Most pet insurance companies exclude hereditary or congenital conditions in the USA. I was surprised to see that at least one has extra riders that one can add to basic coverage to cover emergency c-sections, mastitis, and hereditary conditions, maybe including elbow dysplasia, Does anyone have any good or bad stories to tell or recommendations to make? Some pet buyers have been favorably impressed by what was covered, including ingestion of foreign objects. (Not that Lab puppies EVER do that!) TIA.
I have the AKC insurance for one of my dogs, will be submitting a claim next week for ACL surgery, so we will see how happy I am with it in a few weeks! I do not have the most extensive coverage, only for emergencies, and the premium has gone up almost $100 for the year in the 2 years I have had the policy. I was going to cancel it, glad I didn't now!
The AKC health plans, while one does cover spay and neuter, specifically exclude anything related to pregnancy or breeding, such as an emergency C-section, which is expensive. AKC's plan also excludes hereditary conditions, such as elbow dysplasia. I am having a crisis of faith in OFA's elbow dysplasia program preventing as much ED as it does HD. When I know at least 20 times as many dogs, not closely related to mine, producing ED as they do HD, I have to wonder. Until such time as CT scans to detect ED prior to breeding becomes affordable, and until I can use a stud dog who at least had a better method of x-ray and cleared on it, I worry. When we get into worrying about TVD as another poster did, no wonder some can't sleep in states with lemon laws that make it all a breeder's fault, even though NO ONE CAN TELL US HOW TO PRODUCE PERFECT DOGS!
So are there better insurance plans than AKC's? I saw one that seemed okay, but I don't know how the company is in reality. TIA.
Found at least one! There is a rider that covers EMERGENCY sections, not elective ones, at Petfirst.
http://www.petfirsthealthcare.com/plans/pet-insurance-riders.aspx
24 pet watch used to cover some congenital or hereditary defects. They used to be called something else, and I did buy QuickCare Gold for some puppy buyers for two litters. Actually, I took it off the top of the puppy price, if they enrolled electronically that morning they came to pick up the puppy. I did have one puppy buyer who seemed to be abusing the system, and never did find anything congenitally wrong with the puppy. I finally got the pup back at a year of age after asking for him back repeatedly since they obviously were not satisfied with him or couldn't be bothered--the one time I misjudged a home and its commitment.
I use this company. It doesn't cover anything reproductive but does cover hereditary problems if diagnosed after the policy is issued.
There are alot of options with this company.
Trupanion covers HD but requires spay/neuter by one year old. I thought about switching to Embrace but didn't like how they would decide whether to cover a claim and how much.
I've filed a couple claims and they covered exactly what they said they would. Took about a month to process the last claim. That's the only complaint I have about them so far....
