Cost of Pet (Dog) Insurance

[PERLHR]

Every situation and circumstance is different. I know. Indeed I was reading yesterday that the UK is now going to introduce stronger and more transparency for the costs of pet insurance

My now 5 year old has had a one or two vet visits. Nothing staggering with the highest bill in 5 years being 700 dollars for getting to close to these horrible "sea hares" on the beach, and their toxin. Overnight in hospital then all good again. Been with Woolworths pet insurance all that time. The costs have now escalated to over 2,000 dollars a year.

It seems that all current pet insurers have you...either by recurring treatment or events (dog has none as far as I can see), but it's the waiting periods, some up to a staggering 3 months that is the barrier

So, how to people insure their dogs? How do you deal with increased year on year costs? Is 2,000 dollars a year, with 100 dollar excess at 80 percent vet bill actually not so bad in today's, unregulated and what I think troublesome market?

 

[eastwest101]

Very much a black box industry - the trouble is that when you really need it, because something has gone seriously wrong, usually the pet is too sick to transfer to another vet, so consumers are completely at the mercy of whether the pet insurance company will deal with the vet involved or not. Something like a terminal kidney failure can be in the ballpark of $3-$7K over 2-3 days, pretty quickly with acute care and after hours. Anything where you can get at least 60-80% of a vet bill is worth aiming for.

$2000 per year sounds quite a lot. for a 5-year-old dog, which usually won't have age-related problems yet but makes you wonder what happens when the dog gets older, say 10 or 14 years old as to how those premiums would escalate then? Might just be cheaper to self-insure by having the cash on-hand for the event later on?

 

[andye]

My 2 toy poodles are both insured with Woolies
Net cost ~$15 per month as get a complimentary 10% off WW shop each month
Have only made 1 claim in 6 years as most of the vet stuff is routine care

 

[PERLHR]

My 2 toy poodles are both insured with Woolies
Net cost ~$15 per month as get a complimentary 10% off WW shop each month
Have only made 1 claim in 6 years as most of the vet stuff is routine care

You spend far more at woolies weekly than what we do!!

 

[andye]

You spend far more at woolies weekly than what we do!!

I am sure that's true. We get through 4x10% off (2 insurances 2 Everyday Extra) a month

 

[Quickstatus]

We have pet insurance for the 2 cavalier King Charles. Mrs QS deals with that but can't insure the Gypsy Cob due to a previous surgery for Colic which cost $15,000 after mates rates

 

[mrsterryn]

We don't have insurance for the ruler of our world . Kinda missed the boat when he was 3? and he did his first cruciate ligament. Since then he has had numerous hospital admissions, the "local vets" won't see him due to his seizures and other issues .
Just want to point out that he has cost between $130k to about $140k. His bills in the last three years have been about $15 k each , taking into account regular visits, hospital stays, medications etc. this year is currently up to about $12 K with another visit today and two new meds for him. Not sure that insurance would have covered it all . He is currently terminally ill with oral cancer
He is also over 16 years old .

 

[Princess Pia]

I have a 3yr old Bernese mountain dog who has a dx of hip dysplasia and receives 3monthly cartrophen injections. We also had an emergency this yr when she had an intestinal blockage from something (vets were unable to identify what it was…was something black and natural, hard like a rock but also breakable). That was $8000 before insurance, about $2000 afterwards. Her renewal came in the other day…$2600 I dread to think what it will be like in a few years. But given her dx and the fact that Berners are very prone to cancer it’s something I will suck up and continue to pay. Just frustrating I can’t shop around as those issues would be considered pre-exisiting and not covered by a new insurer.

 

[PERLHR]

I have a 3yr old Bernese mountain dog who has a dx of hip dysplasia and receives 3monthly cartrophen injections. We also had an emergency this yr when she had an intestinal blockage from something (vets were unable to identify what it was…was something black and natural, hard like a rock but also breakable). That was $8000 before insurance, about $2000 afterwards. Her renewal came in the other day…$2600 I dread to think what it will be like in a few years. But given her dx and the fact that Berners are very prone to cancer it’s something I will suck up and continue to pay. Just frustrating I can’t shop around as those issues would be considered pre-exisiting and not covered by a new insurer.

She sounds adorable though ..best wishes.

 

[Cossie]

Not a dog, but appropriate to this, I think. Just got our renewal for Max the cat, it's gone up to $450 a year through woolies, as we pay monthly, it never seems that much. We haven't claimed, so think we won't renew.

 

[tgh]

We have never insured our animals and based on the fees folks are paying we are probably well ahead.
We have had a few major equine surgeries, none of them successful and would not do it again.
Even with the very best timely care, the horse seldom returns to the same work level and never the same level of hardiness
We have had some dog surgeries in the past when costs were not so high but our current mutt is not insured.
It is something we should look into.