VPI at Porter Square Vet?

[opn.livejournal.com]

Does any on here have VPI (pet insurance) and use it at Porter Square Vet? I adopted a (6yr. old healthy) cat late last year and am looking into pet insurance for the first time. The VPI info overwhelmed me, so I took it all to Porter Square Vet in person to see if they could help me figure it all out. They tried, but mostly they just told me that VPI was the most popular insurance used with them and that they hadn't heard any complaints about the coverage.

If you use VPI at Porter Square Vet, do you feel it is worth it? (Not is it "worth" your pet's health and well-being, but has the money end felt worth it.) Has it covered most of your vet bills? Have there been any hidden costs or nasty surprises?

I just want to feel more informed. :)

Comments

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

I had VPI for our dog and my understanding is that you go to ANY vet and then submit your receipts to VPI. They reimburse you based on set reimbursement rates.

[opn.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm worried that Porter Square's prices will not fit within VPI's set coverage. And not worried for any solid reason -- just worried out of ignorance!

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

No vet fits within their coverage. For example, they'll reimburse either $10 or $15 for microchipping and it runs $50-$75 depending on where you go. They'll reimburse $40 for neutering but ours cost about $129 which is pretty standard. And so on ...

VPI Cost/Benefit Analysis

[somervilledog.livejournal.com]

I got VPI's Standard Plan for Strummer last year and the premium was $150.
This year she's in a new age bracket (she's 8) and the premium is $202.

I take Strummer to Porter Square Veterinarian, but that is irrelevant to this story, in which I required after-hours medical attention.

Last year, I submitted one claim on which no benefits were paid. Strummer was diagnosed with bloody stool at Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital (MVRH), and I paid $167.53. On the benefits form I received from VPI, the primary diagnosis was listed as "enteritis." It turns out that on the Standard Plan the maximum allowance for the primary diagnosis of enteritis is $50, which is the same as the deductible. So no bennies.

If she had had to go back for follow-up treatment for the enteritis, I would have been eligible for benefits up to the maximum allowance of $35. The deductible only applies once for each accident or illness.

Costs of visit to MVRH + Veterinary Pet Insurance: $317.53
Benefits of Veterinary Pet Insurance: $0

Am I renewing my VPI insurance Policy this year? Probably.

What have I learned? Next time Strummer has a bloody stool, as long as the blood is red and she is drinking enough water, it may be worth it to put her on a bland diet for a few days and to seek $167+ of medical attention if the bloody stool persists for more than 24 hours.

But I'll probably panic next time, too.