Banfield Wellness Plan (Insurance)

[EnglishLove]

Has anyone tried the Banfield Wellness Plan (insurance) for their dog? It is associated with Petsmart. I have heard good things from other owners.

Dog Wellness Plans - Optimum Wellness Plans - Banfield Pet Hospital®

 

[TyTysmom]

Has anyone tried the Banfield Wellness Plan (insurance) for their dog? It is associated with Petsmart. I have heard good things from other owners.

Dog Wellness Plans - Optimum Wellness Plans - Banfield Pet Hospital®

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

please no, I have heard horrible, awful things about Banfield. I even had a friend with it, when her dog got sick they did surgeries, and over medicated the dog. She finally ended up taking the dog to a regular stand alone vet, and that vet told her the dog never needed surgery - only a certain antibiotic. At the end of the day its your decision, but I just have heard bad things about them, and with our breed being so specific & sensitive - I would highly recommend you look for a "Bulldog Experienced Vet"

Not sure where you are located - but here is a link to some bully experienced vets - English Bulldog News Forums - English Bulldog News Recommended English Bulldog Veterinarians

 

[madie4589]

I would wholeheartedly discourage you from going with banfield's plan, and from using them as your primary care vet.

They make it sound great, 'it's the best deal, you'll save money!'. But... you really won't.

They MORE than make up for the 'free visits' by prescribing unneeded meds and tests. They suggested I do a $300 allergy test on Frank, who was about 4-5 months old at the time. Little did I know that's way too young to do an allergy test, the results were useless! That among many other awful experiences, and soooo many undeed meds prescribed to us. Every single time we went in there 'Oh I see he's got a little nasal discharge - antiboitics ASAP, on I see he coughed once - antibiotics ASAP'.

I was a new bulldog owner at the time and placed all of my trust in the professionals, if they said he needed antibiotics, I gave them to him because I trusted that they had Frank's best interest in mind.

I always, always left there with a bill ranging from 100-300. Oh, and the wellness, plan... you're literally locked into that. Even if an animal passes away, you still have to pay your wellness plan subscription in full. I think that's awful.

All that being said, if you liked the vet you had at banfield, and feel you can trust them, go with your gut. I know not every banfield is like mine. But at the end of the day petsmart/banfield is a corporation, and corporations are all about profit. Oh I almost forgot! The cherry on top to my whole experience, when I finally found a new vet, I had to go to banfield and get all of franks records printed off. They charged me an 8 dollar printing fee. lol.

 

[TyTysmom]

I would wholeheartedly discourage you from going with banfield's plan, and from using them as your primary care vet.

They make it sound great, 'it's the best deal, you'll save money!'. But... you really won't.

They MORE than make up for the 'free visits' by prescribing unneeded meds and tests. They suggested I do a $300 allergy test on Frank, who was about 4-5 months old at the time. Little did I know that's way too young to do an allergy test, the results were useless! That among many other awful experiences, and soooo many undeed meds prescribed to us. Every single time we went in there 'Oh I see he's got a little nasal discharge - antiboitics ASAP, on I see he coughed once - antibiotics ASAP'.

I was a new bulldog owner at the time and placed all of my trust in the professionals, if they said he needed antibiotics, I gave them to him because I trusted that they had Frank's best interest in mind.

I always, always left there with a bill ranging from 100-300. Oh, and the wellness, plan... you're literally locked into that. Even if an animal passes away, you still have to pay your wellness plan subscription in full. I think that's awful.

All that being said, if you liked the vet you had at banfield, and feel you can trust them, go with your gut. I know not every banfield is like mine. But at the end of the day petsmart/banfield is a corporation, and corporations are all about profit. Oh I almost forgot! The cherry on top to my whole experience, when I finally found a new vet, I had to go to banfield and get all of franks records printed off. They charged me an 8 dollar printing fee. lol.

So glad you left them, they are horrible! And thanks for sharing your experience, Madie.

 

[dolphin]

I've never heard a good thing about Banfield. I do know that a bulldog died in their care here in California

 

[Enjoimangos]

I have a friend who worked for them and said that he would never ever use them. I use Trupanion and they have been amazing. Sure it's a bit more per month, but it's paid for itself

I currently am paying 65 a month for Boris with a 200 dollar deductible through Trupanion and the coverage I've gotten on past emergencies was 90%

 

[EnglishLove]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will just create a savings account and regularly put money in there each 2 weeks or month.

 

[megdav]

I have a friend who worked for them and said that he would never ever use them. I use Trupanion and they have been amazing. Sure it's a bit more per month, but it's paid for itself

I currently am paying 65 a month for Boris with a 200 dollar deductible through Trupanion and the coverage I've gotten on past emergencies was 90%

i just did an online quote with trupanion and my 200 dollar deductible came out to $190! :O
Bummer.

 

[TyTysmom]

i just did an online quote with trupanion and my 200 dollar deductible came out to $190! :O
Bummer.

$190 a month? That doesn't sound right.

 

[megdav]

$190 a month? That doesn't sound right.

ikr? i checked again and that's what it said. maybe because Moobear is 5? or because of where I live?
I checked Healthy Paws and that came out as $90 for 80% reimbursement and $250 deductible....

 

[TyTysmom]

ikr? i checked again and that's what it said. maybe because Moobear is 5? or because of where I live?
I checked Healthy Paws and that came out as $90 for 80% reimbursement and $250 deductible....

Just seems high... I wonder why. Tyson is about to be 10 - I pay $64 a month through VPI. When I first signed up like 7 years ago it started at around $34 a month. I wonder why they are coming in so high. Our deductible is $250 also. We only have the emergency and major illness one...

 

[megdav]

Just seems high... I wonder why. Tyson is about to be 10 - I pay $64 a month through VPI. When I first signed up like 7 years ago it started at around $34 a month. I wonder why they are coming in so high. Our deductible is $250 also. We only have the emergency and major illness one...

I checked VPI major medical w/250 ded and it came out to $42...that's better lol
so you like VPI?

 

[TyTysmom]

I checked VPI major medical w/250 ded and it came out to $42...that's better lol
so you like VPI?

I do. I personally don't have any complaints, they have paid out a majority of our claims, and I'm happy with them.

 

[megdav]

do only certain vets take certain insurances? or do they all take all insurances?
ha, that sounds confusing.

 

[TyTysmom]

do only certain vets take certain insurances? or do they all take all insurances?
ha, that sounds confusing.

With pet insurance - you always have to pay out of pocket at the time of visit. Then you send in receipt along with claim form for reimbursement from the insurance company. They are not plans like ours, where we provide coverage and they bill the insurance. I took out a credit card for Tyson for his vet bills, I use that when we go, then when I get the refund check from Insurance - I pay it off. I know you can use Care Credit too, if you have that.