Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I’ve just looked into this, Rene and unfortunately Petplan UK and Fetch (formerly Petplan US) are completely different companies. They were never in any way connected.
Look under the History section here:
They obviously both operate under different insurance law too, but I don’t know if that makes any difference to what they can cover/get away with not covering. Im sorry this is proving so difficult and I really hope you can find a good solution for Nellie
For Tripawds in the UK, I would strongly encourage you to look into Petplan, as they have not added any orthopaedic exclusions for Ruby.
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Clare thank you for digging in, you are such a great journalist!
Seems like the pet insurance companies here are following the playbook of US health care insurance plans for people. My friends who work in the veterinary field are very concerned about the direction that pet insurance is taking. There's got to be a better way than the current system, especially with the way it works on a reimbursement basis. This leaves out a huge percentage of pet parents who don't have the kind of personal savings to pay up front and wait for reimbursement. Still better than nothing when the policy is do-able for folks. Just wish a better model would appear.
I'll keep ya posted.
Just an update on pet insurance for Tripawds: I just came across the AKC's pet insurance plan, which says they cover pre-existing conditions.
I ran a quote for Nellie, and the premium came back at $182 a month with 10% co-insurance and a $750 annual deductible. YIKES!
I'm totally skeptical, but wrote to them to inquire about Tripawds. Will report back here when I learn more.
Hi Rene,
They certainly don't make it easy for us, do they... That monthly cost is pretty similar to Ruby's (currently about $165 a month, though this will increase each year) I pay the first $150 of each new claim each year, but there its no percentage payment on top off that until she turns ten. By that point, I fully expect to be paying several hundred dollars a month plus 20% of each claim. Better finish my novel 
Of course, now that she is fully insured for anything and everything, she is never going to need it. That's just how it works.
For me, having looked after Meg, who was originally insured but in a policy with a $13,000 maximum payout per condition, which she blew out aged three with an elbow fracture, it just feels such a HUGE relief to know that so long as i keep paying the premiums Ruby will always be covered. With everything it cost to keep Meg comfortable, especially in her later years, I was easily paying around $500 per month just on her regular physio and meds bills. Let alone the cost of trying to save her leg, which I am STILL paying off.
Good job we love 'em....
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, 23 November 2023, adopted 12 January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
Hey Clare! Glad you're still watching this, you are always so funny when you reflect on things! You're right, she's going to be 100% healthy furever now that she has the best plan.
I hope to have an update soon. I also forgot to mention that the insurance quote I got caps out at $20k a year. That's borderline enough for something like cancer, or a major orthopedic surgery.
When I do the math, you are correct; what we could possibly end up paying for care is still less than the annual premium, and possibly the 10% co-insurance amount too.
I need to get more specifics though, and will let you know.
P.S. Yes, finish your novel so we can all read it!
Just had a conversation with a rep from the AKC company, PetPlan, that touts "pre-existing conditions are covered."
Here's what I was told:
- Pre-existing coverage only activates after the dog or cat has been insured for one year with the company.
- Pre-existing coverage is only valid for pets who were signed up with the company before they turned 9 years old.
- If a Tripawd is an amputee because of a congenital issue, they recommend their Hereditary Conditions add-on to the plan for extra reassurance that related issues would be covered.
- The company does NOT do medical record reviews. The only time they review a case file is when a claim is filed. I asked three times if the rep was sure they do not, and she confirmed they don't.
The lack of the company's willingness to do a medical record review is a dealbreaker for me, and in my opinion should be for any Tripawd parent who wants coverage for things like rehab therapy and orthopedic care, both of which are essential for a three-legged dog or cat.
A medical record review is the ONLY way to know what conditions would be covered and what would not for a specific animal. The rep I spoke with assured me that coverages are all spelled out in their Terms and Conditions. But there are so many nuances and unknowns as to what conditions can technically be tied to a dog or cat's missing leg, it would be impossible to spell that out in their T&C.
We learned the hard way with Trupanion, that a pet insurance company will do anything to blame any orthopedic condition on an animal's missing limb. And they do, which means that a plan is only good for other conditions like accidents, cancer, immune conditions, etc.
For a Tripawd, a medical record review is the only way to know if you are wasting your time and money with a pet insurance company. The AKC's plan gets a big thumbs DOWN in our universe. We will not be switching.
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