Overview

Year Company Started: 1996

Underwriter: SecuriCan General Insurance Company

Website: PC Financial

Phone: 1877-723-7387

President’s Choice Financial is one of Canada’s leading pet health insurance companies. PCF offers four cost-effective plans to meet all of your pet health care needs.

For pet owners who want something quick and easy, PFC offers an accident plan. This plan does not cover illnesses, but does offer up to $1500 in coverage per accident. For less than ten dollars a month, this is a great starting point for new pet owners.

The three other plans offered by PFC do offer illness coverage, with accident benefits ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 per incident. With each of PFC’s plans, 80% of all claims are covered. The age of your pet does not affect the price of your premium and there is coverage available for every breed of dog and cat.

Regardless of your choice of plan, you receive several important extras. For example, the plan covers emergency boarding fees up to $500 should you find yourself hospitalized. If your pet becomes ill right before your planned vacation, your expenses can be reimbursed for up to $1,000.

PC Financial Pet Insurance Review

Rating: 6

Our review process starts with calling each of the insurance providers over the telephone and then, we gather quotes for these three pet profiles located in Vancouver, BC:

• A 2-year old male Yorkshire Terrier named Jax
• A 6-year old male Cocker Spaniel named Max
• An 8-year old female mixed breed cat named Fluffy

The Plans/Quotes

I have four options for both the dogs and the cat. All four plans include $350 for alternative therapy, behavioural therapy and medical devices per year, per category.

Accident Plan:

includes accident only coverage with a $1,500 per incident. This plan does not cover illness.

For the Yorkshire Terrier: $10.95/mo

For the Cocker Spaniel: $10.95/mo

For the cat: $9.95/mo

Value plan:

includes accident coverage with a $2,000 per incident and $2,000 on common illness over the pet’s entire lifetime.

For the Yorkshire Terrier: $25.97/mo

For the Cocker Spaniel: $30.08/mo

For the cat: $20.57/mo

Choice plan:

includes accident coverage with a $2,500 per incident and $2,500 per illness, per year.

For the Yorkshire Terrier: $42.95/mo

For the Cocker Spaniel: $49.73/mo

For the cat: $30.39/mo

Ultra plan:

includes accident coverage with a $5,000 per incident and $5,000 per illness, per year.

For the Yorkshire Terrier: $54.25/mo

For the Cocker Spaniel: $62.81/mo

For the cat: $39.44/mo

The Details

The rate for accident plans start at $9.95 per month for cats and with starting rates of $10.95 per month for dogs. With every plan, you can receive as much as 80% of the covered vet fees, minus any deductible that applies. You may receive $25 daily up to $500 max for your pet’s boarding in an emergency situation in a licensed kennel. The coverage does not kick in until you have been hospitalized for at least two days.

If your pet is hurt or gets sick while travelling with you anywhere in Canada and the continental U.S., PC Financial pet insurance covers emergency veterinary treatment according to the plan you’ve chosen.

The Insurance Premium

The premium is the price of the insurance policy for your pet. The premium isn’t affected by the age of your pet but on two factors:

• Your pet’s breed. All breeds are covered but some are susceptible to specific illnesses, which means insuring them may be more expensive.
• Your location. Veterinary fees vary by location.

Extra Benefits:

• If your pet is lost to a covered accident or illness, you may receive $600 of the purchase amount used for your pet and $100 to help with the cost of your pet’s burial or cremation.
• You may receive $25 daily up to $500 max for your pet’s boarding in an emergency situation in a licensed kennel. The coverage does not kick in until you have been hospitalized for at least two days.
• If your pet becomes ill or gets injured when you have a trip planned, you can receive $1,000 of the accommodation and travel expenses if your plans have to be cancelled or cut short.
• If your pet becomes missing or lost, up to three hundred dollars will be given for rewards and advertising.

Conclusions

PC Financial doesn’t require you to pay set-up fees and provides several extras for free, such as the cost of emergency boarding if you are in the hospital, reward or advertising costs for a lost pet, compensation when you have to cancel a holiday because of a pet’s serious illness, and compensation for losing a pet to an eligible illness or accident.

In making my choice, I will consider the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• Coverage for all breeds and ages of dogs and cats.
• No set -up fee to start your policy.
• Offer 10% multi-pet discount when you insure 3 or more pets.
• Emergency boarding fees for your pet if you are hospitalized for more than 2 days.

Cons:

• Leaves you responsible for most of a large expense.
• Negative customer reviews on other sites.