Affordable Pet Health Insurance
Dear Petfinder.com Members,
Your newly adopted cats and dogs are now eligible to register for a discounted pet health insurance plan from PetFirst Healthcare with NO age restrictions at the time of adoption.
The PetFirst Adoption Policy offers your adopters the first month of comprehensive pet health insurance for only $5.00, with additional months at $14.95. For this, your newly adopted cats and dogs gain $1000 of accident and illness protection. To put it simply, this can be the safety net needed for a pet parent to be able to afford an unforeseen medical emergency, rather than making the tragic decision not to treat.
Visit www.petfirst.com/petfindermembers for more information on offering this benefit to your cat and dog adopters. The process is a simple one. Adopters register online or by calling within 20 days of adoption. Once their insurance is active, they use the veterinarian of their choice and submit their bills for reimbursement. PetFirst reimburses 100% of covered veterinary bills after a $50 deductible – and they do so within two weeks!
If you were part of the Petfinder family back in 2001, you know that we introduced the concept of pet health insurance to the animal welfare world. We believed that providing the opportunity for adopted pets to receive pet health insurance would remove a barrier to adoption, enable you to offer a value added benefit for your adopters and, most importantly, save lives. That proved true, and now we are pleased to announce a new partnership with our friends at PetFirst Healthcare – and a new opportunity for you to offer to your adopters and their new family members.
– Petfinder Outreach Team
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q: What is the adoption insurance program?
A: The adoption insurance program allows you to offer accident and illness pet insurance to your new dog and cat adopters for an introductory price of $5 for the first 30 days. The coverage then automatically renews for $14.95 each month thereafter. The insurance provides $1,000 of accident and illness coverage with a $500 per incident limit. PetFirst reimburses 100% of expenses after a $50 per incident deductible.
Q: How does my organization offer the adoption coverage to each adopter?
A: At the time of adoption, you simply explain the offer and hand a leaflet to your adopter referencing:
• $1,000 maximum annual coverage for unexpected accidents/illnesses
• $500 per incident
• Adopters must call the PetFirst toll-free number on the leaflet or visit www.petfirst.com/petfinder within 20 days of the adoption to activate.
Q: What if my adopter has more questions?
A: Encourage your adopter to call the PetFirst toll-free number on the leaflet or visit www.petfirst.com/petfinder for more information.
Q: Do I have to do anything so that my adopter is eligible to enroll or activate the policy?
A: No, your adopter is responsible for calling the PetFirst toll-free number or visiting
www.petfirst.com/petfinder to enroll and activate within 20 days of the adoption.
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Q: Can my adopter enroll online via the Internet?
A: Yes, your adopter can enroll via www.petfirst.com/petfinder anytime within 20 days of the adoption date. Coverage is effective at midnight EST following activation.
Q: Is there any cost to me or my organization for the adoption insurance program?
A: No, there is no cost to Petfinder member shelters and rescue groups, and there is no contract to sign.
Q: Why should I consider this policy with a $5 cost for adopters when there is an adoption policy out there with a free first month?
A: While it is true that other shelter packages may have a first free month, our first priority was to build a package that doesn’t exclude your pet just because she is old, pays claims within two weeks, and has the option of removing certain exclusions like special diets and hereditary defects – things that can really cost adopters over the lifetime of their pets. Also, since we want folks to sign their pets up for an annual policy to better protect them, we sought out a policy that covered wellness visits and offered group/family plans.
Q: We already offer another insurance option to adopters? Can we offer the PetFirst adopter policy, too?
A: SURE!
Q: What is the PetFirst Healthcare Netbook Program and does my shelter qualify to participate?
A: The Netbook Program is a quick, self-guided enrollment process which does not require any additional work on the part of your adoption staff – they simply ask the adopter to view a six page slide show with information about the adoption insurance. It gives adopters the chance to opt-in for the adoption insurance for $5 for the first month and $14.95 each month thereafter. There is no contract to sign and no specific software to use. If your organization has at least 2,000 annual adoptions and internet access at your shelter location, you are eligible for the free PetFirst Netbook Program. Download the PetFirst Netbook Shelter Application and submit the form directly to PetFirst Healthcare.
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COVERAGE
Q: Will the pet parent be reimbursed for treatment at any veterinarian?
A: Yes, policyholders are free to use any licensed veterinarian in the U.S. or Canada and can be reimbursed in as few as 10 business days.
Q: What is covered?
A: Coverage is for unexpected accidents or illnesses. This is not a named accident or illness policy limited to only a certain number of issues. Instead, with the exception of certain specific exclusions, all unexpected accidents or illnesses are covered.
Q: What are the exclusions?
A: PetFirst does have some exclusions in order to keep prices down. Keep in mind that riders can be obtained for some of the exclusions. Those are noted on the exclusions page found at http://www.petfirsthealthcare.com/plans/exclusions/
Q: Are there age restrictions? How about our seniors?
A: Getting senior pets into forever homes is a huge priority for Petfinder. That is why we are exceptionally proud that PetFirst doesn’t discriminate against cats and dogs just because they are seniors. There are no age restrictions.
Q: Is routine wellness covered under the adoption program?
A: Routine wellness is part of PetFirst’s comprehensive programs and not the adoption
program. Adopters will have an opportunity to learn about PetFirst’s comprehensive programs when they contact PetFirst to activate the adoption coverage.
Q: What are the coverage amounts?
A: $1,000 annual/$500 per incident. There is a $50 deductible per incident, then PetFirst
covers 100% of the vet bill for any unexpected accident or illness.
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Q: Is there a waiting period for an adopter’s insurance to become effective?
A: Adoption coverage starts at midnight following activation. Since coverage is not effective until the day after the adopter activates the coverage, the adopter should be encouraged to call or go online the day of adoption.
Q: Are there any exclusions for pre-existing conditions?
A: Yes, conditions identified prior to the effective date are excluded.
Q: What if the adopter’s new pet has an illness five days following the adoption but has not yet called PetFirst or visited www.petfirst.com/petfinder to activate coverage? Will the vet bill be covered?
A: Pre-existing conditions are not covered by adoption insurance. If symptoms have
manifested for a particular condition before the coverage is effective, that condition is
considered pre-existing. The adopter has 20 days from the time of the adoption to activate
coverage, but the coverage is not retroactive. If the adopter had contacted PetFirst before the illness developed, the condition would have been covered.
Q: Are there limits other than the "per incident" limit and "maximum benefit" limit?
A: No, the adoption insurance is limited only by the $1,000 maximum benefit limit and the $500 per incident limit. There are no "per diagnosis" limits or “reasonable and customary” fee restrictions, and there is no list of named perils.
Q: Where is PetFirst Pet Insurance available?
A: PetFirst Pet Insurance is available to organizations and their adopters in the United States and Canada.
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CLAIMS
Q: How does an adopter file a claim?
A: Once the adopter calls the PetFirst toll-free number or visits www.petfirst.com/petfinder to activate, he or she will have access to PetFirst’s one-page claim form. The policyholder simply needs to have the veterinarian sign the form with the diagnosis. He or she then mails the form and veterinary receipts to PetFirst. Once the necessary information is provided, PetFirst will reimburse the policyholder within 10 business days.
Q: Is there a deductible or co-pay for the adoption insurance?
A: There is a $50 deductible per incident, and then PetFirst will cover 100% of the remaining vet bill for any unexpected accident or illness up to $500 per incident and $1,000 annually.
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PROMOTION
Q: How do I get information to share with my adopters?
A: Click HERE for our Information for Adopters page, which features several options for sharing the program easily with adopters.
Q: Can we promote PetFirst’s insurance on our Petfinder homepage and on any other Web sites?
A: Yes, PetFirst can provide a customized banner for your Web site to promote the availability of insurance at your organization.
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