Our question this week was:

I love your site but I have to comment on the feature "Three More Years with Moose". I found it somewhat misleading. VPI does not cover "Congenital or hereditary defects or diseases" but this article indicated it does by stating Virginia bought the insurance knowing Boxers were prone to cancer and when Moose was diagnosed with cancer, VPI covered a portion of the cost of the treatment. I can only guess that the lymphoma wasn't considered congenital or hereditary so it was covered. (?) Had Moose been diagnosed with DCM, VPI probably wouldn't have been so helpful. When pushing this insurance, I think you should be upfront with those exclusions.

Nanci O'Brien

Answer

Hi - thanks for your e-mail. I talked to VPI and this is what I found out. You are correct that VPI does not cover most congenital or hereditary defects and diseases. These exclusions are necessary to keep premiums affordable and available for every breed and species.

By definition, congenital or hereditary defects and diseases are pre-existing conditions. Congenital diseases are pre-existing since they are present from birth, while hereditary conditions are pre-existing because they are genetically encoded in the animal.

Veterinarians, such as those who work for VPI, know these hereditary conditions are genetically encoded because, in recent years, dedicated veterinarians around the world have undertaken the task of canine genome-mapping in an effort to aid breeders in eradicating genetic disorders. As these veterinarians work to map the genetic code of specific breeds, their findings become part of the Canine Inherited Disorders Database, which can be found at http://www.upei.ca/cidd/intro.htm. All that to say, though certain breeds may be prone to cancer, only Bernese Mountain Dogs and German
Shepherds have a documented genetic predisposition to certain cancers. Consequently, systemic and malignant histiocytosis in Bernese Mountain Dogs and collagenous nevi in German Shepherds are the only cancerous conditions VPI does not cover.

You were also correct to mention that DCM, dilated cardiomyopathy, would not be covered in Boxers. This condition, along with aortic stenosis and corneal dystrophy, has been genetically mapped in the breed and would be considered hereditary. However, a VPI Pet Insurance policy would cover hundreds of other conditions, even those known to be more common in Boxers.

VPI's goal is product transparency. The company has always worked to inform policyholders and potential customers about what is covered and what is not. Exclusions are communicated upon enrollment; the benefit schedule and policy packet both convey which conditions are eligible and ineligible for reimbursement. Keep an eye on the company's Web site, Veterinary Pet Insurance for breed-specific exclusion lists in the near future that will make distinguishing coverage exclusions even easier to understand.


Regards,


Dr. Jon



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