When to buy HEALTH INSURANCE?

Benjie returns home on 10/4. He will have visited the breeder’s vet twice. We have a wellness check appointment with our veterinarian set for October 5th.

We decided on Trumpanion.

How can we avoid the terrible “Pre-existing Conditions” provision if DOG forbids Benjie from having any?

Many thanks.

I’d recommend doing it now, before a vet has had a chance to detect something and so declare it pre-existing.

I had no idea that this could be done. I’ll investigate to see whether Trupanion permits me to join without medical records.

It may be different in the United States, but I do not believe we are required to declare anything here. If a pet needs to be seen by a veterinarian, it simply depends on whether the treatment predates the date the coverage was purchased or not. For example, my dog has a little cardiac murmur on his records. If he requires treatment, no insurance policy purchased after the date of diagnosis will cover it.

This is now on my to-do list for tomorrow. I will advise the forums I belong to accordingly.

The United States is the only developed country without universal health care for all of its residents. OMD do I wish we had NHS as an alternative to going bankrupt to pay for a severe sickness or going without medical services and meds totally.

You actually can’t avoid the pre-condition exclusions, once a medical issue becomes part of their medical record. It is best to cover them while they are young and healthy, before any medical difficulties arise.

That implies that they are, in fact, healthy. My first visit to the vet with my now-deceased Yorkie indicated some severe orthopedic concerns, which were immediately excluded from insurance coverage. He was a 10-month-old rescue, and we weren’t about to send him back.

Although we are acquiring Benjie from a highly reputable breeder, I am still really anxious about what a hands-on inspection by our own vet might discover. Regardless matter what the contract states, he will not be sent back either.

Before issuing a policy, the insurance company will request full vet records from both you and the breeder.

Interesting. As I indicated, I didn’t need to declare anything, they will rely on my vet to say whether any claims are for illnesses that had already been diagnosed.

I recently changed insurers. My new premium with my current insurer had increased to £2000 per year. An identical policy (excluding pre-existing conditions) with a new company cost £500. So, mathematically, I estimated the possibilities of another claim for something that’s happened previously isn’t likely to cost more than the £1500 I saved.

We presently have Lexi insured with no exclusions, thus renewing is, in my opinion, a ‘no brainer’, given that pre-existing conditions are defined as occurring prior to the policy’s original issuance date.