Here are some examples of the insurance reinbursements over the years I have received:
2003 - Rucy’s lip was almost bit off by Bailey
Vet bill included: Exam, anesthesia, and lip repair. TOTAL = $319.73 —– Insurance paid 213.30
2003 – Bailey had an abscess on her hip (probably as a result from the fight she with Rucy:
I cannot find the invoices for this - but I remember the vet bill was between $700 – $800 dollars, and the insurance paid between $500 -$600. (i just remember having to pay around $250)
2004 – Forrest was spinning and falling down (ended up being just an inner ear infection at the time)
Vet bill included: Exam, tests*, Treatment. TOTAL = 184.11 —— Insurance paid 120.00
NOTE: There was an additional test for ecuniculi that was not covered because it is a parasite and parasites are not covered. That was 45.75 that I had to pay on top of the 184.11 bill.
2004 – Bailey had tests to figure out what the nodules were on her ears
Vet bill Exam and test TOTAL 172.70. —- insurance paid 110.43
I had a couple of other little things like that througout the years - gi stasis, water eyes/nose etc. I can’t find all the bills, but a couple of hundred dollars here and there over the last five years with about the same type of reinbursement.
Rucy was not covered with her jaw abscesses because when I adopted her, she had recently had surgery to remove it so it was considered a pre-existing condition, however, if she hadn’t gotten another abscess for two years, I would have been able to drop that as a pre-existing condition.
2009 – Jack’s bladder stone removal
The most recent vet care for Jack was the most expensive EVER. Some of his the stuff we tested for like to figure out why he was so humpy – hormone tests etc, were not covered, but the surgery to remove his bladder stone, which included not just the surgery but xrays, tests, boarding overnight stay, stone test, etc etc. came out to $1380.78 —– The insurance covered $752.
Parts of the insurance for allowed amounts were maxed out with amounts of testings etc.so though they only paid 752.00 of it, that’s still $752 I didn’t have to pay. And it’s not an amount that I would have had saved easily on top of the $500 or so that I did have to pay out of pocket.
So if we just take those incidents
My total cost of bills was 2877.00
Insurance covered 1794.00
I paid out premium over 6 years for 2 – 3 rabbits ( 4 1/2 yrs for 3 bunnies 1 1/2 for 2 bunnies) / = to around 1700
That’s how it worked out for me, with three bunnies- more like a savings plan. But you wouldn’t have to pay out as much if you weren’t paying premiums on that many, but all and all I find it very beneficial because the two biggest bills are alot to pay out at once.
Though the insurance won’t cover everything, it’s more than I would have had saved for expensive vet care costs (especially the last one for Jack! I was also lucky that the vet allowed me to make payments as that is a hefty bill to fork out or carry on a credit card with interest rates!)
So in my circumstances, I have found more than anything is that it is more like a big saving account that I can’t get into - the only other thing you could do is just put money aside yourself every single month to prepare for some major vet bill, and when it comes to vet bills, most people won’t put more than a couple hundred bucks to the side if even that. And it’s tempting to get into if you need it for other life emergenicies or when things get tight.
Otherwise, if it’s not something you want to do or don’t find it valuable in your opinion, then I just recommend putting at least $500 dollars to the side as an emergency can easily get to that amount and don’t touch it.
There have been so many posts that we have gotten over the years where people will say “Something is wrong with my bunny, and I just don’t have the money as times have been very tight”. Life has a way of depleting our extra $$ even for the most prepared, and being in a bind during an emergency can be a heartwrenching place to be in. Having insurance or your own vet fund that you don’t touch can be a lifesaver – literally.