Pet Insurance Guide Podcast

Pet Insurance Coverage For The Most Common Dental Diseases In Dogs and Cats - Episode 26 - Interview with Dr. Barden Greenfield

In this episode, I interview Dr. Barden Greenfield who is board-certified in veterinary dentistry. He was recently elected President of the American Veterinary Dental College. He gives us an overview of the most common dental diseases in pets and why maintaining good oral health can actually help your pet live a longer, happier life. We discuss: Why he decided to specialize in dentistry after being in general practice for several years and what it takes to become a specialist in... Read more →

Pet Insurance Comes In Handy When Dog Accidentally Ingests Ibuprofen - Episode 25

In this episode, I interview a client of ours at The Pet Hospitals at Houston Levee in Cordova, TN. about her quest to find a pet insurance company and policy to insure her dog, Bentley, and how the policy came in handy this year when he accidently ingested Ibuprofen. We discuss: Why she decided to purchase pet insurance for Bentley. The company she chose to insure Bentley and which factors were most important to her when making the decision. The... 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 →

U.S. Veteran Service Dog Program - Trupanion Pet Insurance - Episode 22 - Interview with Lisa Marcotte

In January, 2014, the VA contracted with Trupanion Pet Insurance company to pay for 100% of the wellness and accident/illness care for U.S. veteran's service dogs. In this episode, I talk with Lisa Marcotte, Trupanion's Business Development Manager about how the program works for both veterans and veterinarians. We discuss: Why the VA selected a pet insurance company to administer this program rather than continue the program in-house. How the program works. What's not covered. Are pre-existing conditions covered. How... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 21 - Interview with Sandy Boucher - CEO PetPremium

In this episode, I interview Sandy Boucher, the CEO of PetPremium - the newest pet insurance company in the United States. We talk about: Sandy's background before coming to the pet insurance industry. PetPremium's philosophy of marketing pet insurance. Why PetPremium chose The Hartville Group to administer their policies and the advantages of starting up this way vs. starting from scratch. Specifics about their policies, what's covered, available maximums, deductibles, copays, etc. Which plans have available riders for wellness care... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 20 - Interview with Steve Popovich

In this episode, I interview Steve Popovich, the President and CEO of PetPartners and AKC Pet Insurance Company. Just last month, they introduced brand new policies. We discuss: AKC's plan to roll out the new policies in all 50 states and a timetable to completion. Steve's background before joining PetPartner. History of the PetPartners and AKC brand Reasons why AKC dedided to come out with new policies. Details about the new policies. Customization of the new policies that allows pet... 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 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. Relavant Links: Direct Pay... Read more →

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... Read more →

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 insurance company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Protect Your Bubble is one of the newest entrants 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... Read more →

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... 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 12 - Interview with Dr. Jason Nicholas - How To Keep Your Pet Healthy And Avoid Big Veterinary Bills

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),... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 11 - Interview with Katie Grant at Pet First Pet Insurance Company

In this episode, I interview Katie Grant, the President and CEO 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... 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 9 - Interview with Laura Bennett at Embrace Pet Insurance Company (Part 2)

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... Read more →

The Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 8 - Interview with Laura Bennett at Embrace Pet Insurance Company (Part 1)

In this episode, I interview Laura Bennett, the Co-Founder and 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... 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 →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 5 - Interview with Dr. Jack Stephens at Pets Best Pet Insurance Company

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... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 4 - Interview with Jaclyn Carrington at ASPCA Pet Insurance Company

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... Read more →

Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 3 - Interview with Dr. Carol McConnell at Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI)

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... Read more →

The Pet Insurance Guide Podcast - Episode 2 - Interview with Dr. Kerri Marshall at Trupanion Pet Insurance Company

In this episode, I interview Dr. Kerri Marshall, the Chief Veterinary Officer at Trupanion pet insurance company. We 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... 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 →