A reader of my book and blog contacted me recently while doing her research before purchasing pet insurance. She had already done an amazing job researching in order to make a wise purchase. She brought up a consideration that, frankly, I hadn't given much thought to. As it turns out, it just might be important to some pet owners. She lives in California and has a 7 year old dog. After she narrowed down her search to 3 companies, she looked at how much her premium would increase as her dog aged. This is what she discovered: Company A Company...

Pet Health Savings Accounts

2009-10-07T21:39:26-05:00

While doing some research this weekend, I came across several companies that offer Pet Health Savings Accounts. It works somewhat like my own Health Savings Account my wife and I have with two exceptions. First, it isn't tax deductible. Secondly, it isn't tied to a high deductible insurance policy. Unfortunately, some of these companies are positioning themselves to compete with pet insurance companies for pet owner's dollars. I believe that a savings account and pet insurance should compliment each other, not compete against each other. The idea behind my HSA is that with my savings I can pay for minor...

VPI Hambone Award

2009-09-03T20:16:00-05:00

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) is offering its first annual Hambone Award to the pet whose owner submitted a claim for the most bizarre accident or illness during 2008. The award is named after a dog who got stuck in the refrigerator and ate the Thanksgiving turkey before being found. I went to the website and read the stories of the nominees and then voted myself. You may vote until September 14. I urge you to read these stories to realize why pet insurance can come in handy and while you are there, be sure to vote!

Dog Breed Database

2009-08-23T09:00:00-05:00

I was browsing the new Embrace Pet Insurance website today and came across really good information about many of the dog breeds. It details the characteristics about each breed and covers many of the diseases and problems that the breed is predisposed to. This should point out to pet owners the importance of buying a policy that covers hereditary conditions. It is likely that the problems and diseases associated with each breed in this database wouldn't be covered by a company that doesn't cover hereditary conditions. You should also take this into account if a company has limited coverage for...

Pet Insurance Research Guide

2009-08-04T08:00:00-05:00

I get daily Google Alerts on pet insurance. A frequent question being asked by pet owners, especially those with new pets, is, "What is the best pet insurance company?" Veterinarians have told me that their clients tell them that they don't know how to do the necessary research in order to pick the best company or policy for their pet. Therefore, they ask their veterinarian for advice on picking a company. Some veterinarians may be knowledgeable enough to do that, but many aren't. They may have some brochures that a company sent them to give to clients, but not actually...

Pet Assure

2009-07-28T08:00:00-05:00

Pet Assure is advertised as an alternative to pet insurance. You would be surprised, however, how many times I see it called an insurance company on the internet - sometimes by websites, e-books, etc. who profess to be advisers on pet health insurance. Pet Assure is a company (club) that has a network of participating veterinary hospitals that offer their services at a discount (25%) to members of the club. Usually, the pet owner pays an annual membership fee to belong to this club and be eligible for the discounts. It is not insurance. There are no deductibles or co-pays....

Correction to book

2009-06-08T22:53:32-05:00

I recently met a man that represents 24PetWatch insurance company when I visited a local veterinary hospital here in Memphis. I gave him a copy of my book. I talked to him last week and he said that the 24PetWatch plans I have in the book are the Canadian plans rather than the U.S. plans. Apparently, PetCare recently changed the name of their U.S. company from PetCare to 24PetWatch. I have come across several pet insurance companies that market under different names. For example, ASPCA, Petshealth, and Premier are all associated and offer the same plans. The name of the...

Is Pet Insurance For You?

2009-05-21T21:37:18-05:00

I want to post today about the limited reach of pet health insurance to pet owners as it exists today. This isn't talked or written about very much. Pet insurance is essentially a reimbursement plan. An insurance policy is a contract between the pet owner and the insurance company. This means that you must pay your veterinarian in full for the bill, then file a claim with the insurance company and wait for reimbursement. This has led many to ask, “If I can afford to do that, then why do I need insurance?” In these cases, the insurance reimbursement will...

Book

2009-05-15T21:46:36-05:00

My new book is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I also hope to add an e-book format that will be available on this page.

Interesting Stat on Pet Insurance Reimbursements

2009-03-31T22:54:48-05:00

I just finished reading the March issue of Veterinary Forum Magazine. Tucked in the corner of page 24 was an interesting statistic. Pets Best Insurance reviewed its reimbursements over $500 and found that: 54% are for regular veterinary care 35% are for specialist care 11% are for emergency clinic care What this means is that almost half of significant veterinary bills occurs outside your regular veterinarian's office. Many clients don't even think about having to visit anyone but their regular veterinarian, but odds are at some point you will have to take your pet to an after-hours emergency hospital. Since...

Exclusions - Pt. 4

2009-03-18T21:37:44-05:00

There are miscellaneous exclusions that aren't as important in the big scheme of things as hereditary or chronic conditions or wellness care, but pet owners are occasionally caught by surprise if they aren't aware of them. For example, most companies won’t cover behavioral problems, breeding or pregnancy–related expenses, cosmetic or elective procedures like tail-docking, ear trims, declawing, etc.(not an exhaustive list). I had a client who purchased a policy and when his pregnant dog developed problems, he was very upset because it wasn’t covered. It was clearly stated in the policy, but he likely didn’t even read the policy until...

Is Wellness Care Coverage Worth It?

2009-03-11T07:14:47-05:00

Pet owners should purchase pet health insurance to cover those unexpected accidents or illnesses where the cost is unknown -- potentially hundreds to thousands of dollars. Coverage for wellness care where the procedures and costs are predictable should be a secondary concern. Since wellness procedures and products can be planned for and saved for, not all insurance companies offer wellness care benefits. Following your veterinarian's recommendations about wellness care is extremely important to your pet's overall health and well-being. Wellness care prevents disease and allows early detection and intervention that saves lives, reduces suffering, and saves you money because prevention...

Pet Health Insurance - Exclusions - Pt. 3

2009-03-07T15:47:45-06:00

A chronic condition is a disease that will need long-term (ongoing) treatment after it manifests itself and diagnosis and treatment is started. Many chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes) can be treated and controlled for several years, allowing the pet to live a relatively normal (symptom free) life. Why is coverage for chronic conditions an important factor to consider when purchasing pet insurance? Because every pet, if they live long enough, will develop one or more chronic conditions that will require ongoing treatment - sometimes for years. Some pets can manifest symptoms of a chronic condition relatively young in life e.g. allergies....

Pet Health Insurance - Exclusions - Pt. 2

2009-03-06T22:34:40-06:00

Hereditary conditions are another important exclusion (from a veterinarian's perspective) that some pet insurance companies have in their policies. Some companies totally exclude coverage for any disease or conditions considered hereditary. Others have limited coverage (maximum dollar amounts) that they will pay for some inherited diseases. Others cover inherited conditions just like any other illness in their policies. Some companies have a list of hereditary conditions available for viewing on their website or in their policy that they don't cover. Generally, if a disease isn't listed, it's covered. Others don't have a published list, but say they use current veterinary...

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Seal of Acceptance

2009-03-05T23:01:05-06:00

AAHA has recently established a "Seal of Acceptance" for pet health insurance policies that meet certain criteria. I believe that AAHA's Seal of Acceptance has already had an impact on the pet insurance industry because the newer companies seem to be offering higher deductible policies, and some of the more established companies are now revising some of their policies to offer higher deductibles. Currently, 2 companies in the United States have policies that have received the Seal of Acceptance. I believe that several more companies will apply for and also receive the Seal for some of their policies in the...

Pet Health Insurance - Exclusions - Part 1

2009-03-04T22:52:42-06:00

The one exclusion that's virtually universal among pet insurance companies is pre-existing conditions. This means that any problem that your pet has shown symptoms of prior to purchasing an insurance policy or that manifest symptoms during the waiting period prior to the effective date of the policy won't be covered. Waiting periods for accidents and injury usually vary from none to 5 days. Waiting periods for illnesses usually vary from 15 to 30 days. At least one specific problem I know of - anterior cruciate rupture - has a 1- year waiting period with most companies. Insurance companies go by...

Use Discernment When Visiting Pet Insurance Company Websites

2009-02-28T06:02:14-06:00

There is a wealth of information to teach you about pet health insurance on company websites. However, when a company starts comparing itself to other companies - be careful. Remember, each company is trying to put its best foot forward to the pet owner via their website. Because companies tend to tweak their policies from time to time (several have already in 2009) and even raise or lower premiums slightly, some of the information used in comparisons may be outdated. This can lead to inaccuracies that can mislead pet owners. Always verify what one company claims about another company by...

A Dog Named Buffy Launches Pet Health Insurance

2009-02-24T23:03:03-06:00

A small sick dog named Buffy that was euthanized without a chance due to economics, and a brief encounter in a grocery isle lead to the start of pet health insurance in the United States. Dr. Jack Stephens, a veterinarian, had a life-changing encounter while shopping in a grocery store with his wife. Turning down the aisle, Dr. Stephens met a client and her daughter that set him on a completely different career path in his life. It seems the daughter blamed him for the euthanasia of her beloved pet. Upon greeting, the client said to her daughter, “Honey, you...

Pet Health Insurance: A Veterinarian's Perspective

2009-02-24T22:43:22-06:00

Pet health insurance is gaining popularity nowadays because pet owners are searching for ways to help bridge the gap between the costs of delivering quality pet care for their beloved pets and their ability to pay for it - particularly when an unexpected major illness or injury occurs. With a dozen companies selling pet health insurance in the United States, finding the company and policy that is right for you and your pet can seem like a daunting task. This blog is dedicated to helping you: Gain a basic understanding of how pet health insurance works Know the factors that...