By Jennifer Reed
Looking to manage the health care costs of your pet? Why not consider pet insurance?
Insurance is becoming increasingly common among pet owners and for good reason: Just like human insurance, it can help finance unexpected expenses due to accidents, illness or even congenital disorders and is often a lifesaver for pet parents facing difficult medical decisions. Just take our clients’ word for it!
Meet Colleen, Stacy and Danielle, three Drake Center clients who have recently been helped by Trupanion pet insurance:
Colleen’s coonhound puppy, Sally, required knee surgery after she was kicked by a horse.
Stacy’s terrier mix, Jimmy, underwent emergency surgery for severe paraparesis (partial paralysis of the lower limbs) shortly after his adoption.
Danielle’s pit bull mix, Finn, needed a foxtail removal as well as treatment for kennel cough and other common medical issues.
When did you get insurance for your pet?
Colleen: I signed Sally up for the Trupanion 30-day free trial within days of her first puppy exam with Dr. Shotwell. Within a week, she was attacked by a dog and kicked by a horse, resulting in a serious knee injury that required surgery. Before this happened, I honestly had no intention of continuing the insurance once the free trial ran out. I have had pets my entire life and they have never been insured, but this was a huge wakeup call for me.
Stacy: We signed up for the 30-day free trial the day after we adopted him, thinking that we would use that time to research a variety of insurance companies to see which one we wanted to stick with and that he'd be covered in the meantime just in case.
Danielle: We signed up for the 30-day free trial after his first puppy wellness exam.
How did the insurance affect your pet’s treatment?
Colleen: Had I not had the insurance, Sally would have had to be put down. I just didn’t have that kind of money readily available. Because veterinary fees have to be paid up front, I had a friend help me out—but the check came back so quickly that I was able to reimburse her right away.
Stacy: Fortunately for us, the 30-day free trial waived all waiting periods, so Jimmy's emergency back surgery was covered even though it happened less than two weeks after signing up. Although we would have paid for the surgery even if he didn't have coverage, having the insurance was huge as it kept it from being a large financial burden for us. Also, the claim was easy to file and was processed quickly. I was extremely impressed, relieved and grateful all at the same time.
Danielle: Finn had to have a foxtail removed from his nose the day after his first puppy exam. He then had a recurring bout of giardia, a skin infection and kennel cough, all within three months of each other! Trupanion honored their portion of coverage for it all.
How much money did you save by using the insurance?
Colleen: If the insurance covers Sally’s next surgery, I would estimate the total savings at $8,000. Unfortunately, the plan I chose did not cover her rehabilitation, but Trupanion did cover 90 percent of the medical costs. Before this experience, I had to have dollar limits on my animals and it’s a tragedy to have to do that. With the insurance, I don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Stacy: $6,000.
Danielle: We have already saved hundreds on Finn’s care.
How is your pet doing now?
Colleen: Sally is still struggling with her injury. Right now, we are considering another surgery and possibly amputation. That would be a last resort decision, but the insurance makes it a lot easier to consider.
Stacy: Fantastic! The surgery was a great success and he is walking and running and playing—you would never know he had had back surgery three months ago. Without the surgery, his back half would have been paralyzed. He is a very happy dog with many years of running around ahead of him.
Danielle: Happy and healthy!
What advice would you give other pet parents regarding insurance?
Colleen: I would absolutely recommend it. After Sally’s injury, I spent a lot of time at the specialty hospital. I couldn’t believe how many people I saw there dealing with their pets’ various medical issues. When I talked to them, I asked whether or not their pets were insured. Those with pets who weren’t wished they were. You could see it was a burden to them. My advice is, if you’re going to get treatment for your pets, you might as well have peace of mind. It kills me to think of putting an animal down due to finances, but veterinary costs can be devastating. If you can afford a monthly payment and just look at it as going to Starbucks a few times less each week, do it for the peace of mind. Now that I’ve done it, I will always do it for my pets.
Stacy: It helped us tremendously to have pet insurance. We didn't expect anything like that to happen, especially so soon after adopting Jimmy. You just never know when your pet might get sick or injured or have a genetic condition and need treatment, and some treatments are extremely expensive. Just like with humans, having insurance can really make the difference in what kind of treatment options you have and what you can afford. I encourage all pet owners to carefully consider pet insurance for their furry friends.
Danielle: Finn’s insurance has paid for itself over and over! I would definitely recommend it to any new puppy owner!