Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

Pre-existing Condition Part 1

Definition: Each company has a different definition of what a pre-existing condition is but whatever it is defined as, none of them cover will cover it. Insurance is meant to protect you from the unknown.

Veterinary Pet Insurance: Any illness, accident or injury that is contracted, manifested, or incurred prior to the effective date of your policy. This would include conditions that have not yet been clearly diagnosed, are currently in remission or being controlled via prescription medications or special diets.
An exclusion review request can be submitted in writing if the condition is/can be deemed cured. A pre-existing condition prior to the policy effective date may be covered during the policy term if the condition has been cured.

For example, pre-existing conditions such as gastritis or the removal of a foreign body in the paw if cured may be reviewed and considered for removal from exclusion status on your policy by sending us the medical records from your veterinarian indicating the existing health of your pet, along with a written request to review the exclusion. At that time, one of our on-site veterinarian consultants will review the medical records and issue the change in your policy, if applicable.

Petshealth Care Plan: Pre-existing and/or recurring illness or injury prior to effective date, unless 180 days since cure and/or last treatment.

PetCare: We cannot provide coverage for existing conditions, injuries, medical conditions and symptoms of concern that were evident prior to enrollment on a policy or which occur during the waiting period. Exclusions may be temporary or permanent.

Pet Protect: Conditions diagnosed and/or treated within the past 12 months of the Application.

Pet Partners: All pet insurance policies exclude illnesses, diseases, conditions and accidents that occur before you take out the policy. This also applies to illnesses or conditions, which happen before the coverage is taken out and then reoccur at a later date.

What else do I need to know?

This is an area that is very sensitive for pet lovers who can view it as a tool for insurers to deny claims. Of course, each side feels they are right in any dispute and there often is no win-win result.

To prevent disappointment, check before you buy your policy to see if any old health issues would be considered a pre-existing condition or not. Make sure to get the decision in writing.

Check out Pre-existing Condition Part 2 as well. Also see how Embrace defines Pre-Existing conditions and how genetic conditions work with pre-existing conditions at Embrace.

Pre-existing Condition Part 2

There's More? Yes!

You need to consider what happens to the pre-existing conditions when your policy renewal comes up - do they reset to include illnesses and conditions that occurred during the year or not?

Veterinary Pet Insurance: Pre-existing conditions are not reset.

Petshealth Care Plan: Pre-existing conditions reset.

PetCare: Pre-existing conditions are not reset.

Pet Protect: Pre-existing conditions reset.

Pet Partners: Pre-existing conditions reset.

So, it looks like PetCare and VPI have the only products that allow coverage of a condition that lasts beyond your policy's renewal date. Having said that, PetCare's coverage limits are by body system (either $3,000 or $6,000) so that once you spend that amount of money on any condition, your pet has no more coverage for the rest of its life.

What else do I need to know?

Perhaps an example will help?

Assume you sign your Goldie up for pet insurance when it is a puppy. Because you have a healthy pet, there are no pre-existing conditions at the start. Suppose that your Goldie gets hip dysplasia when she is 5 years old. Your pet insurance covers it until your next policy renewal, which could be very soon or at most a year away. When the policy renews and the pre-existing conditions reset, your Goldie is not covered any more for any hip dysplasia-related claims. If they don't reset, you will continue to be covered until your policy maximums are reached.

This is THE most key aspect of pet insurance you need to ask about. Why? Because none of the pet insurance companies at the moment disclose this on their websites or on their policies (as far as I can tell - please point me in the right direction if I am wrong). You need to ask about this one so you aren't disappointed down the road. Believe me, it's a big disappointment if you aren't expecting to get cut off.

Make sure to check out Pre-existing Condition Part 1 as well.

Sticker shock at the vet's office - Creature Comforts - MSNBC.com

Another general article on pet insurance. Again, one small fact that's not quite correct. The author says that 5% of pet owners carry pet insurance. In fact, it's less than 0.5%.

Link: Sticker shock at the vet's office - Creature Comforts - MSNBC.com.

Embrace Pet Insurance - Stanley's Story

We just put a new pet story up on our website about Stanley the cat. I won't spoil the punch line but let's just say, you'll flush your dental floss down the toilet from now on.

Link: Embrace Pet Insurance - Stanley's Story.

Special Considerations when Owning a Small Dog

A sister article to the large breed dog article in my previous post from the Kansas City InfoZine in April called Special Concerns to Consider when Owning a Small Dog.

Small breed dogs are those who weigh 20lbs or less when an adult.

Fitzy the Cat

When I was 9, we had a cat called Warspite (named after my dad's submarine at the time) who attacked a neighbor's Doberman and did quite a bit of damage to the dog's face. The poor dog made the mistake of sniffing at Warspite in the playground and our cat thought he was a threat to us kids. Oops!

So, George Nemeth, a new friend and fellow Cleveland blogger, sent me this link to story about Fitzy and his run in with a bicylist. Check out the story called Wicked Cat (see below - May 13 entry) and you'll see why I thought of Warspite.

Link: unextraordinary.com.

Special Considerations When Owning a Large Breed Dog

I saw this interesting article in the Kansas City InfoZine in April called Special Concerns to Consider when Owning a Large Dog.

If you have a large breed dog (generally weigh 60lbs or more when an adult) or are considering getting one, this is a good read. Best to be prepared than surprised.

The coolest doggy umbrella

Check out this wonderful stand-out kind of umbrella for your pooch. I can see lots of people in NY having one of these. New Yorkers wouldn't mind people turning on the street to take a look.

Link: Church of the Customer: Stormy weather, doggy style.

American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA)

I made a new friend through my blog today. She's called Liz Blondy and she has just started up Canine to Five Detroit Dog Day Care. I have so much respect for anyone who strides out to set up their own business. Go Liz Go!

I noticed on her website a link to the American Boarding Kennel Association (ABKA) [update: this organization doesn't exist anymore; however, check the comments for other places you can learn about pet boarding] and I thought it would be interesting to learn a little more about them. Here are some of the services I found on the ABKA website:

• if you are looking for a pet boarding facility, check out this online info pack that has some useful tips on what to look for
• if you run a boarding facility that could use the benefits of association membership, there are four types of memberships
• ABKA provides online kennel staff education
• ABKA has a classifieds section with items such as kennels for sale - entrepreneurs check this out
• ABKA are sponsoring the Pet Care Expo at the end of September where you can learn how to set up your own pet services company

All in all, it seems to be a pretty useful site with relevant information for those interested in dog boarding. There are other topics but they are covered to a lesser extent.

Business Week article: Putting on the Dog

There's a new article in Business Week Online, Putting on the Dog, that talks about all the new and imaginative items that pet lovers will buy for their beloved. I was chatting with Stacy Perman (she wrote the article) about pet insurance and she was kind enough to give us a mention at the end:

Industry watchers suggest that life-enhancement goods and services have the strongest growth potential. Pet insurance, once viewed as a frivolity, has blossomed, as surgeries and medical care have grown commonplace. The oldest such firm, Brea (Calif.)-based Veterinary Pet Insurance, still holds an estimated 83% share of the market, but more are on the way.

Embrace Pet Insurance, which began as a business plan at Wharton in 2003, will officially launch in Cleveland this October. CEO Laura Bennett expects that more carriers entering the market will actually help boost its numbers rather than cannibalize them. As it stands, pet insurance premiums total only about $120 million annually. Bennett expects that number to more than double to $476 million by 2008 and then continue by 30% annually -- providing plenty of opportunity for her firm and others.

Link: Putting on the Dog.