Having been a veterinarian as well as the founder of the pet insurance industry in the US, I’ve lost (and found) many pets. And I know that losing a pet can be emotionally devastating. Here are a few quick tips that can help you locate your furry friend, should your dog or cat go missing:
1. Look around the vicinity
Your pet may have wandered off and become confused. Be sure to leave a garage door or back yard gate open should they return while you’re out looking. Time is of the essence in finding your pet before they stray too far.
2. Expand your search
Look in areas that are easier for pets to travel through, such as green belts where a confused and lost pet may seek refuge.
3. Call for your pet while searching
Your voice may bring them out of hiding. Remember to call in calm, soothing voice; otherwise they may think they are in trouble.
4. Post signs
Be sure to include a photo, description of your pet and your contact information. Many pets are picked up by good Samaritans who may contact you if they see your sign.
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By: Dr. Jack Stephens
Pets Best Insurance President and Founder
For years there has been speculation as to why more dogs have pet insurance than cats. After all, it would seem that cat owners are just as attached to their felines as canine owners are. Yet, of the total number of insured pets, only 15-20% overall are felines. Why the difference?
A major factor is the misconception by cat owners that cats don’t need pet health insurance as much as dogs, because dogs tend to be more accident prone. While there is truth that cats have less veterinary medical visits than dogs, cats still have costly medical conditions just the same as dogs.
By nature, cats disguise their ailments. In fact, cats often hide their symptoms so well, it may cause medical conditions to become more severe when they are finally diagnosed. Adult cats are also more sedentary than dogs, which causes symptoms to go unnoticed early on. As pet owners, we expect our dogs to be running, fetching or following us around, and when they are not we become concerned. Because our expectations for cats tend to differ, we are often not as alert to early symptoms they display.
Kittens have accidents due to their inquisitive nature, but they will likely have fewer accidents than puppies will. Both kittens and puppies have an immature immune system, making them more susceptible to disease. Kittens have more viral conditions, such as upper respiratory conditions, than adult cats which are usually vaccinated and have also developed some immunity.
Feline Leukemia prevalence is highest from 1-6 years of age. Cystitis (bladder infections) is always one of our most frequent claims; while diabetes, kidney failure and cancer are some of the most costly conditions. The most common endocrine (hormonal) condition for cats is hyperthyroidism, an overactive thyroid.
This condition is more common in adult and older cats (4-20 years of age). There are literally thousands of medical conditions that cats can acquire. A few of the more common conditions are: cystitis, dermatitis, kidney failure, leukemia, numerous types of skin tumors, oral tumors, feline infectious peritonitis, abscess, liver disease, heart disease, various poisons, mammary tumors (most are malignant), lymphosarcoma and asthma to name a few.
With cats, an early diagnosis is important to restoring pet health. Watch for symptoms such as lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, lethargy, difficulty breathing, not playing, or drinking more or less than usual. Weigh your cat at least twice a year to check for weight loss and have your cat checked at least once a year by your veterinarian. Twice-a-year visits are recommended for older cats and kittens.
Consider getting cat insurance for your feline, so that you will have financial help and peace-of-mind in knowing you can afford veterinary care. Feline pet insurance rates are typically less dogs’ and if you happen to have more than one pet, ask about multiple pet insurance discounts to save on your monthly premiums.
By: Dr. Jack L. Stephens
Pets Best Insurance President and Founder
To help assist pet owners in choosing a pet insurance provider and in selecting the best coverage, I am initiating the new “What to look for in pet insurance” series.
Once you decide pet insurance is right for you, then you must decide which company, what type of coverage and which benefits are best. I will not provide company names or plan types, but provide you with fundamental information that is important in the selection process for your pet and your pocketbook.
Pet insurance is licensed by your state
Pet health insurance is required to be regulated by each state under the property or miscellaneous class of insurance. Pets are considered property and as such, fall under that broad category of regulation the same as home owners, auto and other forms of property insurance. The benefits provided by the insurance contract and services rendered by the insurance provider are however very similar to our own health insurance. Unlike human health insurance, you pay the premiums, not your employer. And the premiums are not tax deductible (yet). Also, unlike human health care, in most situations, you pay for the veterinary services and submit your claims seeking reimbursement for those expenses from the insurance company. This may change over time, but for now this is the predominant method, since veterinarians do not typically bill for services or have the staff for billing.
Submitting pet insurance claims
Look for a pet insurance company that allows you to submit claims online by downloading your receipts and signed claim form or by faxing in your documents. Mailing your claim can add one or two weeks to receiving payment. Even more important, with some companies you can elect to have your payment deposited directly into your bank account the night your claim is adjusted and approved! We’ve receive compliments from our policyholders relating they received their funds before their credit card was debited!
Because you are paying the veterinary care upfront and then seeking reimbursement it becomes more important that you understand your pet’s coverage and “how it works.” Otherwise you can find yourself not being reimbursed for pet expenses you had assumed would be covered. In addition, you still have to make some provisions for payment until you’re reimbursed, which makes the turnaround time from when you submit a claim until paid very important.
The first part of a cat or dog insurance policy is the Declarations Page, which describes the insured pet, the policy term, the insured and type of coverage. Be sure to review this page for accuracy. The next part is the “Insuring Agreement” of the insurance contract which defines what is covered. Most companies offer “Accident Only”, “Accident & Illness” and optional “Wellness/routine care” benefits which can be added to the policy. There are special Cancer only, Surgical, Hereditary and Behavioral riders available with some.
And a few even offer vacation interruption, boarding of pet for policyholder illness, pet death and lost pet benefits as added coverage. Use care in selecting added coverage, because the value proposition may not be worth the added cost.
How pet insurance claims are adjusted
Part of the insuring agreement section gives an overview of how coverage is paid or reimbursed (this may be in another section on some policies). This part is critical because it tells you how much of your pet’s actual charges may be allowed. Some companies do not pay claims based on actual cost but on a predetermined schedule of cost. Your payment may be based on a benefit or fee schedule which has specific payment allowances, despite the charges you may incur. Or payment may be made on what is normal for your area. This is called “usual & customary”. How much your veterinarian charges, or your pets cost due to severity, complications, response to treatment or other factors may be considerably higher. Be sure to determine before your purchase whether the policy you select will pay a flat percentage of your cost. Otherwise, you may have a huge shock at being reimbursed considerably lower than you expected when an accident or illness occurs to your pet.
A dog or cat insurance policy literally covers thousands of medical conditions that can occur in pets. Insurance is not for ongoing medical conditions or for recently developed medical conditions prior to the policy effect date. It is for future unknown medical events that may happen. Pet insurance policies will also have waiting periods, and benefits will not be eligible until after the waiting period is over. Waiting periods vary by company and by type of coverage. For instance, accident coverage usually starts in 1 to 3 days, while illness coverage may take 14 to 30 days to be effective, depending on the company.
If your pet has a medical condition, whether diagnosed or treated prior to enrollment, you may want to ask when and if the condition will ever be covered by the policy before your purchase. I will discuss this more under “exclusions” in another series.
The following are things your pet insurance policy should allow or provide:
• Ability for you to use any veterinarian of your choice, an emergency clinic or veterinary specialist for your pet.
• A policy that does not set fees for services, diagnostics or treatments (benefit schedule). Good veterinary care should not be limited by a benefit or fee schedule that dictates reimbursements to you.
• Easy-to-read and understandable policy available to you for online review before buying. Use the internet to shop, but enroll only after you ask questions before you enroll. Call the company and ask your questions, if they are evasive, it likely will not be better after you buy.
• Ability to customize your plan from basic coverage to broader coverage providing you with options to better evaluate price to benefits.
(Next: Benefits you need, Exclusions and Benefits you may not need)
By: Dr. Jack L. Stephens
Pets Best Insurance President
To help assist pet owners in choosing a pet insurance provider and in selecting the best coverage, I am initiating the new “What to look for in pet insurance” series.
My aim is to provide helpful tips for pet owners to avoid unforeseen pitfalls and traps in choosing a pet insurance plan. This series will also help pet owners understand what they should expect from their pet insurance provider in terms of service and reimbursement.
Becoming a veterinarian and later starting my own practice was a dream come true. I worked hard throughout my years at college and veterinary school. After graduation I even took a second job (at night) operating an emergency pet clinic to help fund my own hospital.
Treating pets was something I had always been passionate about. But one day I came to the realization that I had to do something more. I wanted to help pets and their owners receive medical care even if they couldn’t afford it.
The turning point for me was after I met one small, sick pet that I was forced to euthanize because the family couldn’t afford the treatment costs. It was around then I was determined to change my career path from treating pets to starting the very first successful pet health insurance company in the United States.
I ultimately left my practice and pioneered the concept of pet health insurance so that more pet owners could afford unexpected veterinary care for their pets by using insurance principals of risk sharing. My goal was to provide an alternative for pet owners who did not want to euthanize a beloved pet because of their financial situation. With dog and cat insurance, owners would not have to raid their savings, pay high interest on credit cards or seek lesser care for their pet.
After working with the initial company for a good number of years, I left to start another pet insurance company in 2005— Pets Best Insurance, because I wanted to do things differently.
For many years the company I pioneered in 1982 was the only choice for pet owners. But today there are a dozen or so, pet health insurance providers in the United States and there will likely be many more to come.
Overall, the many options for pet insurance is a good thing for pets, their owners and even the pet health insurance industry as a whole. Competition breeds industry growth by providing more awareness and more attractive options for the consumer.
However, I have noted over the last few years that with more competition comes more confusion. Pet owners seem confused over coverage, about the reliability of the many different companies, and over which company will provide a greater value to them. Pet owners are also confused about which companies are more likely to pay their claims without hassle and which pay their claims timely.
While I may be biased towards Pets Best Insurance, there are many other fine options in the marketplace. (Visit www.naphia.org for members of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association)
Selecting the best pet insurance company is not an easy feat, since circumstances vary widely. Pet owner expectations, budget and cost of pet care must be carefully considered. Optimum coverage for a pet will vary by species, breed, age and the pets’ current health. And of course, price will also vary. Underinsuring only becomes a concern if you have a large veterinary bill, while over insuring can drain monthly resources.
Making the right choice becomes easier with knowledge and through experience. But experience can be hard earned and costly. After 12 years of practicing small animal medicine and 30 years of forming and operating pet health insurance I know I can provide you with the knowledge to buy the right coverage to fit your needs and budget. I will use my experience to help you avoid insurance “traps” you might never expect. I will also show you the “trade offs” that you can make in your choice of pet insurance by demonstrating value to price.
I will attempt to be unbiased; given my position and being the founder of Pets Best Insurance. I will not utilize company names or specific plans, but give you the tools to understand the long term value of different options available. Ultimately you the reader will be the judge if I accomplish this goal. But I know you will be more savvy in getting the best value for your pocketbook and in protecting your pet with the information.
