My vet recommended the ASPCA or VPI pet insurance, but when I went online and looked at reviews, neither of those did very well. The best reviewed ones were Embrace and PetPlan US. Does anyone have any feedback on any of these?
True, I have heard lots of bad things about aspca and vpi… most vets know about vpi because it has been around the longest but of course age doesn’t necessarily equal quality by any means.
I know that Petplan does some limitations on the policy depending on the breed. I am also pretty sure they do benefits schedules (though they make it very difficult to find their policy on the website).
Anyway, I did a lot of research before choosing Trupanion for my dog. They seemed to be the most straight forward and honest, they openly disclose everything they cover and don’t cover.
What I like about them is they have no claim limits or annual limits, which both Petplan and Embrace do (and its more expensive for a higher annual limit with these companies). Plus Trupanion doesn’t increase your premium as your pet ages which it seems like almost every company does. And you can enroll your pet up to age 14 and then it is covered for life!
Just be sure to read the policies (if you can find them) before signing up for anything. Good luck and don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions during the process!
#1 by Stacy K on February 22, 2010 - 5:42 am
True, I have heard lots of bad things about aspca and vpi… most vets know about vpi because it has been around the longest but of course age doesn’t necessarily equal quality by any means.
I know that Petplan does some limitations on the policy depending on the breed. I am also pretty sure they do benefits schedules (though they make it very difficult to find their policy on the website).
Anyway, I did a lot of research before choosing Trupanion for my dog. They seemed to be the most straight forward and honest, they openly disclose everything they cover and don’t cover.
What I like about them is they have no claim limits or annual limits, which both Petplan and Embrace do (and its more expensive for a higher annual limit with these companies). Plus Trupanion doesn’t increase your premium as your pet ages which it seems like almost every company does. And you can enroll your pet up to age 14 and then it is covered for life!
Just be sure to read the policies (if you can find them) before signing up for anything. Good luck and don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions during the process!
References :
http://www.trupanionpetinsurance.com
http://www.trupanionpetinsurance.com/why_choose_trupanion_pet_health_insurance/compare_pet_insurance_companies/vpi-comparison.aspx
#2 by FranDVM on February 22, 2010 - 6:17 am
In my opinion ASPCA and VPI do not have the best coverage when it comes to hereditary/congenital diseases. Coverage for hereditary and congenital diseases is a very important piece of coverage to have in your pet insurance plan.
In addition to reading about the experiences that customers have after they purchase, there are many other factors you must consider as well. Some of the most important being:
A) What medical conditions are covered?
5 points of coverage that should be apart of any pet insurance plan include:
1) Coverage for Cancer
2) Coverage for Chronic Disease
Chronic diseases are illnesses that have long duration and generally slow progression. Chronic diseases are usually not curable. Examples include: cancer, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and chronic liver disease.
3) Continual Coverage for Chronic Disease
If you do not get this coverage, the chronic disease will only be covered in the policy year it was diagnosed, after that, you will have to pay for any continuing medications or diagnostic monitoring yourself. Treatment for most Chronic diseases will last beyond the first year of diagnosis.
4) Coverage for Hereditary & Congenital Diseases
5) Coverage for Diseases that are Common to your Pet’s Breed
B) What medical conditions are excluded? Read the company’s terms and conditions very closely as there can be some very surprising exclusions.
C) What is the maximum payout limit structure, amount and limits? The maximum payout limit is the maximum amount the insurance company will reimburse you. This payout limit can be annually, lifetime or for each incident. You want the maximum payout limit you pick to be able to cover the worst case scenario costs that could happen.
The comparison sheets at pet-insurance-university.com can help you compare these factors for Embrace and PetPlan
References :