Your Pet Insurance Guide

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 18 (Part 2) - Trupanion Express - Interview with Dr. Kerri Marshall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the last episode, we got an overview of Trupanion Express and the vision that led to it's development from Trupanion's CEO Darryl Rawlings and COO Howard Rubin.

 

In this episode I talk with Dr. Kerri Marshall who led the team that actually designed the software and is now in the process of implementing it in veterinary practices across America. We talk about some of the details of how it is used in everyday veterinary practice.

 

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Relavant Links:

Trupanion pet insurance

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to Podcast

 

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 17 - Trupanion Express (Part 1)

In this episode, I interview Darryl Rawlings, the CEO and Howard Rubin, the COO of Trupanion pet insurance company. We talk about their recently introduced program called Trupanion Express. 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Darryl Rawlings                                                                                     Howard Rubin                                                                                                        

Since pet insurance was introduced in the United States in 1982, it has operated according to a "reimbursement" model where pet owners pay their veterinarian and then file a claim seeking reimbursement for covered expenses minus the deductible and copay.  Trupanion Express is an innovative alternative to the reimbursement model.

Using Trupanion Express, pet owners pay their deductible, copay and any other uncoverd expenses to the veterinarian when their pet is discharged from the hospital.  Trupanion reimburses the veterinarian the balance of the invoice via direct deposit into the hospital's bank account oftentimes before the pet owner leaves the hospital. Since all this is done electronically, there is minimal paperwork or time involved in the process.

This has the potential of making pet insurance available to many pet owners who haven't been able to take advantage of pet insurance before because of having to come up with potentially thousands of dollars out-of-pocket in the case of a large veterinary bill. This could mean that more pets will get the care they really need without money being a limiting factor.

In Part 1, we discuss the development and vision for Trupanion Express and an overview of how it works. In Part 2, I'll talk with Dr. Kerri Marshall about the nuts and bolts of how it works in daily practice. Be sure to catch both episodes by subscribing to the podcast (link below). Be sure and check out previous episodes also.

 

Click to Listen; Right click to download episode

 

Relavant Links:

Trupanion pet insurance

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to Podcast

 

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 16 - Interview with Dr. Jules Benson at PetPlan

In this episode, I interview Dr. Jules Benson, the Vice President of Veterinary Services at Petplan petinsurance company. He has been my primary contact at Petplan when I have needed information about their policies.

 

 

 

 

We'll discuss:

• His background and what he does at Petplan.

• The history of the company.

• The ages and types of pets they insure.

• An overview of Petplan's policies.

• How their per-incident deductible works.

• Why Petplan felt it was important to cover hereditary and chronic conditions up to the full limits of the policy.

• How pet insurance allows veterinarians to practice quality medicine and pet owners to choose the best care for their pet.

• The differences between reimbursing a pet owner based on a benefit schedule, what is considered usual and customary, and according to whatever the veterinarian charges and the impact it has on premiums.

• Why "veterinary inflation" is often misunderstood and the impact it has on premium increases. 

• How their copay works for not only care at the primary veterinarian's office, but also at specialty and emergency hospitals.

• Coverage for alternative therapies and behavioral disorders.

• Why Petplan doesn't offer coverage for wellness care.

• Process of doing a medical records review for potential pre-existing conditions.

• Why getting pet insurance when a pet is young makes sense.

• How pet insurance in the United States differs from pet insurance in the United Kingdom.

• How technology and a better understanding of pet insurance by consumers and veterinarians will impact the future of pet insurance in the United States.

 

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Links to items talked about in this episode:

Petplan

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast

 

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 15: Interview with Stephen Ebbett - President of Protect Your Bubble

In this episode, I interview Stephen Ebbett, the President of Protect Your Bubble pet insurancecompany based in Atlanta, Georgia. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protect Your Bubble is the newest entrant into the pet insurance industry and is somewhat unique in that pet insurance is just one of several types of insurance that they offer.

 

 

 

In this episode, I talk with Stephen about:

• His background before becoming the President of Protect Your Bubble.

• The ages of pets they cover.

• The details about their policy offerings.

• Coverage for behavioral conditions.

• Coverage for alternative therapies
• Coverage of hereditary and chronic conditions

• Customizing policies by selecting among several deductibles

• Reimbursements according to what's usual and customary

• Wellness care coverage

• Medical record review for pre-existing conditions

 

Click to Listen; Right click to download episode

 

Items talked about in this episode:

Protect Your Bubble

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

 

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 14: Interview with Healthy Paws COO, Steve Siadek

Steve Siadek is the Cofounder and COO of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Company. He kindly agreed to be my guest in this episode and talk about the company and it's policies.

We discuss:

• His background in business and why he got involved in the pet insurance industry.

• The Healthy Paws Foundation.

• The vision of the company.

• What ages of pets can be enrolled and what discounts they offer.

• Why they choose not to cover wellness care.

• Their coverage of hereditary conditions and any restrictions on coverage.

• An overview of the Healthy Paws pet insurance policy.

• Potential effects of no-limit policies on pet insurance premiums.

• Turn-around time from filing a claim and reimbursement.

• Medical records review for potential pre-existing conditions.

• Companies that are Healthy Paws sponsors or offer their policy as an employee benefit.

 

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Links to things discussed on the podcast:

Healthy Paws website

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 13: Reading Reviews - An Essential Step When Purchasing Pet Insurance

In this episode, I interview Mike Hemstreet, the owner of the petinsurancereview.com website. In my opinion, it is the best pet insurance company review site available to pet owners.

We talk about:

• How Mike became interested in the pet insurance industry and what led him to start a review site.

• How the website has evolved over the years to include companies in the United States, Canada, and the U.K.

• How he evaluates reviews to make sure they are legitimate.

• How allowing comments helps enhance the accuracy of reviews.

• Why his website provides much more information to pet owners than even the Better Business Bureau website.

• How and why Mike changed his rating system of pet insurance companies to reflect possible recent changes a company makes to it's policies.

• Recent filters Mike has added allowing pet owners to filter reviews based on a company's rating, to include comments from pet owners or even the insurer.

• The ability to filter claims based on the breed of a dog or cat.

• Future plans to be able to filter claims based on the diagnosis or condition that led to the claim being filed. 

 

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Links to things discussed on the podcast:

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Merrick's blog post that led to an invite to Trupanion's sales meeting

Mike's video showing how to use his website

Pet Insurance Review website

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

 

 

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 12

In this episode, I interview Dr. Jason Nicholas, the Preventive Vet about how pet owners can keep their pets healthy and happy while at the same time saving significant amounts of money on their pet's healthcare expenses. 

We talk about:

Information that will keep pets safe and healthy and save pet owners money.

How the brand "The Preventive Vet" got started.

The more preventable problems that veterinarians routinely see like drug overdoses, toxins (e.g.human over-the-counter or prescription medications, grapes/raisins, plants), pets who have been hit by a car, dog or cat fight wounds, heat stroke and others.

How pet owners are often unprepared for the costs of treating some of these emergencies and how third-party payments like CareCredit or pet insurance can help.

How and when to contact a veterinary poison control center - which ones are recommended, etc.

Natural disaster preparedness for pets.

Dr. Nicholas' Pet Safety Guides that teach pet owners how to pet proof their homes and yards.

The importance that preventing pet behavioral problems has on the pet/human bond and on the quality and longevity of pet's lives.

 

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Items mentioned in the podcast:

The Preventive Vet

CareCredit

Pet Insurance Toolkit

ASPCA Pet Poison Control Center

Pet Poison Helpline

Dr. Sophia Yin's website (veterinary behaviorist)

Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Guide for pets

Home Pet-Proofing Guide

Pet Emergency Statistics (most common and costly pet emergencies)

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Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 11

In this episode, I interview Katie Grant, the President of PetFirst pet insurance company. We talk about:

• The history of PetFirst.

• Her background prior to coming to PetFirst.

• The positions she's held at PetFirst.

• Why PetFirst recently changed their policies.

• Details of the new policies.

• Optional riders available to expand coverages.

• PetFirst's unique Family Plan for pet owners who want to insure multiple pets.

• Medical records review to let pet owners know if there are any pre-existing conditions that won't be covered.

• PetFirst partners that help market their policies.

• What she sees in the future of the pet insurance industry.

 

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Links to things discussed in this episode:

PetFirst pet insurance company

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast in iTunes

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 10

In this episode, I interview Dr. Barry Kipperman, a board certified internist and founder of VetCare - a veterinary emergency and specialty hospital located in Dublin, California. Dr. Kipperman wrote an article for DVM magazine explaining why he believes veterinarians have a role in helping prepare their clients for the potential costs should their pet ever face a serious accident or illness.

We discuss:

• The desparity between what pet owners expect the costs of diagnosing and treating their seriously injured or ill pet will be and the actual costs involved in delivering the quality of care they expect and want for their pets. This is especially true when their pet needs emergency care or the expertise of a specialist.

• Average costs of various services that pet owners pay when visiting his emergency/specialty hospital.

• Options that pet owners have when it comes to paying for treating their seriously ill pets.

• Some ways that veterinarians and their staffs might broach the subject of the costs of their pet's healthcare with their clients.

• Why he is a proponent of pet insurance for pet owners and why relying on only a savings account to pay the bill for a seriously injured or ill pet isn't a realistic option for most pet owners especially during a recession.

• The usual response of pet owners who have pet insurance to his recommendations for the treatment and care of their pets.

• The changes he'd like to see from a specialist's perspective in the pet insurance industry today.

• Why he believes that referral to emergency/specialty 24 hours hospitals will continue to increase in the future and the costs of providing care to pets will also continue to rise.

• Why he feels so strongly that the affordability of veterinary care is important not only for pet owners, but is a premier issue facing the veterinary profession today. 

 

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Links to things mentioned in this episode:

VetCare

CareCredit

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

You can look at some claim examples that will help make you aware of potential costs when treating seriously injured or ill pets.

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 9

This episode is Part 2 of the conversation with Laura Bennett, the CoFounder and CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance Company. I encourage you to also listen to Part 1 of our conversation. In this episode, we talk about:

• Details of Embrace's accident and illness policy.

• Embrace's Wellness Rewards program.

• Embrace's Dental Rewards program.

• How Embrace's medical history review can give pet parents peace of mind when it comes to a claim being rejected because of a pre-existing condition.

• Embrace's precertification program.

• Whether the model of paying according to the veterinary invoice vs. what is considered usual and customary or according to a benefit schedule is sustainable or not.

• What options are available to pet parents who find they can no longer afford their policy because of premium increases.

• Advice to pet owners who say they looked into getting pet insurance several years ago and decided it just wasn't worth it.

• The future of pet insurance.

• Tidbits from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association's recent annual meeting and what means for both pet parents and veterinarians.

 

Click the Streampad player below to listen to the podcast on this page.

 

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Other things mentioned in the podcast:

Embrace Pet Insurance Company

Getting a Quote From Embrace Video

Pet Insurance Toolkit

PetPlan Pet Insurance Company

North American Pet Health Insurance Association 

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

The Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 8 (Part 1)

In this episode, I interview Laura Bennett, the CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance Company. We talk about:

• Who should buy pet insurance.

• How she became interested in pet insurance and decided to launch Embrace.

• Why pet insurance has been more popular in the United Kingdom than in the United States.

• Major brands that may start offering pet insurance in the United States.

• Her role as the first pet insurance actuary in the United States and how pet insurance companies use actuarial data to design policies and set premiums.

 

 

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Mentioned in this podcast:

Embrace Pet Insurance Company

Getting a Quote From Embrace Video

Pet Insurance Toolkit

PetPlan Pet Insurance Company

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 7

In this episode, I talk with Merrick - another reader of my blog who wrote a guest post detailing his experience of changing pet insurance companies when his dog was 10 years old.

In the episode we talk about: 

• His experience with the first company that insured his dog, Frida, and why he decided to switch companies.

• How he conducted his research to find the company that now insures Frida and details of the policy he selected.

• Since he was insuring an older pet, he requested a medical record review and he reveals the outcome of that process.

• An unexpected event that resulted from his writing a guest post on this blog.

• Frida's current health and why he's expecting several significant claims amounts from the diagnosis and treatment of her current problem.

• His advice, based on his experience of now having insured Frida with two different companies, to pet owners on how to find the best company and policy to insure their pet.

 

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Associated Links:

Switching Pet Insurance Companies in Midstream - Part 1

Switching Pet Insurance Companies in Midstream - Part 2

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI)

PetPlan Pet Insurance

Trupanion Pet Insurance

Embrace Pet Insurance

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 6

In this episode, I talk to a reader of my blog who first contacted me in 2009 as she was researching the various pet insurance companies. We corresponded several times and she even wrote a guest post on the blog about the process she used to select a pet insurance company and policy to insure her dog, Kieran. 

Desiree is going to tell her story in this podcast and it's definitely worth listening to if you're considering whether to purchase pet insurance or not. Or, perhaps you've decided to get health insurance for your pet, but don't know where to start to find a company to insure your pet. She has no regrets - mainly because she took the time to thoroughly research each company before making her decision.

So, in this episode we talk about:

• The circumstances that led to their adoption of Kieran as a middle-aged dog.

• Why she decided to get pet insurance.

• Details of her research process that eventually led her to choose PetPlan.

• Kieran's health issues - all of which are chronic and covered for the rest of her life by the policy she chose.

• Advice she would give to pet owners about finding the "right" policy for your pet.

 

 

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Other links:

Getting A Quote - PetPlan (using Company Comparison Worksheet)

Pet Insurance Toolkit

PetPlan website

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 5

In this episode, I interview the person who started the very first successful pet insurance company in the United States - Dr. Jack Stephens. We talk about:

• A famous TV star who was the first dog insured in the United States.
• Why some pet insurance companies fail and why VPI was successful.
• What are the factors today that have led to the recent explosive growth of pet insurance that weren't factors when he started the first company in 1982.
• Claim reimbursement that are paid based on a percentage of invoice versus usual and customary or a benefit schedule.
• The likelyhood of new pet insurance companies entering the market.
• Why pet insurance companies change underwriters from time to time and what this means for policyholders.
• Pets Best new policy offerings.
• Pets Best direct deposit program.
• Medical record review to determine if there are any pre-existing conditions that will be excluded from coverage.
• The National Pet Health Insurance Association and its purpose.
• The future of pet insurance in the United States.
• Filing claims, sending medical records, and receiving reimbursements electronically.
• Why veterinarians shouldn't fear pet insurance turning into managed care like the human health insurance model.
• The Skeeter Foundation.

 

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Download Transcript of Interview with Dr. Jack Stephens

 

Other helpful links:

Pets Best pet insurance company

Getting A Quote From Pets Best - Part 1

Getting A Quote From Pets Best - Part 2 

A Dog Named Buffy Launches Pet Insurance In the U.S.

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 4

In this episode, I interview Jaclyn Carrington, the Veterinary Services Manager at The Hartville Group. We talk specifically about their brand ASPCA Pet Insurance and the recent roll-out of their new policies. We talk about:

• The history of the company.
• Her background with the company and what she currently does.
• Some general details about ASPCA's insurance policies.
• Why ASPCA made changes to their policies.
• How long before these changes become effective in all states.
• Details of the new policies and how this will improve coverage for new and existing policyholders.
• More flexibility built into their new policies that allows pet owners to select a deductible and copay that results in a premium that will fit their budget.
• Pre-existing conditions.
• ASPCA's incident limits and what this means for policyholders.
• What "usual and customary" means and why ASPCA calculates reimbursements using this model.
• How ASPCA determines what is considered usual and customary for each region of the country.
• Potential changes coming in the pet insurance industry.

 

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Items mentioned in the podcast and other related links:

ASPCA Pet Insurance

ASPCA Offers New Policies

Pet Insurance Toolkit 

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

 

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 3

In this episode, I interview Dr. Carol McConnell at VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance). Appropriately, this podcast is being published in the month of VPI's 30 year anniversary of offering pet insurance in the United States.

In this podcast, we'll discuss:

• Dr. McConnell's background and what she does at VPI.

• Who should purchase pet insurance

• VPI's coverage of exotic pets

• Pet Insurance vs. a savings account to pay for a pet's healthcare needs

• Differences between pet health insurance and other types of insurance e.g. human health insurance, auto insurance, etc.

• Lloyd's Banking Group in the UK recently getting out of the pet insurance business leaving thousands of pets without insurance that were previously insured- could such a thing happen in the United States?

• An explanation of why VPI uses a benefit schedule vs. paying a percentage of the veterinary invoice.

• Details about VPI's policies

• VPI's underwriting process and how this determines if any pre-existing conditions are present.

 

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Links:

VPI

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Subscribe to podcast via iTunes

 

The Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 2

In this episode I interview Dr. Kerri Marshall at Trupanion pet insurance company. We'll talk about:

• What she does at Trupanion. 
• Her background at Banfield prior to joining the staff at Trupanion.
• Her experience with the electronic medical record and what role it may play in the future of pet insurance, particularly when submitting a claim or medical records needed by the pet insurance company to verify coverage - resulting in a much quicker reimbursement to the pet owner.
• The medical record review process and how pet owners can know if their pet has any conditions that will be considered pre-exisiting and not covered by the insurance policy.
• Covering not only puppies and kittens, but also older pets and those adopted when older from shelters or rescue organizations.

Click the Streampad player below to listen to the podcast on this page.

 

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Links to things discussed in this episode:

Pet Insurance Toolkit

Trupanion website

 

There is something I want to mention about Banfield. I often see people say, "I have Banfield pet insurance." What Banfield offers isn't insurance, but a prepaid wellness care plan that includes various wellness procedures and possibly discounts on services or products for your pet. There are different levels of plans and they are usually paid monthly as a recurring charge on your credit card.

In fact, other veterinary hospitals are starting to copy the Banfield model of offering monthly payment wellness care plans. Our hospital offers wellness plans for dogs and cat that clients appreciate because it is affordable plus offers discounts on other non-wellness care services. Ask your veterinarian if he or she offers specially tailored wellness plans for your pet.

While I am a big proponent of wellness care (The Wise Pet Owner), such wellness plans should never be a substitute for pet insurance. Usually, you can only have these procedures done and receive the discounts at a Banfield hospital or the hospital you purchased the plan. What if your pet has to go to an emergency clinic or specialty hospital for a serious illness or injury where fees are usually higher than your regular veterinarian's fees? This is where pet insurance would come in handy since you can file a claim for reimbursement for treatment received at virutally any veterinary, emergency, or specialty hospital in the United States.

I believe that wellness (preventative) care and pet insurance compliment each other. In my opinion, neither should be so expensive that the pet owner can't afford to do both in the best interest of the pet.

 

I decided to go ahead and put the newly created video that shows getting a quote from Trupanion and filling out the Company Comparison Worksheet in this podcast post:

 

Here are links to a couple of websites where you can see if your breed of dog or cat is predisposed to hip dysplasia when you consider whether or not to get the optional Complementary package:

Dogs             Cats

There is one other item that I want to mention about Trupanion. They encourage you to get your pet spayed or neutered which is commendable if you don't plan on responsibly breeding your dog or cat. There are a number of potential medical conditions that are directly or indirectly linked to male or female sex hormones. There is a list of these conditions in the Trupanion policy that won't be covered if your pet isn't spayed or neutered by one year of age or within 30 days of adoption. I encourage you to look at this list in a positive light - if your pet is spayed or neutered, the risk of getting any of these conditions is either greatly reduced or eliminated. Here is a cut-out of the list:

I know this is a lot of information to throw at you at one time, but I thought it best to keep it all together for the maximal benefit to each of you. 

I invite you to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and leave a review too. Feel free to also leave comments. I would be glad to try to answer any questions you may have also. My email address is on the About page.

Thanks to each of you for reading, watching and listening!

The Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 1 - An Introduction

I have been planning for months to start a podcast on pet insurance. In this introductory episode: 

• I tell how I got interested in pet insurance from a veterinarian's perspective.
• I go over the ways pet insurance companies market their product which often determines how pet owners are introduced to pet insurance and how this may influence which company they choose to insure their pet.
• I contrast this to the step by step method of researching and comparing companies and policies that I recommend to help pet owners arrive at a wise decision.
• Lastly, I let everyone know what's in store in Episodes 2 and 3.

 

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Items mentioned in the podcast:

• Pet Insurance Toolkit - includes videos on how to use worksheets

• OpenOffice

• The Wise Pet Owner

• Subscribe to podcast on iTunes