I apologize this blog has taken so long to write! I had surgery in May, but then had complications, so it has been a bumpy road getting back to writing this pet insurance review.
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about pet insurance and if it was worth the cost. Today, I am going to provide a pet insurance review – Odie Pet Insurance… who is really worth looking into.
Odie Pet Insurance
Price: As low as $6.00 for cats; $9.00 for dogs
Description:
Odie is a newer pet insurance company that was created for the owner’s two dogs, Luke and Summer. Struggling to understand all the options and plan benefits plus the premium costs (which were unpredictable!), Luke and Summer’s parents decided they were going to make buying pet insurance much easier.
Their belief is everyone has access to affordable veterinarian care, and pet owners shouldn’t have to choose between their pets and their bank account. The company also believes that preventative care and education will ultimately help keep pets healthy and finances intact.
Pet Insurance Review – Odie Plan Options
The Illness and Injury Plan
This plan covers a number of options if your dog or cat comes down with an illness or injury. Plans average around $25 a month for cats and $45 a month for dogs (based on a 3-year old mixed breed pet).
Plan Details: The Illness and Injury plan gives you deductible options of a $50 – $1,000 (in $50 increments) as well as reimbursement options of 70%, 80%, or 90%. Annual payout options are as follows: $5,000, $10,000, or $40,000.
What‘s covered:
What’s NOT Covered:
- Pre-Existing Conditions
- Training/Obedience Classes
- Breeding, Pregnancy, or Birth Expenses
- Prescription Food
- Boarding
- Cosmetic or Elective Procedures
- Biohazard Fees
- Preventative Care
Optional Add-Ons:
You have the ability to add on a couple options for an additional fee These options are:
- Office Visits and Exam Fees: Fees in addition to the diagnostic tests or treatments
- Take Home Prescription Medications: Odie covers up to 950 different prescriptions
- Rehabilitation, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic Care: This option covers ongoing physical therapy to help mobility.
The Accident Only Plan
This plan will cover the cost of an emergency based on if your pet has a mishap/accident only up to $10,000 each year. Cost for this plan start at $6.00 for cats and $9.00 for dogs.
Plan Details: Accident only pays up to $10,000 each year. Your annual deductible (out-of-pocket) is $250 and Odie will reimburse you up to 90% of the veterinarian bills.
What’s Covered:
- Injuries: Broken bones, sprains, damage to eyes, traumatic dental fractures
- Wounds: lacerations, bite wounds, snake bites, and bee stings
- Veterinarian Treatment: X-Rays, ultrasounds, lab tests, emergency care, hospitalization, CTs, MRIs, and surgery.
What’s NOT Covered:
- Illnesses, diseases, and specific conditions: Breed-specific health issues, congenital diseases, chronic conditions, dental illness.
- Specific Injuries: Preexisting injuries, cruciate ligament events, intentional acts or behavioral condition caused injuries.
- Preventative Care: Routine / wellness visits, spay/neuter, vaccines, micro chipping, or teeth cleaning.
The Wellness Add-On:
Plan Details: This option can be added onto the Illness and Injury or the Accident Only plan for an additional premium. It is not an insurance plan, but an option that can help with the preventative care costs such as micro chipping, vaccinations, and flea/tick medications. There are no waiting periods, no annual deductible or co-insurance, and it covers pet’s with preexisting conditions.
Add-On Plan Options:
Additional Information
According to Odie, their offerings are superior to those of other pet insurance companies. In reviewing the options, it looks like Odie may have an upper hand on the overall cost; however, it will be based on the plan and options chosen as well as the age, breed, and overall health of your cat or dog.
Take a look at the comparison chart on Odie’s website:
Waiting Periods and Exclusions
When looking at pet insurance options, it is important to also consider waiting periods and exclusions. Odie has the following per their sample policy:
Waiting Periods
- 14 days following the Policy Effective Date for any Illnesses and any related conditions.
- 3 days following the Policy Effective Date for any Injuries and any related conditions.
- 6 months following the Policy Effective Date for any Cruciate Ligament Events and any related conditions.
Exclusions
- Pre-Existing Conditions:
- Chronic Conditions.
- Bilateral Conditions, if your Pet had at any time any Pre-Existing Conditions
- Intervertebral disc Conditions, if your Pet had at any time any Pre-Existing Conditions involving the intervertebral discs (due to either degeneration or trauma).
- Preventative Care:
- Wellness exams; parasite control, etc.
- Elective and cosmetic procedures,
- Spaying or neutering
- Claims for Pets found to be healthy and presenting with no clinical symptoms
More Exclusions?
- Other Exclusions (Costs, Fees, or Expenses) related to:
- Treatments, therapies, and services described under the Supplemental Benefits coverage, if this coverage is not purchased at enrollment;
- Any prescription or over-the-counter medications that are not included in their covered medication list;
- Administrative charges for the processing of insurance claims and/or sending medical records;
- Injuries due to any organized dog fighting, that involves you or a member of your household;
- Breeding and pregnancy;
- Boarding and transport expenses, including ambulance transportation;
- Complications of or diagnostic tests, treatments, therapies, and/ or medications related to Conditions not covered.
- Anal gland expression;
- Typical bedding, housing, crates, cages, ramps, feeding accessories, etc
- Biohazardous waste fees
- Any Condition resulting from training for or participating in racing, including track or sled racing;
- Alternative and Holistic Treatments;
- Experimental therapies and medications
- Conditions arising from a repetitive and specific activity that leads to decontamination (e.g., the induction of vomiting), medical, or surgical treatment of your Pet.
- Training and treatment of Behavioral Conditions
- Cremation and burial;
Conclusion
Ok, I know that was a TON of information on Odie’s pet insurance options…especially when it pertains to the waiting period and exclusions, but I think it is important to give you the full picture of what to consider when purchasing a product.
Overall, I think Odie has a good policy. The company is fairly new to the insurance world, so there are not a ton of reviews out there; however, for the price and types of coverage, Odie has a decent offering.
There is only one thing left for you to do and that is…get a quote to see if Odie is right for you and your family!