Coverage for my 4-legged kid
I've had coverage ever since getting our bulldog a couple of years ago. She is like a typical child, running, playing and having to go to the doctor to get a scratch looked at. The coverage gives the comfort of our dog being taken care of and getting reimbursed for the vet expenses. Recently her eye got scratched and had to get several medicines which were costly. The coverage reimbursed for most of the charges and that really helped. It just gives you more peace of mind to know that there is coverage for pets also.
- INSURER:
ASPCA
- POSTED: 11/16/2010
- BY: L
- BREED: English Bulldog
- AGE OF PET: 7 - 10
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Expensive, Slow, Few Benefits
Unlike the VPI Pet Insurance policy, the primary Embrace policy covers relatively little. Despite having well over $1000 in vet bills since that time, the Embrace accident/injury policy has covered nothing (whereas the generic VPI policy would have). Do not be fooled into thinking that you will be able to add a wellness benefit later; they will not let you during the course of an insurance term.
I chose Embrace in part because I expected that the extra cost would be worth what I perceived to be superior customer service. I was wrong about that. To make matters worse, I have had to wait for nearly a month to receive a decision on my claim. I had to call them in order to get a response.
I would only recommend Embrace if you are absolutely sure that you want nothing other than accident coverage. I sincerely wish I had chosen VPI insurance as my vet originally recommended.
- INSURER:
Embrace
- POSTED: 11/16/2010
- BY: Anonymous
- BREED: Mixed Breed
- AGE OF PET: 7 - 10
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Coverage bait and switch - Beware!
I was an Embrace customer for almost two years, and was happy the first year and the first time I had to make a claim, they paid promptly. This year (my second year) they sent an email to all customers with policy changes. These changes basically eliminate coverage for anything that Embrace considers "preventable" or that there is a vaccine for, and it goes on to say that even if your dog has been vaccinated, if they contract an illness, you must seek damages from the manufacturer, not Embrace!
Here is their quote: “Example: If a pet is vaccinated against Parvo, but still contracts Parvo, the vaccine manufacturer is at fault and may be liable for the veterinary costs to treat the Parvo.”
Good luck making any claim for any illness with that type of policy.
The icing on the cake was when my dog recently had a UTI. I filed a claim and Embrace requested my dog’s medical history going back three years before they can process the claim, I can only assume that they did this so that they can investigate whether or not they could wiggle their way out of paying the medical costs. After I had been a customer for almost two years, they randomly sent me an email that they will not cover foreign body ingestion for my dog because he previously was treated for a foreign body ingestion two years ago!
So, they eliminated any “preventable” illnesses, accidents, vaccinated related conditions, and now foreign body ingestion. What the heck is left besides being run over by a car
- INSURER:
Embrace
- POSTED: 11/16/2010
- BY: Michael
- BREED: Beagle
- AGE OF PET: 7 - 10
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The initial cost is worth it
We decided to get Embrace Pet Insurance for our Bernese Mountain Dog based on the reviews posted on their site. We were initially only going to get pet insurance for the first year; however we loved them so much we have decided to keep them for her second year (and probably for the life of our dog). We are very happy with their services.
A quick list of what they have done:
Covered what they are supposed to.
Really friendly (which I appreciate!!).
Clear email communications.
Not that fast with the actual money back, but not super slow either. Probably about normal on that front, 2 - 3 weeks.
My husband is skeptical of health insurance companies and doesn't expect much. In his words, "I am actually just shocked at how helpful they have been." (This is a HUGE compliment coming from him).
We would definitely recommend them to someone new or old to pet insurance. For the first year we got almost the top of the line plan. It was really expensive but we decided to do it. Boy am I glad we did. We've gotten at least 1,500 back from them and paid close to 1,200 up front. So we saved at least 300 by having them (and if god forbid anything bad had happened, she was covered for far more).
The regular wellness was definitely worth it, and the only reason we downgraded our plan for the second year was that we're not expecting as much to go wrong now that she's over her initial hump of vaccines and neutering.
Wonderful service. Excellent coverage. Please sign on with them
- INSURER:
Embrace
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: Rayna
- BREED: Bernese Mountain Dog
- AGE OF PET: 0 - 3
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Misleading-False security
Though the customer service rep.'s are very pleasant. The insurance coverage, was not what the website hypes it up to be. They claim that they cover "genetic specific" conditions....which may be true, but proved false in my case. My vet and I had a misunderstanding of the requirements for the orthopedic waiver. . . My Vet wanted to be 100% sure that my puppy (8 weeks at the time), a Large breed dog, didn't have hip dysplasia (which can be hereditary). The only way for her to make this determination was to place my baby puppy under anesthesia. As concerned parents, that had a perfectly healthy pup, we opted not to have our pup put under. Later, a condition very common in large breed puppies (OCD) developed in our puppy (which occurs between the ages of 4 and 7 months). Through, the course of diagnosis, it was determined our pup did not have hip dysplasia and had developed OCD in her right shoulder after the initial exam. To have this corrected, she needs surgery which is roughly $2500. Embrace, a business, meaning, for profit. Decided, this was a pre-existing condition and would not cover even a portion of her Vet bills. Even with the timeline of events and diagnosis being annotated by my Vet and submitted directly to them. Maybe because my policy was only 5 months old and the company didn't want to chance losing that much money, when I hadn't even contributed very much? I caution all pet owners, that Embrace is a false security at best. I had initially raved ab
- INSURER:
Embrace
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: CJ
- BREED: Newfoundland
- AGE OF PET: 0 - 3
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VERY happy with Trupanion!
I started my pit bull with Trupanion in April 2010. I just made my first claim and I am amazed at how easy everything was! The first thing that I noticed is how friendly the Trupanion staff is. I was honestly expecting something to go wrong with my claim - and not get the full 90% back....I only thought that beacause of all the bad stories and consumer reviews about health insurance for pets in general. BUT, I am soooo happy to say that I made my claim (which is very easy) and just received the check in the mail today:) Pretty quick I might add!! I am SOLD on Trupanion forever! From here on out I will recommend Trupanion to EVERYONE I know who has a pet.
- INSURER:
Trupanion Canada
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: Erica
- BREED: American Staffordshire Terrier
- AGE OF PET: 7 - 10
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VERY happy with Trupanion!
I started my pit bull with Trupanion in April 2010. I just made my first claim and I am amazed at how easy everything was! The first thing that I noticed is how friendly the Trupanion staff is. I was honestly expecting something to go wrong with my claim - and not get the full 90% back....I only thought that beacause of all the bad stories and consumer reviews about health insurance for pets in general. BUT, I am soooo happy to say that I made my claim (which is very easy) and just received the check in the mail today:) Pretty quick I might add!! I am SOLD on Trupanion forever! From here on out I will recommend Trupanion to EVERYONE I know who has a pet.
- INSURER:
Trupanion
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: Erica
- BREED: American Staffordshire Terrier
- AGE OF PET: 7 - 10
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The best there is!!!
I have been with Embrace for three years and have been beyond happy with this company. The "Embracer's" are all considerate, compassionate and helpful without exception. My little girl (Bichon Frise) is safe, health care wise, which is extremely important to me. I would rather pay a little each year to guarantee that i will never have to deny her medical help just because i can't afford the procedures. She is more than a member of my family, she is my friend, my protector, my entertainment and my love. I have to keep her safe. She does her very best for me, how can i do less for her?
- INSURER:
Embrace
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: Charolotte
- BREED: Bichon Frise
- AGE OF PET: 7 - 10
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Tried and True
Unfortunately,our dog contracted Lyme disease last year. But, fortunately we were wise enough to switch and go with Trupanion before this happened. After leaving another carrier who was more trouble that it was worth, my husband and I agreed we would try and find one that was for sole-y more-so for Illness and ER. The annual costs incurred with owning a pet, we were good for. It was the emergencies and illnesses we were more concerned with. For the most part, whatever funds you put into this towards the insurance is so much less than if the dog were to have to undergo a serious event. That is where the payoff comes into play. And not to forget to mention so far they have paid what they said they would. Worht EVERY dollar invested. ($ amt shown below is over the course of this illness)
- INSURER:
Trupanion
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: Najim
- BREED: Mixed Breed
- AGE OF PET: Over 11 years
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Tried and True
Unfortunately,our dog contracted Lyme disease last year. But, fortunately we were wise enough to switch and go with Trupanion before this happened. After leaving another carrier who was more trouble that it was worth, my husband and I agreed we would try and find one that was for sole-y more-so for Illness and ER. The annual costs incurred with owning a pet, we were good for. It was the emergencies and illnesses we were more concerned with. For the most part, whatever funds you put into this towards the insurance is so much less than if the dog were to have to undergo a serious event. That is where the payoff comes into play. And not to forget to mention so far they have paid what they said they would. Worht EVERY dollar invested. ($ amt shown below is over the course of this illness)
- INSURER:
Trupanion Canada
- POSTED: 11/15/2010
- BY: Najim
- BREED: Mixed Breed
- AGE OF PET: Over 11 years
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