Pricey, yes, but bulldogs are pricey. Over the 16 months that we've had Ruki, we've spent nearly $2,000 on vet visits. But we've received $567 back from VPI. Maybe it doesn't sound like much, but we've gotten our premium back and have the peace of mind that if something serious happens, we'll get help in the costs. And, going forward, we hope to have less vet visits as we learn more about Ruki's needs and problems and more about what we can do *before* heading to the vet.
We spent $600 on our initial visits to the vet: the first one robbed us for $440--we just didn't know better, so afterwards we switched vets (to Fresh Pond Animal Hospital, which has been great). These were before we got insurance, so we got no help on those.
We had Ruki spayed at 6 months--that cost us $227. VPI only covered $32 of that.
But then Ruki had a brief seizure, had pyoderma (bumps), caught pneumonia, and then had allergies (more bumps!). Over those four visits, VPI covered about 30% of the total costs.
Again, I don't know if this is highway robbery--I've heard that VPI is supposed to cover about 90% of your costs, but I haven't yet called and inquired about why we're not getting that much. It's just a consequence of being busy.
The take-home? I think the VPI Insurance Superior Plan is worth it. Bulldogs are expensive, and they will have health problems. Every little bit of help counts--especially with the added comfort that if something really serious happens, you're going to get some coverage. I'd consider maybe switching to a cheaper plan once she's "stabilized" and we understand her medical needs, but for maybe the next year or two we'll stick with this one.
(Ruki's thanking me right now for all her vet visits; she's underneath my desk leaning on my legs.)
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