Why did my Embrace policy premium go up? I have a one-year-old cat named Charlie Rocket. His insurance costs $46.43 a month (no max coverage, $250 deductible, 90% coverage) and is set to renew in early August. The new rate will be $72.45.
Charlie has a preexisting condition, a heart murmur probably due to HCM, so none of his cardiology appointments are covered since the murmur was detected during his first vet visit.
I have a couple of questions. Will the rate still increase because of the preexisting condition? Is this level of increase normal? I haven’t had pet insurance before, so this is all new to me. Thanks for your help!
Pet insurance premiums usually don’t change based on individual conditions. Since your cat is young, it’s probably not an age-related increase. It might be due to state or location factors. They often mention reasons like rising vet costs or more pets under coverage, but the truth is that many pet insurance plans were too generously priced initially, and now companies need to adjust to cover their payouts.
I’m in my second year of insurance with Nationwide. From what I’ve seen, rates generally go up as pets age. Also, many smaller companies have been acquired by larger ones, which means more pets to insure equals higher costs. For my dog, the first year cost around $426, and now it’s jumping to $576 per year. My deductible is $250, with a maximum payout of $7,500, but wellness exams and dental care aren’t covered, which costs extra. I’m unsure if I should keep my policy when it renews on July 31.
When my dog’s premium got that high, we couldn’t find coverage anywhere else. Now we have a new bulldog, and we’re self-insuring by saving the money we would have spent on premiums.