We got a new doggie last month....Trying to find if its worth it to get the insurance. Basically seems like pre-paid medical care - at least at first glance.

No. What you would spend in monthly premiums you could just put in savings. I've heard people say that pet insurance has saved them huge bills from animal hospitals, but how many times do you anticipate the dog going to the hospital?

Yearly check ups, vaccines and spay/neuter will still have to be paid out of pocket with pet insurance.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No. What you would spend in monthly premiums you
> could just put in savings. I've heard people say
> that pet insurance has saved them huge bills from
> animal hospitals, but how many times do you
> anticipate the dog going to the hospital?
>
> Yearly check ups, vaccines and spay/neuter will
> still have to be paid out of pocket with pet
> insurance.


Did you Google this subject eeshie?

Conie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Did you Google this subject eeshie?





No. I've had pets in the past and know that the premiums you would pay would exceed the yearly costs of vet visits. Unless you have a pet that requires surgery or specialized care, vet costs are nowhere as high as what people pay for doctor visits.

He looks good to me.
Attachments:

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Conie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Did you Google this subject eeshie?
>
>
>
>
>
> No. I've had pets in the past and know that the
> premiums you would pay would exceed the yearly
> costs of vet visits. Unless you have a pet that
> requires surgery or specialized care, vet costs
> are nowhere as high as what people pay for doctor
> visits.


Perhaps it depends on the dog. My dog breed is notorious for bad health.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> eesh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Conie Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> >
> > > Did you Google this subject eeshie?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > No. I've had pets in the past and know that the
> > premiums you would pay would exceed the yearly
> > costs of vet visits. Unless you have a pet that
> > requires surgery or specialized care, vet costs
> > are nowhere as high as what people pay for
> doctor
> > visits.
>
>
> Perhaps it depends on the dog. My dog breed is
> notorious for bad health.


you're right
my brother-in-law had a golden lab (i think). Whatever he
had was prone to hip-dispacea.
He spent thousands of dollars bringing this dog down to Duke
for surgery!

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Perhaps it depends on the dog. My dog breed is
> notorious for bad health.





Well, say you get pet insurance for years without any claims, there's the good chance they will deny some expensive hospital claim for a bullshit petty reason.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Perhaps it depends on the dog. My dog breed is
> notorious for bad health.

I'd say it's worth it, then. I've seen people sink thousands into breeds that are notorious for health problems (English bulldogs, especially).

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

i've got an english bulldog.

Strongly recommend it, then.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

I'm sure the insurance premiums will be a lot higher when you disclose what type of dog you have. I mean, I'm sure the insurance companies are aware that high maintenance animals will more likely be insured.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sure the insurance premiums will be a lot
> higher when you disclose what type of dog you
> have. I mean, I'm sure the insurance companies are
> aware that high maintenance animals will more
> likely be insured.


that would totally be considered discrimination...amirite?

Insurance is essentially gambling, anyway. If I had an English Bulldog, I would get it.

--------------------------------------------------------------
13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

Conie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> eesh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm sure the insurance premiums will be a lot
> > higher when you disclose what type of dog you
> > have. I mean, I'm sure the insurance companies
> are
> > aware that high maintenance animals will more
> > likely be insured.
>
>
> that would totally be considered
> discrimination...amirite?



Age, smoking history, past medical problems all factor into your health insurance premiums. Just like car insurance, your driving record, safety record of your make of vehicle, etc. factor into your premium.

I wouldn't think pet insurance is any different. I don't believe an insurance company would charge a high maintenance pet the same as someone that owned a cat or ferret, right?

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Conie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > eesh Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I'm sure the insurance premiums will be a lot
> > > higher when you disclose what type of dog you
> > > have. I mean, I'm sure the insurance
> companies
> > are
> > > aware that high maintenance animals will more
> > > likely be insured.
> >
> >
> > that would totally be considered
> > discrimination...amirite?
>
>
>
> Age, smoking history, past medical problems all
> factor into your health insurance premiums. Just
> like car insurance, your driving record, safety
> record of your make of vehicle, etc. factor into
> your premium.
>
> I wouldn't think pet insurance is any different. I
> don't believe an insurance company would charge a
> high maintenance pet the same as someone that
> owned a cat or ferret, right?


idk..I've never researched it. Definitely an interesting question though.

I don't have the pet insurance myself so not exactly sure how it works, but last year while in the waiting area of the Hope Center in Vienna ~ (my dog was being seen repeatedly for quite some time after a surgery), I witnessed a woman at the counter very upset while trying to pay for her pet with the insurance. Evidently ~ what they were telling her, was that the pet insurance only covers certain things.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sure the insurance premiums will be a lot
> higher when you disclose what type of dog you
> have. I mean, I'm sure the insurance companies are
> aware that high maintenance animals will more
> likely be insured.


+1, eesh is right on this one. Insurance companies factor everything and out comes your premium, with which their statistics tell them they will turn a profit based on the risk your dog presents. Get a couple of quotes, average them, and stuff that into a savings account religiously every year/month/whatever. You will probably come out ahead, and if you don't at least it should take the sting out of a surgery or pay for it completely.

When we get our first dog we bought it through the AKC. We dropped it after 2 years. Our experience was 1) we still had to pay 100% to the vets up front and wait for a reimbursement; 2) they were slow in processing claims; and 3) when they did make payment it was only a small fraction of our total cost. The good news was that we recovered around two thirds of the insurance costs in reimbursements, which for an insurance product probably wasn't too bad.

I would suggest that you should research it carefully to make certain that you will actually receive what you think you are getting.

Because we have a dog rescue, we have done a lot of research on pet insurance.
What we recommend is Banfield in Petsmart. I know they had a bad name in the past but the Banfield in the Reston Petsmart is owned by the Vet herself.
Dr. Huntington is a great Dr. The reason we like Banfield is the first visit is free and they have several plans to help save money. We highly recommend them

---------------------------------------------------
W.W.S.D. what would Scooby Doo

People have been PMing me on the bully.

This is close to what she looks like:





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2011 03:13PM by ITRADE.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> People have been PMing me on the bully.
>
> This is close to what she looks like:
>
> http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:Ki1RjWhrBUUXjM:
> http://miniature-englishbulldogs.com/index.Calista
> %20English%20Bulldog%20puppy.jpg&t=1


that's a puppie.

Is your's still a puppie? Cuz they are cute when they're puppies.

Does she/he still look like that?

Yes, looks very close to that. She is now 12 weeks old. She has more brindle/brown spots on her back, but the face is white.

ITRADE Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, looks very close to that. She is now 12
> weeks old. She has more brindle/brown spots on
> her back, but the face is white.


That must be a trendy dog right now.

BTW...your sigline thingy is really getting annoying.

it's my understanding that the pet insurance pays (reimburses) the owner for emergency type visits i.e. hit by car or poison ingestion. possibly something to consider for a puppy/young adult but not something to rely on for corrective surgeries.
my advice would be to start a doggy savings fund. with an english bulldog, you're going to need it.


cute pup, btw.

yeefuckinghaw

I've had many pets and I've never considered buying pet medical insurance.

Of course, now, with three children in college and our human health insurance premiums and co-pays skyrocketing, thanks to Obama, our pets will be lucky if they get fed.

Alias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've had many pets and I've never considered
> buying pet medical insurance.
>
> Of course, now, with three children in college
> and our human health insurance premiums and
> co-pays skyrocketing, thanks to Obama, our pets
> will be lucky if they get fed.


you live in a 700 square foot apartment and you have 3 kids in college?

So, i guess they all can't come home at once.

We almost got the insurance, but I think at least one of my dogs is considered too old for coverage.

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

That was Impostor Alias that wrote about her 700 sq ft apartment, you goofus...

Conie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> you live in a 700 square foot apartment and you
> have 3 kids in college?
>
> So, i guess they all can't come home at once.

Signatures are for fags

Harry Tuttle Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That was Impostor Alias that wrote about her 700
> sq ft apartment, you goofus...
>
> Conie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > you live in a 700 square foot apartment and you
> > have 3 kids in college?
> >
> > So, i guess they all can't come home at once.


you're right. My bad

Conie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Alias Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I've had many pets and I've never considered
> > buying pet medical insurance.
> >
> > Of course, now, with three children in college
> > and our human health insurance premiums and
> > co-pays skyrocketing, thanks to Obama, our pets
> > will be lucky if they get fed.
>
>
> you live in a 700 square foot apartment and you
> have 3 kids in college?
>
> So, i guess they all can't come home at once.

It’s difficult, Conie, but we manage. We all sleep in one bed.
There’s a brand new outhouse in the woods. That's our second bathroom.
When you've got love you don’t need much else, Conie.
Attachments:

Kinda sounds like Willy Wonka.

Alias Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've had many pets and I've never considered
> buying pet medical insurance.
>
> Of course, now, with three children in college
> and our human health insurance premiums and
> co-pays skyrocketing, thanks to Obama, our pets
> will be lucky if they get fed.



This is code for "Alias is a crazy cat lady." Her three children are named Buster, Mr. Dickens, and Itsy-Bitsy.

Blessed are the murderous.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Alias Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I've had many pets and I've never considered
> > buying pet medical insurance.
> >
> > Of course, now, with three children in college
> > and our human health insurance premiums and
> > co-pays skyrocketing, thanks to Obama, our pets
> > will be lucky if they get fed.
>
>
>
> This is code for "Alias is a crazy cat lady." Her
> three children are named Buster, Mr. Dickens, and
> Itsy-Bitsy.

Actually, they're named Killer, Viper and Wild Thing.

Here's Wild Thing... Isn't she cute?

You've got some fierce pussy there, Alias.

eesh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You've got some fierce pussy there, Alias.

Stay away from the Wild Thing, eesh.