Yay! You have your pet insurance policy in hand. Now what? Here are 10 points we like to share on how to have the best experience possible in using that policy.
- Store the Embrace phone number on your cell phone
800-511-9172 You never know when you'll want to call in with questions about your coverage. We've had people call in while driving to the emergency clinic to check on their policy. - Update your email friend list
Add Embrace to your friend list and set it to allow anything from @embracepetinsurance.com through. We email pretty much everything, some of which has attachments that some email systems don't like. Don't miss out on important Embrace info. - Print out 2 copies of your personalized Claim Form for each pet
Put one in your car's glove compartment in case of emergencies and take one to your veterinary clinic and ask them to put it in your file. They can run off copies next time you should need a claim form, so it’s one less thing to think about during a health issue. - Have your Pet checked by a veterinarian
Not only is it a good idea, particularly if you don't have any health history for your pet (when it is required to start your insurance), but you can have your vet complete the Orthopedic Report Card to reduce the 6 month waiting period for orthopedic issues down to 14 days (only needed for dogs). This will ensure that you’re covered in the first six months in the event of something like a ligament tear or a broken bone. And, you can take care of task #5 too while you are there… - Fax in your pet's health history
800-238-1042 (it's on your claim form too - the one you are going to put in your pet's file, right?) Specifically, ask your vet to fax us your doctor's hand written notes (aka SOAP) for every vet visit your pet has made, including routine visits and for every vet including one-off visits to other clinics. If your pet is older than a year old, start with the last year's worth of history. We’ll even review your pet’s records to let you know if we find any pre-existing conditions that might affect future claims - just ask for a Medical History Review. - Maximize your discounts
We offer discounts for spayed/neutered pets (5%) and microchipped pets (another 5%) so if your pet wasn't spayed or neutered and/or microchipped when you signed up for your insurance but that changes, phone in (remember the number?) and let us know. We'll drop your premium immediately.
Your policy has a deductible and copay component so to be financially prudent, you might want to set up a small fund to cover your annual deductible and copay. For example, if your annual deductible is $200 and your copay is 20%, you will be paying the first $200 of a claim and then 20% of the total thereafter. On a $500 claim, that's $260 out of pocket and on a $1,500 claim (about what an inexpensive cruciate repair costs), that's $460. - Read your terms and conditions!
I know, this is so obvious, why should I even mention it? But my experience is that only 1 in 10 pet parents actually read their policies (you can be the 1 in 10 for today, right?). At the very least, check your information is correct and your policy is what you asked for. Then read the rest of the policy; understanding your terms and conditions will make for a much better pet insurance experience. - Set up your own pet health savings account
Your policy has a deductible and copay component, so to be financially prudent, you might want to set up a small fund to cover your annual deductible and copay. For example, if your annual deductible is $200 and your copay is 20%, you will be paying the first $200 of a claim and then 20% of the total thereafter. On a $500 claim, that's $260 out of pocket and on a $1,500 claim (about what an inexpensive cruciate repair costs), that's $460. - Friend Embrace on Facebook
You'll find lively conversation about Embrace, the pets in our lives, and news and views on pet insurance. We’ll also keep you informed of your options and ways to save money on your pet expenses. - Call us with your questions
The number again is 800-511-9172 (of course, it's already on your cell phone, right?) Now that you've read your policy, you probably have questions. Call now to get those questions answered that from the lobby of your local emergency vet clinic. - And bonus points - send us photos of you and your Embraced pets. We love the cute and fuzzies and you might see them in the Embrace newsletter "Belly Rubs" one day!
