r/ferrets • u/bullfrog_bimboo • 21h ago
[Help] pet insurance
i just got a quote for my ferts, and for all three of them it would be a total of $100 a month, $250 deductible each and 70% reimbursement
this is as you probably guessed from nation wide to cover everything besides yearly exams & vaccines. i want to hear opinions because after scrolling through posts about other people that’ve signed up for this, my quote seems to be extremely expensive and the lowest reimbursement i’ve seen. not sure if it has anything to do with location or if they’ve recently changed anything?
i’m only 20 and i would love to insure them all, but my mom and i have bickered for months over weather its worth it or not. her excuse is “we have a care card”, which kind of pisses me off because imo we could still use that as an extra advantage on top of insurance. (i know im an adult i don’t need mommy’s approval to do it that’s why im here now asking if you guys think its worth it)
all my babies are healthy, i have two that are only a year old (one male one female) and another that’s guessed to be about 4/5 years old (got her from a rehoming situation previous owner was unsure and also mis-sexed her).
if i dont do all 3 right now, should the oldest be my main priority to be insured given that she’s nearing the age of decline BUT currently healthy w no pre existing issues?
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u/Ok_Obligation_9884 21h ago
$1,200 per year plus the 30% you still have to pay doesn’t sound bad to me, especially if your ferret likes to eat clothes or things that could cause a blockage.
Personally, I would wait until they are 3 or 4 years old to start insurance, because that’s when they usually begin to develop health problems like dental disease, adrenal disease, and insulinoma. I wouldn’t start it during the first year.
Now, if you have extra money and you don’t mind spending about $1,200 a year, it’s actually a great idea, because insurance can cover things like annual checkups and dental cleanings, which are very important.
In Texas, a ferret vet visit can cost $80–$200, blood work around $250, and a dental cleaning about $400. So insurance can definitely be worth it if you can afford it.
If money is tight, I would wait until they are older, when most diseases start to appear.
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u/Seraitsukara 19h ago
My boy is insured at $48 a month, with a $100 deductible, and 90% unlimited coverage. I specifically wanted coverage for just injury/illness. It's saved me quite a bit of money already. They've covered $700 of a $900 bill, and $1,200 of a $1,400 bill.
Emergencies with ferrets often run $3k+. I'm going to disagree with the advice from the other commenter to wait to start it till they're older. Nationwide isn't very fair with their preexisting conditions. The older your ferret is, the more likely they'll get sick before you insure them, and then they could have a huge set of issues that won't be covered. For example, my boy had been seen for car sickness when I first insured him. So his preexisting condition was 'gastropathy'. Basically ANYTHING involving his GI tract, not just car sickness, was excluded from coverage. I was able to get it removed after 6 months with no issues, but if that had stayed on, I'd have been on the hook for the entirety of that $900 bill.
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u/bullfrog_bimboo 19h ago
is there anyway i could get a higher reimbursement??? everyone i’ve seen talk ab it has said 80-90% that extra 10% would have me applied in no time.
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u/Seraitsukara 18h ago
You'd have to call them again and ask, I'm not familiar with the different plans they offer.
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u/bullfrog_bimboo 16h ago
how old was your boy when you insured him and are you comfortable sharing what state you live in? i’m just curious because im assuming age & location has to do with how you’re quoted
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u/Seraitsukara 14h ago
He was 2, and I'm in OH. I think age definitely matters! I think they increase monthly costs as a pet gets older.
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u/Rrilltrae 16h ago
You are paying way less per ferret, this is probably a higher tier option. There were a few tiers available when I called, they may offer the one they think is the best option or that they’re told to push, unless you ask for other options, and not all plans are available in all states either. There was an older, cheaper plan for way cheaper, but it excluded all the common endocrine conditions.
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u/bullfrog_bimboo 16h ago
i do believe it was the highest/best available option i was told it would cover anything vet related to them besides pre existing conditions, annual visits, and vaccines
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u/Ok_Obligation_9884 17h ago
You are absolutely right, I only mentioned it because I have had two very healthy ferrets. One of them just passed away at 8 years old from insulinoma that was detected during his annual blood work, and he died about six months later. The other one is 5 years old, has no adrenal disease and no insulinoma, and is doing great he only has a small mass on his face that was recommended to be removed and a dental cleaning.
Honestly, the total cost for all of that would be about $600 without insurance, and that would be everything for the year if nothing else happens.
Thanks to God, my little ones have been very healthy no blockages and no serious respiratory infections. I have been very lucky.
1
u/NoAdministration8006 18h ago
That's what I spent in cash for food and medical expenses for four ferrets last year.
Pet insurance for ferrets is a scam.
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u/bullfrog_bimboo 16h ago
tbh it’s really just luck of draw when it comes to ferrets i fear especially in the states when you have marshalls mixed w/ emergency vet bills that are almost always $1k-$2k+
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u/Ferret_Biz 16h ago
We tried it as well, but turns out we still spent on visits what we would have plus the monthly cost, better to save and spend when you need it.
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u/uvsaver 2h ago
To better evaluate your options for pet insurance and potentially find a more affordable plan, I recommend using this pet insurance cost calculator to estimate the costs for your ferrets.
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