How far should a veterinarian go to assist with pet insurance?
It is believed that, at least in the US, veterinarians have been wary of pet insurance because they don’t want to take the extra time to fill out paper work, fax over forms, etc. Some have even found themselves recommending a particular company, only to have that company go out of business shortly there after, and then find themselves with a bunch of angry pet owners. Luckily, pet insurance companies are realizing this and attempting to make the process as seamless as possible.
However, some veterinarians still can get stuck in the middle. For those companies who reimburse based off “usual and customary fees” or fees that the company deems reasonable for a given procedure, the pet owner may then feel like they were over charged by their vet. From some veterinarians that we’ve heard from, they don’t want to get stuck in the middle so they don’t go out of their way to recommend companies, but they will do their best to honor their clients wishes and fill out necessary paperwork.
Of course there are veterinarians on the other end of the spectrum, who love pet insurance and have seen how it has helped save lives when the pet owner wouldn’t normally have been able to afford a given procedure.
As a pet owner, would you feel your vet was doing you a disservice if they weren’t informing you of pet insurance, if it turns out it could have helped you? Do you think it should be their job to help process paperwork? If I have any veterinarian followers out there, I’d love to hear your opinion as to why or why not you may tell your clients about pet insurance.
