ASPCA | Pet Insurance Review

My 14 year old Dachshund, Gisela, became very ill. I do not know what caused her problem. My speculation is that she ate the remains of a dead rodent in the backyard, but the veterinarian could not give me a definent answer as to what triggered her condition. She had to be hospitalized and placed on IVs, received numerous tests, sent home with medications, and restricted to a special diet. I was contemplating cancelling my pet insurance policy before this incident since she has been very healthy. It is a good thing I did not do so. She has made a full recovery.

Oberon nearly died of pancreatitis. Poor little guy was so sick and couldn't eat at all. He was in the hospital for a week, so his bill came to about $3,300, but I only had to shell out about $850. The plan worked as promised.

I have 4 dogs, all insured and this allows me to recover some of my money when something happens or a procedure needs to be done. I have submitted several claims this year and have had no problems with getting them paid. They have excellent customer service and the claims are easy to submit. My only issue would be that the average cost from which they calculate the rates to reimburse you from seem to be a bit low. My vet is not expensive and they pay less than what he charges.

My dog Max is an energetic Golden Doodle. In his short life he has eaten two socks, had surgery on his toe, and been injured at day camp. I am grateful that my insurance has covered most of the expenses. I think the policy is worth every penny of the cost. Thanks for being there when I have needed the help!

Only recently did I learn that the "fine print" of my ASPCA insurance considered ANYTHING DIAGNOSED BEFORE THE CURRENT POLICY PERIOD WOULD BE CONSIDERED PRE-EXISTING. This was especially deceiving given I was paying an additional premium for "continuing care" coverage. My dog had a few cysts, and the Vet aspirated them for lab review. They were just "cysts," so no need to risk surgical complications by removing them. Instead, Vet advised we periodically check them to make sure they remain 'just cysts.' Since we did not have them surgically removed, any annual check-ups on these cysts were deemed "pre-existing." Therefore, if these cysts transformed into something more serious (like moles on people that can become melanoma down the raod), surgery and/or treatments would no be covered because they are "pre-existing." DO NOT USE ASPCA IF YOUR PET DEVELOPS ANY CHRONIC AILMENTS BECAUSE CLAIMS WILL BE DENIED. Unfortunately, I discovered this little 'trick' when my dog turned 13. Now I can't get coverage for ANY of her increasingly chronic conditions. :( Guess I'll have to make that horrible decision down the road between money or her life, as we do not have the financial cushion to afford diagnostics or treatment for serious illness.