Pet insurance

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kathryntx06

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Hi, my cat Heidi was just diagnosed last week with diabetes. She may also have lymphoma and we are waiting on tests to confirm that. I know that the cancer treatment will be very expensive. Does anyone here have pet insurance? Did it help with the costs? Can you recommend an insurance provider? ANY advice would be greatly appreciated!
Kathryn & Heidi
 
Unfortunately, I don't think there are any pet insurance companies that will cover a pet with pre-existing conditions. You'd be better off looking into financing for the cancer treatment rather than insurance, if you go ahead with it.

However, I would seriously question the vet about the type of lymphoma (high grade versus low grade), and what stage of the disease she's in. From what I've read of lymphoma, the prognosis isn't good in most cases and you might want to consider palliative care (including insulin therapy for the diabetes) rather than chemotherapy. I'm very sorry for you and Heidi...I went through a similar situation with my Gabby and the choice whether or not to pursue treatment for cancer is not an easy one. I hope you get good news from her tests today.
 
I have TruPanion; but it is true, all pre-existing conditions aren't covered. For example, my cat Merlin has asthma and I knew that before I got the insurance - so it's not covered.
Trinket, my kitten, broke her leg and had to have surgery before I got isurance. If anything happens in the future with her leg, it wouldn't be covered.

BUT- other things will be. For example, Trinket had a fever and wasn't eating a few weeks ago. Her tests are covered at 90%....BUT....since I chose the $250 deductible, I had to meet that first before anything was paid. UGH. I'm thinking of changing my plan to $0 deductible, of course then it will be more $$$ a month.

Good luck. I'm sorry you are facing this.
 
HI Kathryn, the other posters are correct - at this stage with Heidi you are out of luck on insurance - they won't cover preexisting conditions. The best time to get insurance is when a cat is young so everything is covered. I have had insurance on my cats and its been a life saver. My cat Sitka wouldn't be alive today if she hadn't had pet insurance - in a 12 month period one year she racked up $6,000 in vet bills. She has made it to 19 because I was able to do the best treatments available for her made possible by the insurance. I am so sorry you are dealing with this - I lost one of my previous kitties to lymphoma - even with surgery & chemo she only made it 9 months after her diagnosis. Jan
 
Thank you for the information everyone. One of the (many) insurance reps that I spoke to yesterday referred me to a program called Pet Assurance, which is a discount program for pets that can't be covered by regular pet insurance. Of course, not all vets accept this, but if yours does then Pet Assurance allows for 25% off all exams, tests, procedures, etc.

Anyway, the results of Heidi's tests on the lymphoma are still pending. I have been reading in various places that even with chemotherapy, cats will probably live only another 6-12 months after diagnosis. I pray that the tests will come back negative, but we will have to wait and see.
 
There is one pet insurance that will not cover anything for a year after the initial sign up :shock: So if you sign up a civie and civie gets sick within a year and is treated by a vet, and you submit all the forms needed, the pet insurance will not cover anything :-Q Kind of pointless to even sign up for insurance.
 
kathryntx06 said:
Thank you for the information everyone. One of the (many) insurance reps that I spoke to yesterday referred me to a program called Pet Assurance, which is a discount program for pets that can't be covered by regular pet insurance. Of course, not all vets accept this, but if yours does then Pet Assurance allows for 25% off all exams, tests, procedures, etc.

Anyway, the results of Heidi's tests on the lymphoma are still pending. I have been reading in various places that even with chemotherapy, cats will probably live only another 6-12 months after diagnosis. I pray that the tests will come back negative, but we will have to wait and see.
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I use something like that too, I used to have VPI but as everyone here has alreayd said, they wouldn't cover Grace's preexisting condition (of struvite crystals), and my vet recommended this alternative to pet insurance. It's not insurance so I still pay a bunch out of pocket but at least i know i'm getting a discount at the vet no matter what.
 
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