ASPCA | Pet Insurance Review

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance is the third pet insurance plan we've tried over the past 20 years. Their coverage is average, their "fine print" is average, and the speed of their claims handling is average. The biggest and most heinous issue with this company is their adherence to reimbursements based on a totally out-of-touch, unreasonable and almost fraudulent set of "average local charges" as published by some pro-insurance-company (and perhaps owned by them) rates researcher. Generally, ASPCA has reimbursed our claims at an average of 40 to 45% of what we've had to pay the veterinarians, regardless of the illness, medical procedures, or other costs. For a $350 procedure, they "allowed" $151. For a $260 procedure, they "allowed" $127. This is not including deductables. When we asked them to provide the name of a single veterinatian within 25 miles who charged what they were "allowing," they claimed to only go by this published book and could not provide names. When I asked for the name of the publisher of the book, they refused to provide it. Needless to say, the book, whatever it is and whoever publishes it, has no relationship to the real world and merely serves to accommodate their unreasonable payouts. Think twice about any pet insurance company. In hindsight, we've realized that it would have been more cost-effective to self-insure by setting up a savings account and paying the "premiums" to that account.

I have two dogs and three cats insured by Petshealth and amlooking for new carrier. Their pre-existing condition clause is a deal-breaker; moreover, they refuse to cover dental disease of any type . My greyhound had severe dental disease and, only after the ASPCA liaison intervened,was I able to get reimbursed. Now, a calico cat I rescued was diagnosed with gingivitis and this claim, too, was denied. I guess that petshealth would rather pay for the heart and kidney failure that dental disease causes than correct the problem before it becomes life-threatening.

Filed our first claim on 6/26/2008, it is now 7/21/2008...the status only shows "received", not even "processing". The brochure claims payments in 14 days! We called and they claim they are behind and are bringing in more people to assist. Also, our second claim filed on 7/16 that I emailed in so I would have a record, has not even been acknowledged yet. I resent today.

They beat around the old bush and took their time, initially, my daughter failed to give my name when she brought Sampson the cat to the vet (he had sprung a fever) they had the policy number!!!!, yet this little bit of confusion caused them WEEKS of delayI called over and over again, they also repeatedly stated they had no info from the vet (who HAD faxed them) and ALSO NEEDED PREVIOUS HISTORY FROM ANOTHER VET!! All this BS was additional excuses for delaying payment to me. THEN, they only paid 1/3 of the total cost, they advised me they had a "standard and approved " fee schedule, but that I could not have a copy of this fee schedule unless I gave them $150.00 payment for it!!! So I don't know how they came up with the settlement amount, which was of course, only 80% of this so called approved fee.

I have had three pets insured with this company since 2000. Somewhere along the line they changed their wording as they went from underwriter to underwriter. Avoid them like the plague. I now have a complaint pending with the Maine Bureau of Insurance and the Attorney General. I am also litigating this for Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices as I never got a renewal policy and had asked for the plan with the continuous coverage. I paid 120.00 a month for these plans and they lied on taped conversations on the phone (have tapes). They are the worst out there. Time to make them honest. Moderator, contact me pls for full details as I want to get the truth out there.