Pet Insurance Guide Podcast

The Key To Keeping Your Pet Insurance Premium Affordable

Pet owners must be aware that their pet insurance premium will increase over the lifetime of their pet, especially when their pet reaches the senior years (over 7 years old). In this episode, I'll share why premiums increase as well as a tip that pet owners can use up front when choosing a pet insurance company so they'll always have the ability to lower their premium if needed to stay within their budget. Subscribe to Podcast (get email when new... Read more →

Preventive Vet - Saving You Money On Your Pet's Healthcare Expenses - Episode 75

This is part 2 of my interview with Anne Tomsic, the CEO of Preventive Vet. In the last episode, she highlighted how pet insurance had saved her money over the last 20 years on her pets' healthcare. When she worked at Trupanion pet insurance company 10 years ago, she saw first hand that the vast majority of problems that policyholders filed claims for could easily have been prevented. So, in this episode, she shares her passion for helping pet owners... Read more →

Why Pet Insurance Is Definitely Worth It - Episode 74

Anne Tomsic has insured all of her pets for over 20 years. Her pets have been treated for several minor, but recurring conditions - also for major chronic conditions and acute emergency conditions - both costing thousands of dollars. She shares tips for how to select a company and policy to insure your pet. She didn't have a good experience with the company she chose to insure her first dog. This led her to change to a different pet insurance... Read more →

How Bay Beach Vets Help Pet Parents Afford The Care Their Pets Need - Episode 73

In this episode, I interview Allison Rye, the hospital administrator at Bay Beach Vets in Virginia Beach, VA. She talks about how they provide ways for pet parents to pay for the care their pets need via working with pet insurance companies, 3rd party financing and VetBilling. This is essentially a "how to" interview that practice owners and hospital managers/administrators can discover tips in going the extra mile when it comes to great customer service and helping more sick or... Read more →

The Positive Impact Of VetBilling And Pet Insurance On Patient Care, Staff Morale And Client Relations At An Emergency/Specialty Hospital

Kathy Cavanagh, the Client Care Coordinator at Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine, shares some amazing stories of how pet's lives have been saved as a result of making available multiple payment options for pet parents at a very large emergency/specialty practice. Because they are able to provide the care that their patients need, it has led to improved staff morale and better client relations. For those pet parents who can't afford the diagnostics and treatment their doctors recommend, Kathy finds... Read more →

Why You Need A Pet Insurance Policy That Covers Dental Illnesses

Coverage for dental problems in dogs and cats varies greatly between companies. Some companies cover dental accidents only while others cover both dental accidents and illnesses. There is variation between what dental procedures that veterinarians use to treat these problems that are covered by each company. My guest in this episode, Dr. Barden Greenfield (previously a guest in Episode 26), talks about the most common dental accidents and illnesses he sees and the potential costs to treat each problem. He... Read more →

Pet Insurance Tips For Emergency And Specialty Practices - Episode 66

My guest today is Dr. Ezra Steinberg, a board-certified veterinary surgeon at Maine Veterinary Medical Center. This is without a doubt one of the most informative interviews I've ever done. There is something for pet owners, veterinarians and their staffs, and pet insurance industry insiders. We talk about: The cost of care in the emergency/specialty setting - something pet owners definitely need to hear. The advantages of providing pet health insurance for employees vs. discounted care on the treatment of... Read more →

Pet Health Insurance - The Elephant In The Room - Episode 65

This is Part 3 of my discussion with Kent Kruse on the topic of pet insurance. We discuss what both of us feel is the primary limiting factor to the pet insurance industry insuring a higher percentage of pets in the United States. The market penetration has been stuck at the 1-2% level for decades. Although there are likely multiple factors influencing this, one factor stands out above all others. Kent and I discuss what that is and the one... Read more →

Should Veterinarians Recommend Specific Pet Insurance Companies To Their Clients - Two Viewpoints - Episode 64

This is Part 2 of my discussion with Kent Kruse, a veterinarian who also spent a number of years in leadership positions at several pet insurance companies. He also consults with veterinarians about how to best recommend pet insurance to clients and grow the number of insured pets in their practices. Some veterinarians feel comfortable recommending specific pet insurance companies to their clients while others don't. We discuss both positions in this episode. Contact Kent Kruse Subscribe to Podcast (get... Read more →

Pet Insurance 101 For Veterinarians and Veterinary Staffs - Episode - Episode 63

Today's episode is a discussion with Kent Kruse, a veterinarian who has also served in leadership positions with three different pet insurance companies. Currently he is a consultant to veterinarians on how to recommend and increase the utilization of pet insurance in their practices. This allows them to practice the very best medicine the way they were trained to do and improve the practice culture where team members can thrive. We discuss some of the strategies he teaches to help... Read more →

How To Decrease Or Eliminate Pet Insurance Costs By Self-Insuring - Episode 62

This episode features a previous guest on the podcast from over 5 years ago when I interviewed Sebastiaan after he and his wife insured their 5 cats. I recently contacted him to followup once again and discovered that they no longer had pet insurance. It wasn't because they thought it wasn't worthwhile, but because they consider themselves to now be self-insured. One thing I saw over and over in practice was pet owners who were faced with an unexpected large... Read more →

Eusoh - An Alternative to Pet Insurance - Interview With Founder/CEO Dr. Allen Kamrava (Part 1) - Episode 51

Not long ago, I was contacted by a representative at Eusoh, a community sharing platform that is an alternative to the pet insurance model. In this episode, the Founder and CEO, Allen Kamrava - a physician in Los Angeles gives us a good overview of the model and how it was developed. In the next podcast (Part 2) we will discuss more in-depth details of how it actually works. In today's podcast, we talk about: Allen's background and how it... Read more →

Pet Insurance Can Help End Economic Euthanasia - Episode 50

I've been working on an audiobook version of my book, "Pet Health Insurance:A Veterinarian's Perspective." I decided to include a sample chapter of the book entitled "Putting An End To Economic Euthanasia" in this episode. Perhaps you've never heard the term "economic euthanasia" before. It is a sad reality that costs pets their lives everyday in this country. The good news is that economic euthanasia is a problem that is preventable when pet owners have a plan in place to... Read more →

Pet Insurance For 5 Pets - How's It Going? - Episode 49

Samantha Haxton joins me for an update on her and her daughter's experience with Embrace pet insurance company since insuring their pets. In the course of the interview, we touched on several important tips pet owners can take to maximize the benefits of their pet insurance policy - regardless of what company they choose to insure their pet. We'll talk about: Why she has high deductibles on all her policies How having insurance helped when a shoulder injury took months... Read more →

Don't Ignore These Steps When Selecting A Pet Insurance Company To Insure Your Pet - Episode 47 - Interview with Samantha Haxton

Recently, Samantha Haxton contacted me after using the Pet Insurance Toolkit in her quest to choose a pet insurance company to insure her pets. After several email communications, I was so impressed with her approach and knowledge she acquired while doing her research that I asked her to be a guest on the podcast. She actually ended up choosing Embrace to insure 3 of her pets and ASPCA to insure another pet. Why two different companies? Listen to find out... Read more →

Pet Insurance Claims - How To Maximize Your Reimbursement - Episode 46

In this episode, I interview Ashley Lyons, the Director of Operational Strategy at ASPCA Pet Insurance about pet insurance claims. We discuss: Ways to file a claim at ASPCA Pet Insurance How claims are processed and paid Precertification of claims Availability of claims processors 24/7 Top reasons claims are denied How ASPCA determines if a pet has pre-existing conditions that aren't covered Waiting periods before a policy becomes effective and why they exist Gray areas when determining whether a claim... Read more →

Pet Insurance Coverage of Prescription Diets - Episode 44

At this time, only half of the pet insurance companies in the United States cover therapeutic diets to help treat medical conditions in dogs and cats. These diets can cost 30-70% more than the diet pets normally eat. This can present a financial burden on pet owners - especially if a pet has a chronic condition. In this episode, I'll make the case from a veterinarian's perspective that these diets should be covered by pet insurance companies. Check out these... Read more →

Pet Health Insurance Tip: Pet Health Savings Account vs. Pet Health Insurance - Episode 43

For years there has been a debate about which is better - a pet health savings account or pet insurance. Again, this is one of the most frequently accessed articles on my blog. I address this topic in this episode explaining that the purpose of savings differs from the purpose of pet insurance and how each compliments the other to help you be able to afford your pet's healthcare needs. Therefore, it is wise to have both. Check out these... Read more →

Pet Health Insurance Tip: Pre-Existing Conditions - Episode 42

Today's episode is the first in a series where I'll be offering tips and advice about common questions and issues that arise about pet health insurance. One of the most frequently accessed blog posts by readers of my blog pertains to pre-existing conditions. In this episode, I'll give you some insight from my perspective as a veterinarian and offer 3 steps you can take to minimize the chances of one of your claims being denied because of a pre-existing condition.... Read more →

Why Pet Insurance Premiums Rise - Sometimes Significantly - Interview with Laura Bennett - CEO Embrace Pet Insurance - Episode 24

In the past several years, policyholders of several pet insurance companies have received renewal notices informing them of significant premium increases - sometimes 30 - 50 - 70 percent or more. When they contacted their insurer demanding to know why, the explanation given often fell short of helping them understand why the increases were necessary. While some policyholders accepted the increase, others dropped their insurance or switched to another company with more reasonable premiums. In this episode, Laura Bennett and... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 23 - Interview with Merrick Wolfe

In this episode, I interview Merrick Wolfe, who was a guest on a previous podcast episode where he talked about switching pet insurance companies when his dog, Frida, was 10 years old. Merrick has kept in contact with me over the past 3 to 4 years and has valuable information to share for those pet owners who are considering whether to purchase pet insurance for an older pet or whether it is wise to switch companies when your pet is... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 19 - Interview with Dr. Fran Wilkerson

In this episode, I interview Dr. Fran Wilkerson, a veterinary colleague in the Chicago area. She has a very informative website about pet insurance that she was developing several years ago at the same time I was starting this blog. She is one of the most knowledgable veterinarians in the United States about pet insurance and I'm happy to introduce her to you. She shares with us: Why she started her website Some of the "must have" coverages if you... Read more →

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... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 10 - Why I'm a Proponent of Pet Insurance - Interview with Dr. Barry Kipperman

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... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 7 - Switching Pet Insurance Companies Need Not Be A Pain - The Right Way To Do It

In this episode, I talk with Merrick Wolfe - 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... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 6 - How I Chose A Pet Insurance Company To Insure My Middle-Aged Dog

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... Read more →

The Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 1 - Know What Your Options Are When Purchasing Pet Insurance

Recently, I read a bunch of reviews people had written about several pet insurance companies. Almost all the negative reviews had one thing in common - the pet owners selected a company to insure their pet based on limited information. In this episode, I address the different ways that pet insurance companies market their policies and how this could influence which company you choose to insure your pet. What advice did many of the pet owners who wrote negative reviews... Read more →