ASPCA | Pet Insurance Review

Should something catastrophic happen to our dear boy, Tyler, I don't want my choices to come down to money. We have become extremely attached to our terrier mix. Some years we have benefitted from having insurance, some years we haven't used it at all. Until the money starts growing on the trees in my backyard, I will keep paying my premiums! Tyler is 11 now, so I feel we could be coming into his stage of life where the big issues could arise. Pet insurance gives me peace of mind, knowing we'll be able to take good care of him until the end. My tip is to get insurance on your pet when they are young and healthy.

After adopting Trixie (a black three legged kitten) and Alice (a Maine Coon mix), we decided on securing coverage for them in the event of accidents or illness. After doing some research, we felt the best choice for us would be coverage offered through the ASPCA. The premiums were reasonable and the coverage was perfect for our needs. In addition we went with a name that defines the care of animal companions. Luckily both "kids" are very healthy and we have only had to submit one claim for each of them over the past three years. Both were paid in a fair and timely manner. The peace of mind this coverage offers is invaluable. What with skyrocketing vet costs, at least a portion of the expenses will be recouped, and we will always be able to give our girls the best of care.

We have a Pug who this year had a rash of illnesses, from ear and eye infections, to a urinary tract infection, to broken teeth. We filed five claims and each was paid efficiently. There were some exclusions that had been made clear in the policy, and we understood them. The only problem we had was with the reduced amount paid due to the companies use of the provision "customary fee". They have a schedule of "reasonable charges" based on geographical areas, but certainly for our city, their chart is woefully incorrect. Our experience has been that charges considered can be reduced 20-30% based on their formula. We surveyed Vets in our area and found our Vet's charges to be similar or less than others, and shared our findings with the company's representatives. They refuse to entertain the idea that their geographic chart of reasonable fees is incorrect for our area. Otherwise, we love the coverage and the people who have handled the claims. The representatives have called to ask about our dog's healing and to offer explanations about the claims process. Claims are processed quickly and checks are mailed out immediately after the claim determination.

You can’t imagine what a lifesaver having pet insurance has provided. After spending over $1500 on one of my cats a few years ago, it became apparent that pet insurance was a necessary way to go. For those who can afford it, or even barely afford it, we all know that most of us would go to almost any length to pay for vetinary services for a sick pet – so, any way you slice it, you’re going to spend the money. Having the insurance, however, keeps you from having to go broke or into debt to do so. Recently one of my cats was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. If I didn’t have the insurance, that would have cost me over $2,000 to address. With the insurance, I only paid a fraction of that. It’s a great safety net, and, although I held my breath, ASPCA didn’t give me any trouble when it came to paying the claims!

We recently discovered that my dog Teddy has a collapsing trachea. If it wasn't for ASPCA pet insurance, I would have been worried about the bills on top of worry about my best friend. Handing over my credit card was easy not only because I would do anything to help Teddy, but i knew that shortly I would receive at least half (depending on your plan) back from ASPCA pet insurance. I would recommend anyone with a pet to get ASPCA pet insurance.