Pet Insurance

Pet Insurance is not Like Human Health Insurance

Pet Insurance is often compared to human health insurance, yet the only similarity is that the health of the pet is being insured. Take it from me, Dr. Jack Stephens the founder of the pet insurance industry in the United States and its leading advocate for over 25 years.
Here are my comparisons and guidelines for pet insurance.

Pet Insurance Comparison to Human Health Insurance:

CHOICES
-Pet insurance offers limited choices to pet owners. Until recently, there were only three plans, although now there are nine pet insurance plans.

-Still, that's a very limited selection when compared to hundreds of choices for human health insurance.

COST
-Just as veterinary costs are much lower than human health care costs, pet premiums cost much less. Whereas a typical pet insurance premium may be $20 to $40 per month, health premiums for humans are hundreds to over a thousand dollars a month.

-Premiums for pets will vary from company to company, and be influenced by other variables such as the age of a pet, species of pet, breed of pet, plan types and in some cases by geography.

-Curious about what it would cost to insure your pet? Pets Best is happy to provide a free quote for pet insurance.

-Although it may seem complicated, the variances are much less than in human health care where the options and pricing confuse professional agents.

STRUCTURE
-Human health care has several major options that greatly impact choices.

-HMO (health maintenance organizations) plans are restricted to certain doctors, hospitals, cost of care and restrictions on access of care.

-Other than a few Pet Hospital wellness plans, none of these options exist for pets.

-PPO (preferred provider organizations) plans provide a list of doctors and hospitals but are more inclusive and less restrictive as the HMO.

-There is one recent attempt to develop a PPO for pets. Historically these attempts have not succeeded.

-Then there are the plans which have few if any restrictions of health care providers and fewer restrictions on the type and cost of care.

-In almost all health plans for humans, there are limits and restrictions on the cost of care, or "cost containment" provisions.

-Pet insurance is a liability policy that reimburses the pet owner (insured) for covered expenses incurred for their pet

-Pet owners want choices for care and selection of their veterinarian. This may change as utilization of pet care continues to increase, but all surveys of pet owners have been consistent in that pet insurance must allow them to use their own veterinarian and that they do not want the restrictions they endure for their own health plans.

WHO PAYS
-Most human health insurance is purchased by the employer, while pet insurance is mostly paid with discretionary income from pet owners. The bigger the employer, the better the buying power.

-Typically more benefits and better pricing are provided to larger groups, whereas pet insurance is typically individualized with discounts available for some employer and pet groups.

TAXES
-Human health insurance purchased through the employer and for the self employed is a business expense and not taxable to the employee, whereas pet insurance is paid from after-tax income.

REGULATION
-Pet insurance is considered liability insurance and is regulated typically as property casualty insurance, miscellaneous or inland marine, whereas health insurance is provided through exceptions to insurance by an act of Congress. Pet insurance is simpler in regulation and oversight.

CLAIMS
-Unlike human health care, the pet owner typically pays for veterinary care and seeks reimbursement from the pet insurance company.

-Most human health plans provide for the doctor or hospital to bill the insurance company and then collect the co-insurance from the insured at a later date.

-With pet insurance the insured pays out of pocket for the expenses, therefore the complaint turnaround time for claims reimbursement is more important. Waiting for reimbursement can become a problem when on a tight budget.

COMPLAINTS
-All companies direct complaints and claim resolution to internal controls that escalate as complexity or costs rise. With pet insurance unresolved complaints can be directed to State Departments of Insurance which regulate, license and audit the companies. They cannot force the company to reverse or pay a claim, however, they have great influence and if a regulation is not followed they can go to small claims court and litigation.

Still have questions? Visit the Pets Best frequently asked questions about pet insurance forum.

If you're a veterinarian, you'll find more information on pet insurance options here, or visit the Morris Animal Foundation's Veterinarians page for vet chat, pet memorial cards, information about recent studies, and more.

Helping Auto Accident Insurance

Attorney Helps You Get Insurance Right

Majority of the states in the US require car owners to buy car insurance. A most common type is liability insurance. In this type of auto accident insurance, the insurer pays the person who has been involved and injured in car accident.

In recovering auto accident insurance, either from your own or the other driver’s, it is important to remember to get the help of an auto accident insurance attorney.

Recovering auto insurance is never easy. It involves complex insurance policies and provisions of law, which by the looks of it tends to favor anyone except you, the victim.

The likelihood of getting successful insurance claim will not only depend with your auto accident insurance attorney but with you.

Experts suggest the following things to do, design to help lawyers help you get the best possible insurance claim:

1. In the accident, remember to call your insurance representative.

You can make your call while in the scene, unless you have more pressing matters to attend to like serious bodily injuries.

2. Relate the facts as they were.

Do not express any opinion. Do not admit anything either. If your insurance agent poses some question, answer them straight without revealing so much that may incriminate you.

3. Get as many as you can.

Take pictures of damages including skid marks and other evidence proving the accident. Gather the names of witnesses then record their names and contact numbers.

4. Record the insurance details of the other driver, including his name and contact numbers.

Some states require that insurance papers be inside the car – ask to see them. Otherwise, exact so much information by asking.

5. If you have time, try to read and understand your insurance policy.

6. Mind the time. The longer the time that lapse after the accident, the harder it is to recover from your insurance company.

7. Remember everything you could about what had been said in conversations with the investigator and the other party. You can write them later.

8. Gather and keep every receipts and bills you have incurred. They will be helpful during recovery of the cost of the repair of the vehicle, medical and hospital expenses, treatment, etc.

9. Be honest and straightforward. Do not lie. Remember that you are dealing with experts who do it for a living. There is no sense telling lies as they can find out eventually.

10. Do not just take the word of your insurance adjuster. Your insurer will try to lower your claim as much as it could to prevent greater liability.

Lastly, immediately confer with your auto accident insurance attorney when you are required to sign any document. Have him/her read the document first. Make him/her do all the talking and negotiating with the insurance company.

In this way, you can avoid tempting offer of settlements, which turn out inadequate in the end. Bear in mind that insurance companies retain hordes of lawyers – so should you. But one will be enough.

Your concerns regarding auto accident can be better addressed by the sound advice of our Los Angeles attorneys. Log on to our website for more information.

Diagnosed With Cancer

Buying Life Insurance After Being Diagnosed With Cancer

The American Cancer Society estimates doctors will diagnose over 1.4 million new cases of cancer in the U.S. in 2007, with more than 559,650 cancer-related deaths. If you are among the majority of cancer patients and survive for at least five years following your diagnosis, you may face another fight: buying life insurance.

Buying life insurance for cancer patients is challenging, but not necessarily impossible. Your chances for securing a policy depend greatly on the type, stage and grade of the cancer, and even on the treatment plan. There is a relationship between the rate you'll receive and the curability of your cancer. Certain types of skin cancer, for example, are considered very low risk by life insurance companies and a skin cancer history may not even impact premiums.

Applicants with common and treatable forms of breast and prostate cancer may be able to get a "standard" rating under ideal circumstances. But patients with a history of leukemia or colon cancer may fall into a "substandard" or "high substandard" rating at best, or receive declines. Anyone with cancer that has metastasized likely won't be able to obtain a policy.

Dr. Charles Levy, senior vice president and chief medical director of AIG American General Domestic Life Insurance Cos., says, "We're better and better able to differentiate the risks of individual cancers." Life insurers like AIG American General have sophisticated tables to determine premiums, where they can factor in cancer types and treatments. The end result is better premiums because applicants aren't lumped together as an "average."

Most insurers will not offer a policy to someone who is still undergoing treatment for cancer. Depending on your type of cancer, the life insurer may also want to add a surcharge, also called a temporary flat extra. For example, AIG American General sometimes charges temporary flat extras for two to five years, depending on the applicant's cancer and treatment. The good news is that although these extra premiums can be expensive, they will automatically disappear after a set period of time.

Cancer insurance risk specialists

While a dedicated life insurance agent will search cancer insurance companies to find insurers that will sell you a life insurance policy, in some cases you may be better off seeking out a broker who specializes in finding life insurance for people who have a history of cancer.

These brokers will know the specific questions underwriters will want answered when considering your application. Many brokers have developed relationships with several insurers, so they know which companies offer the best-priced life insurance policies for cancer survivors. Some brokers have experts who specialize in gathering your medical records and organizing them.

By directing your application to life insurers that will view your application most favorably, these brokers will help you find the most accurate price quotes and the lowest premiums for life insurance. Always check the financial strength of the insurer before you buy any policy and be sure that the agent or broker you choose is licensed in your state.

Life insurance strategies for cancer survivors

If you are a healthy cancer survivor, life insurance is even more feasible. There are things you can do to ensure you're getting the best premium offers possible for your situation.

1. Gather all possible medical records before you apply, from the first pathology report to medical records to treatment records. That ensures medical underwriters have the most complete picture of you, your health, and your cancer history. Having all those records before you apply for cancer insurance will reduce delays in your application process, because your life insurer is going to request them and will wait for them. The information you provide can garner you better premiums in the end: The less life insurer underwriters knows about you, the more likely they are to have to assume you are the highest risk and offer you high premiums accordingly. According to Levy, "If it's fuzzy, we're more likely to err on the side of conservatism."

2. Make sure you have complied with your doctor's treatment plans. For example, says Levy, if your doctor asked to see you back in one year and you haven't been back in four years, get to your doctor for your check-up before you apply for life insurance. Your life insurer is not going to offer you a policy without before seeing the results of that check-up. Similarly, if you've had breast cancer and you're due for a mammogram in December and you apply for cancer insurance in October, your life insurer will likely wait for the results of your next mammogram.

3. Get prices from several companies. Policy costs can vary a great deal among companies.

4. See if you can get group life insurance through a professional, fraternal, membership, or political organization to which you belong.

5. Consider a "graded" policy (one with limited benefits) if you cannot get full death benefits. In the first few years of a graded policy, the company pays only the premiums and part of the face value if the insured person dies of a condition, such as cancer, that existed before the policy took effect. If the insured person dies after the specified grading-in period, the company will pay the full face amount of the policy.

If your cancer has been successfully treated, and you are otherwise in good health, you can likely obtain a cancer life insurance policy. If you can show that you are healthy and your treatments have gone well, several insurers may compete for your business.