I am beginning to learn as each year passes that the cost of owning a pet is astronomical in price. I wrote an article several months ago agreeing with a member who wrote about pet insurance. I had been meaning to get back to her article to get the name of the company. About a month later I was told by a couple who are friends of mine that Veterinary Pet Insurance is the way to go as they offer a 5% discount on 2 pets and pay pretty quickly. This couple has the same vet I have and were quite satisfied with the new pet insurance they had for their dogs.

I was apprehensive about the fact that my pet was somewhat older than theirs and maybe she wouldn't qualify. I visited their web site and each link I went to explained that there are two plans, the Gold and the Advantage and a $40 deductible on both. I read about current health conditions which are pre-existing. That part said that the pet would be accepted only if the problem had been considered cured had not been treated for six months. A few times I read "regardless of age" so I took down the toll-free number and after going through the many links on their web site, I called them.

The person I spoke to was very courteous. She first asked me which state I was from and I told her. Then I asked her why she had to ask that. She said that some states have not updated their policies through the Department of Insurance. She told me that the Gold Plan is $272 a year and $445 for The Advantage Plan and it would be in effect in 14 days. She stressed the fact that skin allergies are a permanent exclusion.

I asked about the age of my dog and if she was still qualified. She said that any pet 10 and older would have to have a battery of tests done such as blood cell count, chemistry analysis, urinalysis, thyroid and a few others. Also past medical records would have to be reviewed. She said that no hereditary problem is covered either. I told her that on the web site it states that no prior medical exam is needed and she explained that one part of the web site is under construction.

To make a long story short, in my opinion my pet does not qualify due to a pre-existing condition which is really an hereditary problem which is cataracts and also the fact that my breed of pet is prone to skin allergies caused by anything and everything. She did say that I could still be under the plan and covered for anything that is not related to my dog's condition and anything that is not common in that particular breed. At this point I just told her goodbye and hung up.

It is ironic when you haven't heard from someone in a while and then start thinking of them and the phone rings, you pick it up and hear the voice of that person. It was my friend with the insurance coverage. I began telling her about how I had just picked up my dog from the vet after having 5 teeth removed and the remainder of her teeth cleaned and polished and how high the bill was but extended it into monthly payments. I also told her I had called Veterinary Pet Insurance after this last surgery and she interrupted me saying she no longer had them and cancelled the policy after a year.

Her reason for this was that her dog, which is a mixed breed, had been treated too many times for an ear infection and it was the insurance's determination that since the dog had fur covering her ears that the problem is hereditary and therefore refused to pay. Also, her dog developed Epilepsy and the payments for those visits were never reimbursed either due to dominance of a certain breed in the dog which is prone to this illness.

Another reason is that the vet we both go to is a tad bit more expensive than other vets but she is an excellent doctor and we both place our wholehearted trust in her. She also accepts fair payment plans so a bill doesn't have to be paid all at once. Even if one cannot afford an office visit, a pre-dated check will due.

This insurance company only reimburses the amount they think is fair as to what a veterinary doctor should charge. Should pets have insurance coverage? I really think so but I don't think Veterinary Pet Insurance is the one.

Perhaps if one starts off with them when the pet is a pup and has a good clean bill of health and isn't a breed that would be prone to hereditary problems and doesn't suddenly develop Epilepsy or some other illness and you have a veterinarian who charges 1980's prices and keeps telling you at each visit that your pet is fine, then maybe this one would be for you. Whew! That was a mouthful of a sentence!



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