Embrace Pet Insurance Blog

Ask Laura: how does Embrace Pet Insurance treat a shelter cat without health history

Here's a question that came through my blog. It's a bit long but instead of me editing it and removing the personality of the question, I thought I'd leave it intact and let you scan accordingly.

Question:

My question has to do with health history and shelter pets. My beloved abyssinian died two weeks ago so I signed up with various breed rescue groups and began scouring petfinder for another one. The best way to grieve a pet is with a pet, right?

I located a great little guy (appears purebred abyssinian) who had just been brought to the shelter and drove 4 hrs round trip to adopt him the same day. He only spent about 6 hours in the shelter environment. He looks great, is playful and energetic, eating and pooping as expected and doesn't appear to have anything wrong with him. The shelter paperwork just records the shots he was given and is stamped that he might have been exposed to an upper respiratory infection which is standard for shelters - precisely why they have a stamp. Haven't noticed any symptoms but I'll give him a few weeks before introducing him to my other cat just to be sure.

So, having broken the bank trying to save my last cat, I would rather spend my 3-4 hundred dollars this year on insurance than on redundant wellcare. My preference would be to only bring this cat in to my vet if he needs it over the next 10-12 months until what would be his annual exam, shots, etc. By then I would have had about a year of insurance coverage.

However, what if something showed up during the vet visit? Worst possible outcome for me financially would be-

1) healthy cat from the shelter,
2) insurance payments for a year,
3) 300 or so spent on wellcare at the end of 10-12 months,
4) something discovered at the annual visit,
5) somehow whatever it is is considered preexisting even though it wasn't observable at the shelter or by me.

I'll never have a medical history for the previous 4 years (shelter estimated his age) and they gave him his shots before I took him home so I feel like I've got a "clean" cat. If I have to take him in for some kind of qualifying vet exam in order to obtain insurance I won't have enough cash left for the insurance.

I believe in wellcare for pets because they can't talk so you have to have an expert look them over on a regular basis. (As opposed to the annual exam for people which studies show is not necessary because humans can identify and explain their problems seeking care as they arise). However in this case I feel like the cat was evaluated at the shelter (albeit in a limited way), he has already had his vaccines etc. And I'm outa cash for a while. Smile.

If I buy a policy from Embrace (by far the best company around) I don't want to learn that he doesn't qualify for coverage in the future (whether 6 or 16 months from now) because I didn't take him in for a preliminary exam under the assumption that the shelter wouldn't have allowed me to adopt a sick animal.

Many thanks,

Answer:

First of all, thanks for reaching out. It’s great to see someone doing so much research. I'm sorry about your Abyssinian, my heart goes out to you.

But back to your questions. As you can imagine, this is not the first time we've come across this rescue shelter situation. We do assume that a shelter won't adopt out a sick cat or dog unless the adoption records say otherwise (some people specifically will take on a special needs pet). We also don't require you to go again to the vet. As long as you go once a year for a routine visit, that works for us.

On your first claim, just make sure to send in the rescue notes. I should remind you that the waiting period still applies - anything that happens in the first 2 weeks of the policy is not covered, including things that had symptoms in this period.

Does that help you folks with rescued cats and dogs?

As always, get a free quote for Embrace cat insurance over at our website www.embracepetinsurance.com. And while you are at it, you can learn about pet insurance there and compare pet insurance plans too.

Looking for cheap pet insurance?

If you are looking for value for money, that's one thing, but if you are looking for the lowest price, you might just get what you're asking for - the lowest price may get the lowest coverage.

Check out the information on the Embrace Pet Insurance website on how to reduce the cost of your pet insurance and still get value for money.

And while you're at it, you can get a quote where you get to pick your price for pet insurance. Who wouldn't like that?

Breeders choose Embrace Pet Insurance policies to send out with their puppies and kittens

[warning - you are about to experience overwhelming cuteness. Don't say I didn't warn you]

Most breeders are very particular about who they sell their puppies or kittens to and they will often have you fill out a questionaire before you are approved by them, and they will send along recommended food and favorite toys with your new pet.

Now, there's a new addition to the accoutrement that might come with your new family member - pet insurance.

At Embrace, we are seeing an increasing number of breeders include 1 year's worth of Embrace Pet Insurance coverage with their puppies and kittens. For example, one of our breeders bought 8 policies for her recent litter of 8 Coton de Toulier pups in the name of the new pet parents, each policy in the range of $150 - $190 for a year's worth of coverage (the amount varies on the location of the new owner).

Our most recent breeder to be Embraced, Roseann, raises pugs in NJ at Teyha Pugs. She kindly agreed to let me interview her about her decision to get a pet insurance policy for each pup.

1. Why did you buy a pet insurance policy to send along with your puppies?
   The first year owning a puppy is like a child first learning to walk, they get into everything and the unexpected does happen. Puppies love to chew on EVERYTHING they can get their teeth into, 99% of the time they chew on things they shouldn’t as pet parents and new pet parents we learn as we go along so the insurance is just a pre-thought-about back up plan for the new owners in case their puppy eats something that is not food or they got hurt in some accidental way.
   
2. Why did you choose an Embrace policy in particular?
   I’ve taken the time out to carefully read up on all the health insurances out on the market including reading the tiny fine print; aside from speaking with other pet owners that currently have pet insurance asking for their good and bad experiences. More than 60% told me purchasing the insurance was a waste of time; 20% never had a need to use their insurance for the unexpected and cancelled their policy after a year and 20% were happy with their current insurance but don’t know what would happen if one of they dogs came down with LP or HD. Without naming companies I noticed Clause after Clause after Clause on what is not included in their Insurance plan and found most sicknesses and some accidents are all excluded from being covered included hereditary disorders that can go unnoticed the first year of life. With Embrace I placed several calls and spoke to a really informative lady who answered all my questions. The first thing I did was check out what is NOT covered and compared that to what IS covered. I was very impressed to see Embrace covers what others don’t.
   
3. Did you use the addition of policy as a selling feature for your Pugs?
   Absolutely not. Purchasing insurance for each of the puppies I produce and sell brings me peace of mind and I hope it also brings peace of mind to those new pet parents.
   
4. Is this something you plan to do for all your puppies going forward?
   Absolutely; as long as Embrace Pet Insurance continues to give such great coverage I see no reason for me to stop.
   
5. Would you recommend other breeders (of any kind of dog or cat) send a policy along with their puppies or kittens?
   I sure would. I also think it’s a wonderful idea for all breeders who are insuring their pets to communicate with one another and share their experiences.
   
6. What do you say to people who think that having a pet insurance policy included with the purchase of their new pet might indicate potential future ill health in their new four-legged family member?
   I have always been very selective in placing my puppies with strict rules in my contract including all pets must be spayed or neutered by 6 months of age. I’ve always welcome all to come visit my home so they can see how my pugs are raised, loved and see the healthy coats and glow about them. Anyone that meets me and my pugs know I’m not one to breed and raise sick puppies or knowingly sell puppies with potential future health issues. I’ve always given my puppies a life time guarantee for life threatening genetic health issues; does this mean I give them that guarantee because I’m worried about potential health issues? Absolutely not; it means I love all my furchildren including my grandfurchildren and want only the best for them and their new owners; since accidents can happen at any time I hope to give each family peace of mind.

Check out Roseann's babies at Teyha Pugs.

What would you think about having a pet insurance policy come along with your new pet? Would you think it worrying, weird, worth mentioning, or wonderful?

Ask Laura: when to get continuing care?

Here's a question that was posted for me over at the Invisible Voices discussion about pet insurance.

Question:

Let’s say in the year 1 I don’t get “continuing care” coverage and my cat gets sick. Embrace covers the vet bills. In the year two when I’m renewing my policy, do I then have an option of still purchasing continuing care, or not? If I do, that means that in the first year of insuring you don’t need to purchase continuing care.  Jane

Answer:

Jane,

In the scenario you describe, you can pick up the continuing care option in year 2 but any illnesses in the first year would be considered pre-existing for the continuing care option going forward. In other words, you have to get continuing care now to have it apply to illnesses that occur in the first year.

Laura

Ask Laura: sending in my claim within 60 days if I haven't met my deductible

Question:

I chose a plan with a $500 deductible as I truly am most concerned with the major problems (and I couldn’t afford the premiums for a lower level). However, I notice your instructions indicate that claims over $50 must be submitted within 60 days of the vet visit. Do I still have to submit all claims before I reach the $500 deductible?

What would make the most sense to me is to save all bills, and then if, and only if, I get past the $500 would I submit for reimbursement. I would want to be able to include any lesser bills incurred during the year that would contribute towards the $500, but by that point they would be past 60 days old. If I have to keep submitting claims all year that I’m not going to get reimbursed for (because I have not yet met the $500 deductible) then this plan sounds like too much work.

Please advise.

Answer:

You are absolutely right - saving them until you meet your deductible total makes the most sense and that's what we've unofficially been allowing behind the scenes. But no point hiding the good news and I'm glad you asked this so I can say that we won't enforce the 60 days when you haven't met your deductible total.

Do make sure to send your invoices in in a timely manner when you finally go over the deductible and certainly be sure to send them in within 60 days of the end of your policy year so we can wrap up things up for our underwriters in a timely manner.

Thanks for that excellent point - I'll make sure to update the instructions on the claims as soon as I can.

Embrace Pet Insurance Now Covers Chronic and Recurring Illnesses

Our latest press release titled Embrace Pet Insurance Now Covers Chronic and Recurring Illnesses draws attention to the fact that it is important to have chronic and recurring illness coverage in your pet insurance policy as not every company does (and they aren't very upfront about that fact so you don't want to get caught out - always check).

"Owners of dogs and cats can be in for a shock when faced with a large vet bill after their pet is ill or gets in an accident. Many vets now offer diagnostic techniques, treatments and surgical procedures that used to be only available for humans -- but the costs can be in the thousands of dollars.

"Treatment for an incurable condition such as epilepsy, diabetes or hyperthyroidism can extend over the life of the pet, so pet owner needs to make sure their pet's insurance covers treatment over the course of many years," recommends Bennett."

At Embrace, we cover ongoing chronic conditions in our policy under our Continuing Care benefit and if you include our prescription drug and dental illness coverage, those are also included in your continuing coverage.

Currently, our maximum for continuing care claims is the same as whatever you chose for your policy maximum for the first year of the illness and then it drops to 25% of the maximum for years two and onwards (the drop only occurs for continuing conditions, not new conditions) but we are working on our underwriter, Lloyd's of London, to remove the 25% restriction. We shall see if we are successful on that - wish us luck :)

So with Embrace Pet Insurance, you don't need to worry that when your dog or cat gets sick while insured, the condition will become pre-existing after you've been insured for a while. Who'd want insurance that does that?

Press Release: Embrace Pet Insurance Launches HR Benefits Program

Here's a press release we put out today talking about our voluntary benefit pet insurance plans. Yes, it's really true, some people can get pet insurance via payroll deduction. Wouldn't that be convenient?

We have a number of employers already signed up but the season starts right now for plans that renew at the end of the year so HR departments are feverishly reviewing their plans and trying to squeeze out as much benefit as they can from limited dollars. Pet insurance is one way to make a big difference to pet parent employees with minimal cost.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Employers Can Help Employees Avoid Worrisome Financial Surprises by Offering Custom, Flexible Pet Health Insurance Plans That Mitigate Increasingly Large Vet Bills

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, OH--(Marketwire - June 28, 2007) - Psychologists have a name for it: the 'humanization' of pets; 63% of U.S. households have pets(1), and they are frequently considered 'one of the family.' So, when a pet gets sick or is injured, a 'pet parent' can be distraught. Couple this with the possibility of a gigantic vet bill and the stresses of a full-time job, and an employer of a pet parent probably has a worker productivity problem on its hands.

With this in mind, Embrace Pet Insurance, a company that specializes in offering affordable, practical and simple pet health insurance plans, has launched "Embrace Your Employees," a new program that enables employers to offer pet health insurance to their employees. "Embrace Your Employees" is available immediately, which means employers can build it into their upcoming employee health benefits open enrollment programs that typically begin around this time of year.

"Savvy employers looking to differentiate their benefits programs can now offer their employees an Embrace pet health insurance plan that eliminates pet-health related financial surprises," says Laura Bennett, a leading pet life and health actuary and co-founder of Embrace Pet Insurance. "This is a great way for employers to retain and attract pet-loving employees."

The pet health insurance plans featured in "Embrace Your Employees" cost employers nothing, and let employees choose a plan that meets their needs. Embrace lets pet owners build a custom pet insurance policy online that is tailored to their budget by specifying maximum cash outlay, deductible, co-pay, and optional coverage.

Embrace pet insurance plans are underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd's of London, and are specially designed to address the shortcomings of traditional pet health insurance:

--  Embrace plans reimburse based on actual vet bills, which means that
    pet owners are reimbursed a larger portion of their expenses.
--  Embrace includes coverage for genetic conditions, including cancer, in
    all of its plans. Many other pet insurance plans are ambiguous about their
    coverage of genetic and congenital conditions, and deny claims that pet
    owners expect to be covered.
--  Embrace lets pet owners choose whether they want coverage for chronic
    conditions. Insurance plans offered by other companies define an illness
    diagnosed once coverage has begun as a 'pre-existing condition' in
    subsequent years, and therefore exclude ongoing treatment for recurring or
    chronic conditions.
    

Embrace Pet Insurance is exhibiting at the HR Star conference in San Francisco on July 18, 2007.

Why is pet insurance necessary?

Incredible advances in veterinary medicine and higher expectations of veterinarians by doting 'pet parents' have spawned new treatments for pet diseases and injuries that might have previously been fatal. But they can cost thousands of dollars. As a result, millions of dog and cat owners often face a horrible dilemma: either struggle to pay a huge vet bill or reluctantly euthanize a loved pet.

About Embrace Pet Insurance

Embrace Pet Insurance Agency LLC is a specialist insurance agency headquartered in Mayfield Village, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. Embrace was founded by Laura Bennett and Alex Krooglik, pet parents who also happen to be insurance experts, and offers self-serve, customizable pet health insurance for dogs and cats. All policies are underwritten by certain underwriters of Lloyd's of London. Embrace is based on core principles of taking an open and honest approach with its customers that is captured in its Customer Bill of Rights. On the web at Embrace Pet Insurance and the Embrace Pet Insurance blog.

(1) http://www.appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp

Ask Laura: cancellation wording in our Terms and Conditions

We've had a couple of questions about the cancellation clause in our terms and conditions so here is the wording we have with some comments interspersed.

CANCELLATION

You may cancel this certificate by writing to us and stating the future date that you wish the cancellation to be effective.

We may cancel this certificate at any time within the first sixty (60) days of the initial Period of Insurance.

To cancel this certificate, we will mail you a notice of cancellation to the named insured shown on the application at the last known address shown in our records. If we cancel this certificate within the first sixty (60) days after the Effective Date, notice of cancellation will be mailed at least thirty (30) days before the Effective Date of the cancellation.

After this certificate has been in effect for more than sixty (60) days, notice of cancellation due to any reason other than nonpayment of premium will be mailed at least sixty (60) days before the effective date of cancellation. If we cancel this certificate at any time due to nonpayment of premium, notice of cancellation will be mailed at least ten (10) days before the Effective Date of the cancellation.

After this certificate is in effect for more than sixty (60) days, or if this is a renewal or continuation certificate, we may only cancel for one or more of the following reasons:

1. You fail to pay your premium by the due date in accordance with the certificate terms. [if you don't pay, we can't cover you – but you do have a 30-day grace period if your credit card plays up or something]
2. The certificate was obtained through a material misrepresentation in your application, the content of which is specifically incorporated into and as a material term of this certificate. [ e.g. if you say your dog is mixed breed and it's actually a purebred dog (the premiums might be very different), then we can cancel]
3. The risk originally accepted has measurably increased. [see discussion below]
4. We have agreed to issue a new certificate with the same or an affiliated company. [we are reissuing your certificate for some reason, perhaps if we changed underwriters and this is a requirement of the transaction instead of waiting until your policy renews]
5. The Department of Insurance relevant to the state the certificate is governed by determines that continuation of the certificate could place us in violation of the state's insurance laws. [required by the Department of Insurance just in case they change the rules on us]
6. You fail to comply with the certificate terms and conditions in a manner that prejudices or negatively impacts our ability to properly assess or evaluate the claim or other material rights we have under the certificate. [ e.g. you refuse to give us your pet's health history so we can underwrite your claim appropriately]

With respect to cancellation, this certificate is neither severable nor divisible. Any cancellation will be effective for all Coverage for all persons and all Pets. If this certificate is canceled, Coverage will not be provided as of the effective date and time shown on the notice of cancellation.

Item 3 is the one that looks the most unfriendly so I wanted to give you an example. I had to pick one for auto insurance since for the life of me, I couldn't come up with one for pet insurance but I wanted you to see what it's all about.

If we insured dump trucks under normal use and suddenly the US Government conscripted them all to help clean up an environmental spill, we could cancel the policy mid-term. In that situation, the risk has measurably changed from what we priced the policy for [of course, we do not sell dump truck insurance so do not call me for that!]

So in summary, this clause applies to overall risk characteristics of a homogeneous group, not to a specific policy within that group.

Hopefully that clarifies some of the mystery around the cancellation clause.

Embrace Pet Insurance launches its new website

Drum roll pleeease! After many months and many many long days and nights of hard work, the Embrace Pet Insurance updated website was launched today. 

You can:

Learn about pet insurance in general and Embrace specifically;

Compare the market’s pet insurance policies and products; and

Quote and buy an Embrace policy online

We'd love to get your thoughts and comments on the site. And just to make it easy, we’ve put a feedback button on every page for you to do just that, good and bad (yes, we Embrace all kinds of comments).

So, if you feel the site is worthy, please pass it on to all your pet parent friends. We couldn’t do it without you…

Embrace Pet Insurance covers hereditary diseases with no dollar or time limits per condition

Here's an interesting fact about Embrace Pet Insurance's coverage:

We cover hereditary diseases with no dollar or time limits per condition. The only limits that apply to your payouts are your annual maximum and possibly your annual continuing care maximum (if applicable). But once your policy renews, your maximums reset and you start afresh.

Note that we have no per incident limits, no per body system limits, and no per lifetime limits.

Now, isn't that good news?