Every month I get the DVM 360 veterinary journal. In a May 2019 article, they published the top 3 most common claims in dogs and cats in 2018 from 5 pet insurance companies.
Trupanion (only company that responded to my request for more details)
Dogs:
- Gastrointestinal condition (vomiting/diarrhea) - average cost to treat $200-$400; largest claim $15,600
- Otitis (ear inflammation/infection - all causes including allergies) - average cost to treat $100; most common breed - Cocker Spaniel; largest claim $9,900
- Mass (benign & malignant) - average cost to treat $300-$700; largest claim $18,400
Cats:
- Undiagnosed vomiting/diarrhea - average cost to treat $300-$500; largest claim $9,650
- Urinary tract infectious disease - average cost to treat $200-$400: largest claim $13,600
- Kidney disease - average cost to treat $500-$1000; biggest driver of veterinary costs in adult cats; largest claim over $40,000
ASPCA
Dogs:
- Atopy/Allergies
- Otitis
- Gastrointestinal condition
Cats:
- Gastrointestinal condition
- Hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes
Embrace
Dogs:
- Gastrointestinal condition
- Atopy/Allergies
- Otitis
Cats:
- Gastrointestinal condition
- Urinary tract infectious disease
- Diabetes
Nationwide
Dogs:
- Atopy (allergic dermatitis)
- Otitis
- Mass/benign skin neoplasia
Cats:
- Urinary tract infectious disease/Cystitis
- Dental condition (periodontitis, infection)
- Kidney disease
Pets Best
Dogs:
- Atopy/Allergies
- Otitis
- Gastrointestinal condition
Cats:
- Kidney disease/failure
- Hyperthyroidism
- Gastrointestinal condition
Did you spot a trend? Otitis occurred on the list of all 5 companies for dogs. Atopy (allergies) occurred in 4 out of 5 companies for dogs. The most common cause of otitis (ear inflammation/infection) is allergies - either atopy or food allergy. So, allergies that affect the skin/ears are perhaps the most common condition seen in dogs.
Gastrointestinal conditions (vomiting/diarrhea) were also prevalent. Often these are undiagnosed where the symptoms are treated and the dog or cat responds favorably within 24-48 hours and no further treatment is needed. One of the most common acute serious conditions that cause these symptoms in both dogs and cats is foreign body ingestions (toy, string, bones, corn cob, etc.) that cause obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract and usually requires surgery to remove. Perhaps the most common chronic gastrointestinal disease in both dogs and cats is inflammatory bowel disease.
The other major cause of claims in dogs was a mass. Often these are benign skin masses, cyst, etc., but may occasionally be malignant e.g. mast cell tumor or melanoma.
In cats, gastrointestinal disease, urinary disease, and chronic diseases like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes predominated. Most of the time urinary disease in cats is inflammatory rather than infectious. In male cats, it can lead to life threatening urinary obstruction.
I think most veterinarians would agree that kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes are the top chronic diseases in cats. These are very costly to treat because they all initially require frequent recheck visits with lab testing to get the cat stabilized with appropriate treatment/medication dosages, etc. Then periodic examinations with lab testing is required usually every 3 to 6 months.
I find it interesting that the top claims from 5 different companies were so similar. While pet insurance can sure come in handy for those acute, unexpected and sometimes expensive conditions, one of the main benefits I've seen is coverage for chronic conditions. These can often be treated giving the pet a good quality of life for many years, but will cost thousands of dollars to treat over the lifetime of the pet. It's easy to underestimate what these costs can be.
As you can see from the lists above, chronic conditions are very common in pets. Statistics indicate that about 40% of claims are for chronic conditions. And chronic conditions can start at a very early age; they aren't limited to just older pets. Therefore, consider purchasing pet insurance early before some of these conditions occur so they will be covered. If your pet develops one of these conditions prior to obtaining pet insurance, it will be considered pre-existing and not covered. Then you'll be faced with having to pay all the costs associated with treating the condition for the lifetime of the pet.
While most claims were less than $1000 (Trupanion), the largest claim can give you an idea of the other end of the spectrum. My advice has always been to not buy insurance for the lower fee incidences, but for the potential higher fee occurrences. The tendency we all have is to tell ourselves that those situations would never happen to our pet, but you never know whether or not your pet's condition and care may require the filing of one of these much larger claims. Therefore, when customizing your policy, pick the highest policy limit that you can afford.