# Pet insurance yes or no?



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I have been contemplating getting a pet insurance for my Tequila (Nelson will be going back to his rightful slave some time during the summer if my calculations are right).

I've been thinking about it and I can't seem to reach a decision on my own. Is it worth it in the first year? Do your birds get in trouble often? I'd like to know how expensive it can really get if the poo hits the fan. My vet is reluctant to discuss fees, I don't think she wants me to shop around or something.

My budgie only went to the vet once in his entire life, he just functioned like clockwork. But if tequila came back with some egg problems or anything and I got a bill for £1k or something it would be completely out of my reach.

I'm very open to suggestions!


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Not all vets will do insurance for birds (mine doesn't) but we do have something called care credit that is good for emergencies like that and most vets here take it. If your vet does offer bird insurance, its better to be safe than sorry. I've had to take mine to the vet a couple times, so it can't hurt.


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## karendh (Mar 25, 2013)

There is no such thing as pet insurance in Malta but luckily vets take this into consideration when charging fees. Birdie, as luck would have it, only needed as short course of "good bacteria" to balance her system, a home visit and the cost at the chemist came to E27 which is around £13.50.


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## flippityjib (Dec 13, 2012)

I just got a line if credit that is put aside for my pets only so that in the event of a costly vet bill I'm set with being able to pay for it. I've only used it once then paid it off as I could.


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

I've never heard of pet insurance before


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I've done it, just for the peace of mind that if something were to happen I can provide the care for her. I might not be able to afford a big out of the blue vet bill and I don't even want to think about what would happen then.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

I was going to get it, but then I found out it didn’t cover much at all – I have a bank account for the birds with money in it for emergencies, and that is what I use. 

It can get costly, but it really depends on how much the vets charge, and what is wrong with the bird… you would be looking at around $200-$500 +. (again, this is going to depend) 

I have spent over $800 on one of my Cockatiels so far, back and forth to the vets, having tests done, getting medication, and a few other things. This is why it is really important to have funds set aside *just in case*.


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## Oni (Feb 20, 2012)

I have paid £1,000 this year already on vets between birds and furries and it'll take us a long time to recover that money so now everyone is insured! Here you take the policey from the insurance company not the vet.

I'm not covered for routine treatment, if they injure each other, fly away or get eggbound. I AM covered for all illness, theft, accidental injurey and replacement on death if it occured due to any of the above.

They are covered as a flock for £3000 a year. I'll have to check excess policey but I know I pay first £12 to the vet then put in the claim for insurance which is nothing!

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## Clair (Jul 31, 2012)

I have mixed feelings about any insurance. Sure it's great for catastrophes, but here you are throwing money at some corporation "just in case" when it might be a better idea to throw your money at your own savings account. 

Grigio has had two hospitalizations. The first time was back when we were stupid - when we discovered he had been chewing on some aluminum foil, we simply took it away and that was that. The next day he was lethargic and glassy-eyed. We raced to the vet who had just left for an hour-long lunch and the front office gals "could only give him oxygen". They then referred us to an animal hospital. Grigio was there for four days and that bill was over $800. The follow-up visit + xray was another $85. 

His latest escapade with the avocado was after-hours and we again ended up at the animal hospital. That bill was less than $200, but they wanted a $560 deposit. When asked why it was so high, they said that some people (after leaving a low deposit) don't pick up their pets when the treatment is done. (wow)

I don't know how much vet insurance is per month, but if you threw $20 a month into a pet emergency fund, in 2 1/2 years you'd have $600. If you threw $20 a month at pet insurance, in 2 1/2 years, _they'd_ have $600.


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I see what you're saying, but I'm going to try this out for a year, it's £75 so it's not too bad. I can always re evaluate after.

I know myself and I can put a bit aside every month, but then one day real life will happen, will need a new washing machine or something and the vet fund will be gone, and the next time Tequila will get up to something, that's the story of my life..


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## BabyMoo (Dec 19, 2012)

I do the same thing as Renae. It has come in handy. Better to be safe than sorry plus is better to get the money slowly that all at once. You can set some a side every couple of months until you hit a certain amount. I think that you should have at least $800 set aside with plans to increase it as you go. It can get some what expensive if they have to spend some time in the hospital and if they have to get several tests done. Also, keeping regular checkups to make sure all is good is a most as so is good nutrition. I would recommend getting a baseline for your tiel at your vets and information regarding good nutrition. If your tiel stays healthy, the changes of getting sick will be less. Wish you all of the best.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I have a Care Credit line of $500, a Wells Fargo credit line of $1800, and then about $2000 in savings. That is how I protect my birds' health.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Also, $800 might be a good amount for one bird, but you should multiply that by the number of birds you have. $800 would not be enough if my flock all became ill.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

Tequilagirl, how much is the excess on your policy? I would be very interested in having an insurance policy myself but the last time I looked into it the excess was too high in comparison to a medium vet bill for a cockatiel.


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

bobobubu said:


> Tequilagirl, how much is the excess on your policy? I would be very interested in having an insurance policy myself but the last time I looked into it the excess was too high in comparison to a medium vet bill for a cockatiel.


£35, just gonna try this thing out for a year, while I build myself some savings.


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## Nymphicus (Oct 11, 2010)

Renae said:


> I was going to get it, but then I found out it didn’t cover much at all – I have a bank account for the birds with money in it for emergencies, and that is what I use.
> 
> It can get costly, but it really depends on how much the vets charge, and what is wrong with the bird… you would be looking at around $200-$500 +. (again, this is going to depend)
> 
> I have spent over $800 on one of my Cockatiels so far, back and forth to the vets, having tests done, getting medication, and a few other things. This is why it is really important to have funds set aside *just in case*.


I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as pet insurance for birds in Australia. I know that there are many insurance companies who will cover dogs and cats, but not birds.

Just as a matter of interest I Googled "Pet Insurance" and read many horror testimonials written by people who had taken out insurance on their dog or cat.


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## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

There will always be horror stories.. I've also read the ones where people couldn't afford to treat their dog's/cat's broken leg and had to be put down..


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

bjknight93 said:


> Also, $800 might be a good amount for one bird, but you should multiply that by the number of birds you have. $800 would not be enough if my flock all became ill.


I have already had to take more than one bird at a time to the vets, I had to take 3 when they all fell ill at the same time – fortunately I have a good Avian Vet who only charged me $689 for the 3 of them since I had more than one. I have more than enough in there if even 5 of them needed to go, like I said, I am lucky to have a lenient Avian Vet who doesn’t think of the $ as a top priority. 



Nymphicus said:


> I wasn't aware that there was such a thing as pet insurance for birds in Australia. I know that there are many insurance companies who will cover dogs and cats, but not birds.
> 
> Just as a matter of interest I Googled "Pet Insurance" and read many horror testimonials written by people who had taken out insurance on their dog or cat.


I can’t remember the name of it, someone on a FB group I am part of posted it awhile back now, but it was pretty crappy compared to insurance you can get for your dog(s) or cat(s).


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

You are very lucky Renae. My newest vet doesn't seem greedy either, but my old one had me spend $700 on Krissi...who was just malnourished. He guilted me into doing a bunch of tests just so he could get my $$$. But if my birds needed to be hospitalized (like in Baby Moo's case) then I would need more than $800 even with a frugal vet. 

I feel very well prepared, and I wouldn't want to spend money on an insurance that I may or may not need when I have the resources to pay out-of-pocket if need be.


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## bobobubu (Dec 12, 2011)

£35, I used to think it was too high. During latest Bubu's brush with death I spent almost £200 just for the vet bills... Now £35 seems not so much anymore. Thank you for the info, I am tempted.


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## BabyMoo (Dec 19, 2012)

bjknight93 said:


> But if my birds needed to be hospitalized (like in Baby Moo's case) then I would need more than $800 even with a frugal vet.


That is true. $800 is just a good amount to have to start with and it is just for one cockatiel. As I mentioned above, have at least $800 per cockatiel with plans to increase that amount. If your cockatiel needs to be hospitalized, plan on having to spend the initial $800. It depends on how long they are hospitalized but when sick things can get expensive pretty fast.  I wish this was information that was shared with everyone planning to take a cockatiel home. Pets can be just like kids. It is a fact that they will need to go to the vet at one time or another and we need to be prepared for it.


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## Oni (Feb 20, 2012)

It depends on how many pets you have and how quick you can replace the funds. £1,000 isnt a small amount and if I had to pay that again before the year is out it would cripple me! I dont need it weighing over my head if I can afford to take them or not so got them insured. Even if I only had 3-4 pets if most of them got seriously ill in a year id get unstuck. 

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