Healthy Paws | Pet Insurance Review

I don’t like insurance. I resisted the idea of pet insurance and relied on a self-funded account for years. Then I ran through my $5,000 pet account in six weeks and couldn’t replenish it. I had to accept vet care had gotten too expensive for me not to have insurance. After researching and polling friends, I selected Healthy Paws. I can budget for preventive care and other predictable expenses, so the fact that Healthy Paws doesn’t cover them wasn’t a concern. I also liked that Healthy Paws doesn’t have a per incident deductible or a per pet, per incident or annual maximum. About 4 ½ years ago, I enrolled my clumsy puppy, Coquette, because I just knew she was going to break something. I added my adult dog, Kite, just because. Admittedly, I felt like I was throwing money away the first year. Then my healthy Kite developed an odd liver issue with excessive drinking and urination. Healthy Paws paid for the diagnostics then and over the next 3 years, as multiple vets, vet hospitals and specialists tried to figure out what was making his liver values sporadically flare and subside. Healthy Paws paid for the allergy issues that Coquette developed, ultrasounds and an emergency spay and, sadly, diagnostics and exploratory surgery to discover the lymphoma that ended her life at age 3. Last year, I added a new puppy to Healthy Paws. It was also the year Healthy Paws saved Kite’s life. A trip to Blue Pearl at the end of July revealed he was in acute kidney failure. The cause was unknown but he was put on IV treatments and then meds to stimulate urine production while testing for a cause, including the eventual Leptospirosis diagnosis, began. Two days after being admitted, the specialist said he wasn’t responding to treatment and I had 3 options: (1) keep doing what we were doing (wasn’t working!), (2) pursue dialysis (very expensive and not local), or (3) think about saying good-bye. Everything logical in me said euthanasia was the answer. I was still trying to rebound from my portion of the expenses for Coquette’s lymphoma, I already owed Blue Pearl over $2,000, and dialysis would be very expensive with an estimated 50% chance of success. It was hard to think about losing another relatively young dog just seven months after losing Coquette, so I asked him to check into dialysis. Later that afternoon we made the drive from Kansas City to Purdue University…the closest vet hospital that did hemodialysis. Estimated cost--$8,000-$10,000. He responded beautifully and was able to come home a week later to finish the rest of his recovery at Blue Pearl. Five days later we were on our way back to Purdue for a liver biopsy to see if the team who had done such a fabulous job saving his kidneys could figure out why his liver had suddenly failed. Was it the Doxycycline he’d been switched to for the Lepto or was it due to the underlying mystery liver condition? His liver values started declining once the Doxy was stopped and he was put on liver supplements, and five days later he was home for good while we waited on the biopsy results. Unfortunately, the biopsy didn’t give us any answers, so his mystery liver remains a mystery, and he will remain on lifetime liver supplements ($135/month). All told, saving his life cost over $18,000. Without Healthy Paws pet insurance, he would be dead. I wouldn’t have had any other choice. I can’t say enough good things about them and have recommended them often to my friends and social media contacts. Thanks, Healthy Paws!

I had Healthy Paws insurance for my two year old French Bulldog. French Bulldogs are considered a Brachycephalic dog breed, or short snouted dog. My dog had an emergency vet visit while out of town because she had breathing difficulty. I submitted a claim, which was denied, because her primary vet noted during a routine examine that she had features (palate / small nostrils) that are commonly associated with breathing difficulties with this breed. Although the emergency vet did X-rays and said she had a good lungs and breathing tube, the notes collected from her primary vet classified her as having a pre-existing condition because of her primary vet's observations (note we've never experienced breathing issues prior to this emergency visit). I appealed the first decision because I wanted to know why they covered this breed if they don't accept characteristics of this breed. My appeal was also denied. I asked both representatives I spoke with why French Bulldogs are accepted for coverage knowing the common challenges with short snouted dogs and neither could give me an answer. Added to my frustration was that when I signed up, my dog was enrolled as a Mixed Breed where my premium was $30 per month. When submitting the claims we discovered her breed was incorrect and my new premium was $105 per month. A $75 difference to cover a French Bulldog and my claim was still denied. Very disappointed with the end result and therefore I canceled my Healthy Paws insurance and will be sharing my experience with others as a watch out for this company.

I had Healthy Paws insurance until the day my beloved dog passed. Everything done by them was perfect, I had their insurance for years and not one complain. They always processed my claims and answered my questions in a perfect way, very professionally and nice. It makes me wonder why in general Insurance for humans are not that good?

So happy with Healthy Paws from the get go! Signed up our fur ball as soon as we got him at the 3 month mark. Unfortunately, we have had our fair share of emergency appointments and visits to the ER. And each time, Healthy Paws has reviewed, processed and reimbursed the our claims lightening fast! Everything is easily accessible online or from the phone app, making it super convenient. Highly recommend!

So happy with Healthy Paws from the get go! Signed up our fur ball as soon as we got him at the 3 month mark. Unfortunately, we have had our fair share of emergency appointments and visits to the ER. And each time, Healthy Paws has reviewed, processed and reimbursed the our claims lightening fast! Everything is easily accessible online or from the phone app, making it super convenient. Highly recommend!