Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

Exactly. All you ever need to know about insurance is that it can not possibly exist unless it is, on average, paying out less than it takes in.

Insurance makes sense for things like cars, where your liability can easily reach six or even seven figure levels almost nobody has the cash on hand to pay for. It doesn't make sense for pets when nearly any issue can be taken care of with savings or a decent credit line.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

🤔 We’ve had our dog for a little over a year, and she’s already had two visits for ingesting foreign objects and a surgery on obstruction. She is otherwise very healthy and energetic with no genetic issues.

This is on you. You're the type of hare-brained person that would rather pay (insurance or out of pocket) than watch your dog, so obviously don't complain about the price. The pandemic has spawned many such owners. I'd be infinitely sympathetic if it was a breed-associated condition, something out of your hands like cancer, etc, but obstruction due to eating crap? Totally on you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

🤔 We’ve had our dog for a little over a year, and she’s already had two visits for ingesting foreign objects and a surgery on obstruction. She is otherwise very healthy and energetic with no genetic issues.

This is on you. You're the type of hare-brained person that would rather pay (insurance or out of pocket) than watch your dog, so obviously don't complain about the price. The pandemic has spawned many such owners. I'd be infinitely sympathetic if it was a breed-associated condition, something out of your hands like cancer, etc, but obstruction due to eating crap? Totally on you.

Don't think you understand how dogs work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No pet insurance. I love my dog, but I will not spend 10s of thousands on his care when the time comes. In the meantime, I do my best to keep him healthy, and I have an old-fashioned vet who keeps things low-key and doesn't push interventions.

So you will just kill him when he breaks a leg, eats a poison, has a treatable tumor or condition? Why do you have a dog anyway?

NP here

The PP is like many people. Not everyone is prepared to spend 10's of thousands on something they bought for less than $5000 or in some cases got from a shelter for a couple of hundred bucks.

Don't jump on me. I'm just telling it how it is for many pet owners.

I'm the PP who does not want pet insurance. I come from a country where no one has pet insurance (I'm not even sure they exist), yet every dog I've known has lived a long life and has never cost their owners an arm and a leg. My 50 lbs dog has had no medical issues in the 4 years we've had him. I am very careful with him. He's a picky eater, and never eats stuff he shouldn't. He's generally calm and even looks before crossing the street, not that he's ever off-leash or ever runs away. The vet charges me what, $100 annualized, to scrape his teeth and administer vaccines every few years? Preventatives are affordable. Food is my biggest expense.

Once he reaches a point where his quality of life is reduced, no, I will not spend tens of thousands to buy him a few more years. If he needs an urgent fix in the prime of his life, yes, I will spend the money out of pocket. I believe insurance would cost me more.

Bloat, carcinoma, leg fracture, cardiomyopathy, allergies- all common. All expensive.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No pet insurance. I love my dog, but I will not spend 10s of thousands on his care when the time comes. In the meantime, I do my best to keep him healthy, and I have an old-fashioned vet who keeps things low-key and doesn't push interventions.

So you will just kill him when he breaks a leg, eats a poison, has a treatable tumor or condition? Why do you have a dog anyway?

NP here

The PP is like many people. Not everyone is prepared to spend 10's of thousands on something they bought for less than $5000 or in some cases got from a shelter for a couple of hundred bucks.

Don't jump on me. I'm just telling it how it is for many pet owners.

I'm the PP who does not want pet insurance. I come from a country where no one has pet insurance (I'm not even sure they exist), yet every dog I've known has lived a long life and has never cost their owners an arm and a leg. My 50 lbs dog has had no medical issues in the 4 years we've had him. I am very careful with him. He's a picky eater, and never eats stuff he shouldn't. He's generally calm and even looks before crossing the street, not that he's ever off-leash or ever runs away. The vet charges me what, $100 annualized, to scrape his teeth and administer vaccines every few years? Preventatives are affordable. Food is my biggest expense.

Once he reaches a point where his quality of life is reduced, no, I will not spend tens of thousands to buy him a few more years. If he needs an urgent fix in the prime of his life, yes, I will spend the money out of pocket. I believe insurance would cost me more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

🤔 We’ve had our dog for a little over a year, and she’s already had two visits for ingesting foreign objects and a surgery on obstruction. She is otherwise very healthy and energetic with no genetic issues.

This is on you. You're the type of hare-brained person that would rather pay (insurance or out of pocket) than watch your dog, so obviously don't complain about the price. The pandemic has spawned many such owners. I'd be infinitely sympathetic if it was a breed-associated condition, something out of your hands like cancer, etc, but obstruction due to eating crap? Totally on you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

Hahaha...if you have a dog, you absolutely WILL have many very exoensive treatments in the course of a dog's life. You can bet on it.

Hmmm, maybe it’s a cat/dog difference? I have two cats and after one of them had a urinary blockage resulting in a three day hospital stay and a cost of about $4000 total I looked into insurance. What I found was that I would have paid several times the $4000 in premiums over three or four years (and this was a seven year old cat) and it covered none of my regular preventative care or dental work. Since I have saving that can withstand the odd few thousand dollar emergency pet care, I prefer to add to my savings rather than pay an insurance company. But I think strictly indoor cats are maybe less likely to have accidents and emergencies than dogs and the math might work out differently if I had a dog.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

🤔 We’ve had our dog for a little over a year, and she’s already had two visits for ingesting foreign objects and a surgery on obstruction. She is otherwise very healthy and energetic with no genetic issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.

Hahaha...if you have a dog, you absolutely WILL have many very exoensive treatments in the course of a dog's life. You can bet on it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No pet insurance. I love my dog, but I will not spend 10s of thousands on his care when the time comes. In the meantime, I do my best to keep him healthy, and I have an old-fashioned vet who keeps things low-key and doesn't push interventions.

So you will just kill him when he breaks a leg, eats a poison, has a treatable tumor or condition? Why do you have a dog anyway?

NP here

The PP is like many people. Not everyone is prepared to spend 10's of thousands on something they bought for less than $5000 or in some cases got from a shelter for a couple of hundred bucks.

Don't jump on me. I'm just telling it how it is for many pet owners.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No pet insurance. I love my dog, but I will not spend 10s of thousands on his care when the time comes. In the meantime, I do my best to keep him healthy, and I have an old-fashioned vet who keeps things low-key and doesn't push interventions.

So you will just kill him when he breaks a leg, eats a poison, has a treatable tumor or condition? Why do you have a dog anyway?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pet insurance is a scam.

Exactly this.

As others have noted, insurance starts at $50-60 a month for young healthy pets. Once they get older and actually start getting into the risk area for expensive care it gets much more expensive. I just got a quote for my 13 year old cat at $96/mo.

So say an average of $80/mo over a 15 year lifespan. That's $14,400 in premiums. I've got two cats who have both needed expensive surgeries at some point - perfect case for pet insurance, right?

Well, no. Cat #1 - 13 years old, two urinary tract unblockings totaling $4,000, one urethral widening costing $6,000. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. So without insurance, $10,000 out of pocket. With insurance, assuming 80% coverage, $2,000 out of pocket + $12,480 in premiums (80x12x13) $14,480 total.

Cat #2 - 12 years old, one mammary chain removal, various imaging and screening appointments, about $6,500 out of pocket. No other events that pet insurance would have covered. With insurance - $1,300 out of pocket + $11,520 in premiums, $12,820 total.

Dog #1 - 10 years old. A couple of tumor biopsies, one mysterious liver issue, no other events that insurance would have covered. Around $4,000 out of pocket. With insurance, $800 out of pocket + $9,600 in premiums. Total $10,400.

So adding them all up, No insurance: $20,500. Insurance: $37,700. Assuming they all make it to 15 that's another $9,600 in premiums, so I'd have to accrue over $32,000 in qualifying vet bills in the next 2-5 years just to break even, and that's with 2/3 animals already having expensive medical issues.

Scam indeed.

Thank you for breaking it down for us with real numbers. It really helps to see the reality. Of course, it's always possible for a pet to have several hugely expensive issues that insurance can cover. But a typical family will not experience this.