Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance
At Furkin Pet Insurance, we aim to make caring for your pet's health and happiness as easy and simple as possible. If you would like to talk through any questions you can contact our Care Team at 888-453-1088 or by email at care@furkin.com. Our Member Support Specialists have over 50 years of combined experience in the veterinary and pet care industry and would jump at the opportunity to help!
See the most common pet insurance questions we get from pet parents below. If there are any terms you haven't heard of you can check out our Insurance Terms and Definitions dictionary.
Most Common
What makes Furkin different (and we think better) than other pet insurance providers?
Furkin is some of the most comprehensive pet health insurance available in Canada, with coverage for accidents (e.g., hit by a car, etc.), illnesses (e.g., cancer, diabetes, etc.), and emergencies.
Furkin's additional coverage separates us from the competition:
- Exam fees and taxes are covered
- Telehealth Support 24/7 Access: If you have an unexpected medical situation, you can call our Telehealth Support number to talk to a veterinary nurse.
- Advertising & Reward for a Lost Pet: If your pet is missing for at least 48 hours, we will reimburse the costs of advertising or reward money up to $1,000 annually to help you find your fur baby.
- Boarding Fees: If you or a family member living in the same household are hospitalized for at least 48 hours as a result of an accident or illness, Furkin will cover the boarding fees for your fur baby with a limit of $1,000 per incident.
- Holiday/Trip Cancellation: If your fur baby needs life-saving treatment for an eligible accident or illness within 7 days before your scheduled departure and it results in a cancellation of your holiday/trip, we will reimburse travel and accommodation costs up to $1,000 per incident.
- Petriage Online Subscription: This is an online pet “triaging” software application, that will give you instant, actionable information about your pet’s health instead of searching the web.
- Cremation and/or Burial: If in the unfortunate circumstances that your veterinarian recommends your pet be medically euthanized, Furkin will cover up to $1,000 of the cost of cremation and/or burial.
- Plant in Memory: If your pet should pass away while your coverage is in effect, we will plant a tree in the memory of your beloved fur baby.
What does Furkin Pet Insurance cover?
Furkin Pet Insurance provides comprehensive coverage for illnesses (e.g., cancer, diabetes, allergies, etc.), accidents (e.g., hit by a car, broken limb, etc.), and emergencies — the situations you don’t see coming. Coverage includes, but is not limited to, the following professional veterinary services:
- Exam Fees & Applicable Taxes
- Diagnostics
- Imaging - CT scans, MRI and X-Rays
- Medical Procedures
- Anesthesia and Surgery
- Hospitalization
- Emergency Care
- Prescription Medications
- Dental Injuries
- Referral and Specialist Fees
- Alternative Therapies
- Hereditary and Congenital Conditions
You can find a complete list of what’s covered – plus our additional perks worth over $3,000 per year – starting on page 11 of our Sample Policy.
What is not covered under pet insurance?
- Vaccines and routine/preventive care
- Behavioural devices, preventive products, or obedience training
- Cosmetic or elective procedures
Please check out the What’s Not Covered section on Page 16 of Furkin’s sample policy for the complete list and more details.
Can I use any veterinary clinic?
Yes, with Furkin you can go to any licensed veterinary office in Canada or the United States. This includes referral and emergency hospitals. Your policy will also provide coverage for any eligible accident or illness which occurs while your furry companion is in the United States of America, Canada, or any other region under U.S. or Canadian government control, such as military installations/bases in foreign countries.
Coverage
Is Furkin Pet Insurance available in Canada?
Yes! Furkin Pet Insurance is available in all provinces and territories in Canada, excluding Quebec.
We're hoping to roll out coverage in Quebec in 2023! In the meantime, we encourage our Quebecois folks to sign up to be the first to know when we're coming to Quebec here: https://furkin.com/availability. (Information accurate as of 9/15/22)
Does Furkin cover hereditary and congenital conditions?
What is the package of healthy perks Furkin will cover for my pet that aren’t covered by most competitors?
Furkin offers the following extras to help round out your coverage for you and your pet(s):
- Boarding Fees: If you or a family member living in the same household are hospitalized for at least 48 hours as a result of an accident or illness, Furkin will cover the boarding fees for your fur baby with a limit of $1,000 per incident.
- Holiday/Trip Cancellation: If your fur baby needs life-saving treatment for an eligible accident or illness within 7 days before your scheduled departure and it results in a cancellation of your holiday/trip, we will reimburse travel and accommodation costs up to $1,000 per incident.
- Advertising & Reward for a Lost Pet: If your pet is missing for at least 48 hours, we will reimburse the costs of advertising or reward money up to $1,000 annually to help you find your fur baby.
- Telehealth Support 24/7 Access: If you have an unexpected medical situation, you can call our Telehealth Support number to talk to a veterinary nurse.
- Petriage Online Subscription: This is an online pet “triaging” software application, that will give you instant, actionable information about your pet’s health instead of searching the web.
- Cremation and/or Burial: If in the unfortunate circumstances that your veterinarian recommends your pet be medically euthanized, Furkin will cover up to $1,000 of the cost of cremation and/or burial.
- Plant in Memory: If your pet should pass away while your coverage is in effect, we will plant a tree in the memory of your beloved fur baby.
For more information on all of these healthy perks read the Sample Policy starting on page 14. Petriage and Telehealth Support are third party service providers.
What are pre-existing conditions and will they be covered?
Does Furkin Pet Insurance cover spaying?
Spaying your pet is considered a “known” preventive procedure, that if chosen, you can reasonably expect and budget for the cost. Pet insurance, however, is designed to protect your finances and provide coverage for the unexpected illnesses and accidents that your pet may experience, so Furkin does not cover spaying.
Preventive and routine expenses, such as spaying and neutering, are sometimes included as coverage in pet insurance wellness add-on packages and are a great add-on to your pet health coverage. We will be launching a Furkin Wellness add-on plan that includes coverage for spaying and neutering in the near future! Learn more about spaying on page 20 of the Sample Policy under what’s not covered.Does Furkin Pet Insurance cover neutering?
General
Why do I need pet insurance? Can't I just open up a bank account for my pet(s) and self-insure them?
How is my premium determined?
With pet insurance, there are various factors that are used to determine initial premium costs. Your pet’s monthly premium is based on factors such as breed, gender, age, and geographic location. For more information, you can check out “How to Understand Pet Insurance Premiums”.
How do I know if my pet has any pre-existing conditions?
What is a deductible and coinsurance and how do they work?
Does Furkin cover exotic pets?
How do I get access to Petriage?
Will my premiums go up if my dog or cat gets sick?
No. At Furkin, we do not penalize pets who have had to claim more nor do we change your premium due to your pet’s specific medical history at enrollment or renewal.
For example, let’s say you and your neighbour each adopt a 9-month-old Labrador Retriever and enroll both of your pets with Furkin. You both have the same monthly premium since the demographics of your pet are identical. In year one, you have claimed and been reimbursed for $2,500 in medical expenses and your neighbour’s pet has luckily been in good health and not had to submit any medical claims. When you and your neighbour’s policies renew after 12 months, the two premiums may have gone up or down from what you paid in year one (learn about how pet insurance premiums are calculated), but you will both be paying the same new monthly cost for year two since we do not penalize pets that have been “unlucky” and required medical care.
Claims
How do I get reimbursed for claims?
How long does it take to get reimbursed for my claim?
At Furkin, over half of all claims submitted by our members are processed within 24 hours and 80% of submitted claims are processed within 7 days.
What are Waiting Periods and does Furkin have any?
- For accidents – 48 hours
- For illnesses – 14 days
- For Cruciate Ligament Conditions – 180 days
All Waiting Periods begin at 12:00 a.m. on your Policy Effective Date. Learn more about Furkin’s waiting periods on Page 8 of the Sample Policy.
Can my vet’s office send in my claim?
Yes, you will need to make these arrangements directly with your veterinarian’s office.
Policy Admin
When and how can I make changes to my policy?
Can I cancel my coverage at any time?
How often will my premiums change?
Your premium will never change more than once in any 12-month period and will never increase due to filing a claim. Your premium may change, however, if you initiate a material change, such as moving to a new geographic region or correcting your pet’s demographics like their breed or age.
Upon renewal you may see a decrease or increase to premium based on your pet’s new age at the time of renewal and new data, such as the cost of veterinary care in a member’s region. Rates may also change over time as Furkin receives more data from an increasing number of pets, which improves our ability to accurately price.
We will never change your premium because your pet develops a condition while enrolled, regardless of how costly. That’s why it’s always good to consider insuring your pet at a young age before they develop any pre-existing conditions that would be excluded from coverage by pet insurance companies.
Can I insure more than one pet and are there multi-pet discounts?
Yes, you can insure multiple pets and many members of the Furkin family are multi-pet households. If you’re purchasing coverage for more than one pet, you will receive an automatic 5% multi-pet discount!
Are there any age limits?
While we encourage pet owners to enroll their pets as early as possible, your pet must be at least 7 weeks old and under 14 years of age at the time of enrollment. Once enrolled, you can continue to renew coverage throughout their entire life, including beyond 14 years old.