"We never tell a client what to do," he said, "but if their pet's care is going to be a drain on their finances to the point that they can't put food on the table, we have to tell them that maybe treatment is not the right option, that they are not bad people for making that choice."
More often than not, Jandrey said, people use credit cards to pay for veterinary care. But he has known a few pet owners who sold luxury items such as boats or second cars to pay their bills.
Fewer than 5 percent of UC Davis clients carry pet insurance, Jandrey estimated.
"I think it has its place," he said. "It helps lighten the load when something major happens that people are not expecting. That's what insurance should be for: the unexpected."
Denise Boroughs-Fitch of Davis is a believer. She has a policy that covers both of her dogs, Yankee and Jeepie.
After Yankee, a yellow Labrador retriever, had a close encounter with a black widow spider a couple of years ago, pet insurance paid a hefty portion of her $8,000 bill, Boroughs-Fitch said.
"If I hadn't had insurance, I would probably have had to do euthanasia after the first week or so, as my funds would have been depleted," she said. Instead, Yankee is happy and healthy again. Insurance also has paid for Jeepie's occasional visits to the doggie emergency room.
TOP REASONS PEOPLE TAKE THEIR DOGS TO THE VET:
1 SKIN ALLERGIES
2 EAR INFECTIONS
3 STOMACH UPSETS
4 BLADDER INFECTIONS
5 BENIGN TUMORS
TOP REASONS PEOPLE TAKE THEIR CATS TO THE VET
1 URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS
2 STOMACH UPSETS
3 KIDNEY DISEASE
4 SKIN ALLERGIES
5 RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS
Source: Veterinary Pet Insurance, based on claims filed in 2005
CONSIDERING PET INSURANCE? HERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
What does the policy cover? Are vaccinations and preventive care included? What about care for common ailments like skin allergies, and chronic ones like diabetes or arthritis? Does cancer coverage cost extra? How arereimbursement payments calculated? Some companies pay a percentage of the actual cost of care; others a percentage of a pre-
• Boarding
• Experimental procedures
• Organ transplants
• Elective procedures such as docking of tails, cropping of ears, removal of dew claws
• Time and travel to veterinary hospital
• Congenital and hereditary disorders
• Health certificates or vaccination tags
• Vaccinations other than those mentioned in the plan
• Dental cleanings other than those mentioned in the plan
• Diagnosis, treatment or surgery related to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) damage that occurs or is symptomatic within 12 months of the effective date of certificate.
• Multiple incidents (more than one) of foreign object ingestion in a 12-month period.
CHECK IT OUT:HERE ARE A FEW COMPANIES THAT OFFER COVERAGE FOR PETS
Veterinary Pet Insurance
www.petinsurance.com
ASPCA
www.aspcapetinsurance.com
Pets Best
www.petsbest.com
Carole Sanford of Cool figures she's saved at least $5,000 over the years by carrying insurance on her dog, Calvin. "He has had a lot of problems. I wanted the best care for him, and I didn't feel the dent in my wallet," she said.
But others said they ended up spending far more in co-payments than expected, or were shocked when they found out their policies didn't cover certain procedures. Several pet owners said their insurers canceled their policies after expensive trips to the veterinarian's office.
Becky Maucieri of Sacramento took out a policy on her pug, Penny, in the late 1990s, but ended up dropping it after the insurer refused to pay claims for conditions that it deemed "breed specific," or hereditary.
"I suppose pet insurance could be a good deal for someone whose pet had a lot of mishaps or illnesses that would be covered under the policy," she said. "For me, though, purchasing a pet insurance policy was a mistake I won't make again."
determined fee for each procedure.
Does the company rule out paying for hereditary disorders, or limit the number of times it will pay for treatment of a particular problem, such as a dog swallowing foreign objects?
Can you choose your own vet, or are you restricted to a network?
Will costs go up as your pet ages?
What are the annual and lifetime benefit limits of the policy?
-- Cynthia Hubert
ASPCA PET HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE EXCLUSIONS
• Illnesses during the first 30 days of the plan
• Pre-existing and/or recurring illness or injury prior to the effective date, unless 180 days have passed since cure and/or last treatment.
• Behavioral problems
• Holistic/homeopathic/herbal supplies or treatment
Shelter Care
www.sheltercare.com
Pet Care
www.petcareinsurance.com
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