1
out of 5
POSTED: | BY: Erik Walter
They look for ways not to pay
Exactly what I feared would happen. You buy insurance and they find a way not to pay.
I purchased insurance in good faith. I followed the waiting period. On the first day coverage went into effect, my dog was diagnosed as having swallowed a foreign object. I did not wait to have my dog seen by the vet - I did not try to wait out the waiting period. You don't plan for this sort of thing and buy insurance weeks in advance.
The claims were denied because I told my vet my dog had a runny nose and eye discharge 2 days prior to the diagnosis by a vet. In other words, my claims were denied because I, as a lay person, observed cold/flu symptoms. I did not say she was bloated, I didn't say her stomach was tender. No gastric issues were observed until the day coverage went into effect - she threw up.
Any symptom will do to deny a claim. I believe a reasonable, non-veteranarian person would view the symptoms I saw as unrelated to a foreign object lodged in the small intestine. Luckily, the vet didn't rely on the symptoms I described.
The customer service wasn't great either. You have to initiate the appeal via writing. They won't initiate an appeal for you or let you speak with a supervisor.
I'll appeal, but my first encounter is exactly the opposite of the "Welcome to our Pet Family" message when I signed up and paid my premium. I do not believe they operate in good faith. Instead, they parsed the doctor notes and looked for a reason not to pay.
Right now, I would advise a hard pass on this coverage.
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