Nauset Kennels

The news for our pet insurance agency is not good. The news for us is not good. The only good thing is that Pecan and Scout remain healthy (knock on wood please) and we haven’t had to visit the vet lately. That said, the news is not good!

So we signed up both dogs awhile ago and have yet to hear whether or not the company would cover Scout. We sent over everything they requested, followed up with multiple phone calls, but never got an answer. The pat response given by the company usually placed the blame on “missing paperwork from the vet.” Doubt that! Last week we called to cancel Scout’s policy, even though she had not been accepted as an insured. We figured that if they continued dragging their feet, pretty soon she’d hit the age cut-off and they could decline her then.

Pecan, the accepted one, poses a whole other set of problems. As a puppy, the company accepted him with open arms, probably only giving his required records a cursory glance thinking, “He’s a puppy. What can be wrong with him?” (I’m only guessing, you know). We submitted a claim for a day-long vet visit that included multiple x-rays and barium. I faxed the claim in January and the company is still waiting for “the vet to send in some of the required information.” Sound familiar? Our vet has sent in the information. I know this because I facilitated the process.

Meanwhile, while we wait, the company sends mailing after mailing, denying each and every claim. Wait. Each and every claim? We submitted ONE claim that somehow got fragmented into at least ten different claims, none of which is being accepted. How can this be?

Needless to say, we will not be continuing our relationship with pet insurance. I’m sticking with knocking on wood. It may not always work, but at least I’m saving mountains of paper and not causing more work for my vet’s office!

We’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about pet insurance. To be honest, it’s something we should have done 9k dollars ago, before Scout drained our savings. Although we were thrilled with her care at CARE (Cape Animal Referral and Emergency), we were less than thrilled with our bills. Of course, CARE isn’t our problem and didn’t create the bills. Scout is her own biggest nemesis, and really should have a zipper put in her stomach. (Bull Terriers should actually be bred with zippers so the vets can easily pull out all that they ingest).

Realistically, I know that pet insurance makes sense, at least in our house. We probably won’t choose the policy that includes routine care for no other reason than I can’t fathom spending so much in insurance for two dogs. The sticker shock is unsettling. I know, you’re wondering how I can possibly have sticker shock after forking over $9,000 for Scout’s last treatment, but that was spread out over the course of a week or so and how could I say no at that particular time? Admit it, they totally had me! (I remember moments of panic thinking, “What will I do when the credit card is declined?”).

Instead, we are thinking about the emergency only policy. Our local vet is actually very reasonable for routine vaccinations and for everything else it seems like we go to CARE anyway.

A friend of mine just emailed that his labrador is actually going to have more knee surgery. I believe this is the third time for this particular dog. My friend thinks we are crazy not to have pet insurance. I think if I had a dog like his I would be a believer too. Oh wait, I do have a dog like his, don’t I? He says that the policy more than pays for itself and he wouldn’t have a dog without the insurance.

I would bet the farm, or the kennel in our case, that once this policy is in place nothing will happen to our dogs, not like I want them to use it! Maybe I shouldn’t tell the dogs though: Scout might throw caution to the wind and attempt to eat some new items she’s been eyeballing.