The downside of pet insurance deductions from your employer
That group discount may not be worth the third-party communication
The best part about getting pet insurance from your employer is the group discount. The worst part? Arguing for three months when the funds don’t reach their intended destination and you’re now worried about whether your pet is covered in an emergency. That was my dilemma after deciding to get pet insurance through a contract job instead of paying for individual pet insurance.
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Why you may want to check your balance with your pet insurer
Like medical, dental and vision insurance, you may assume that since your paystub confirms payments are being sent to insurance companies that they actually are reaching the correct destination. Unfortunately, I found out the hard way that that wasn’t the case. My contractor switched pet insurance companies recently. Instead of going with the new company, I decided to stick it out with my original pet insurer and wanted to find out what my individual rate would be without the group discount. I was taken aback when a pet insurer rep said I hadn’t paid at all. Wait. What?
Recommended Read: “Job negotiations: Health and pet benefits ~ Are pet insurance benefits rivaling human insurance perks for 2022 job seekers?”
If the funds were taken out of my paycheck every two weeks, where were they ending up? Stuck with the Accounts Payable department? Incorrectly credited to another pet owner’s account? What was I supposed to do if I had to file a claim in the meantime?
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Investigating, understanding and disputing how payroll deductions work
Pet insurers are a stark reminder of why the Affordable Care Act is so important. (I cannot thank former President Barack H. Obama enough for being so hell bent on getting this law passed.) The amount of times pet insurance employees emphasize that they won’t take on a pet with a preexisting condition is draining to hear. (And I’m saying that with a perfectly healthy dog who has no preexisting conditions.) The irony is every time you call, they ask, “How is [insert dog’s name] doing?” After the nonstop preexisting condition warnings, what do you expect a pet owner to say besides, “Amazing! Couldn’t be better! Picture of perfect health!”