Is it worth challenging an insurance decision, or is it better to switch companies?
For context, I have a 2-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat named Roger, who is my first pet as an adult. I didn’t know about pet insurance when I adopted him, but after a friend informed me, I chose Pets Best.
In January, Roger got very sick with high fevers and was treated with antibiotics. This happened during Pets Best’s waiting period, so it wasn’t covered. The second time he needed vet care was after he had an accident, ran into a wall, and began shaking and having issues. This was resolved at an ER.
Roger is now back to his usual self, and while I understand the fever wasn’t covered due to the waiting period, I’m confused about why the second claim was denied as a “pre-existing condition” related to the fever incident, which seems unrelated.
I’m considering challenging this decision, but it took over 40 days for a denial based on an unrelated reason. Has anyone faced a similar issue? Is it worth contesting or should I just switch insurance? Thanks.
In my view, pet insurance in the US is reminiscent of human insurance before the Affordable Care Act where “pre-existing conditions” create catch-22 situations that often lead to claim denials. I joined this subreddit to find a good policy for my dog, but haven’t had any luck. I’m considering giving up on finding insurance and instead saving $100 a month for vet expenses.
It’s worth appealing the claim. You might need to provide documentation from your vet to prove that the two incidents are separate and unrelated. Many denied claims have been overturned with additional information or a persistent owner.
Based on your description, it seems like you didn’t mention the fever when you first brought your pet in. Did you inform the vet about the fever? In the future, be cautious about what you disclose as the reason for your visit. For this visit, you should have mentioned the GI issue since your pet was pooping outside the box. Avoid bringing up the fever directly; the vet will note it as part of the assessment but it won’t be considered the main issue.